What occurs in a general yoga class is alignment is determined from a structural perspective (alignment of the bones) including the head, spine, arms and legs and associated joint in relation to forming a particular geometric shape or pattern. It is the nature of general yoga classes today that the yoga teacher, instructing 10 or so people, can only provide accurate alignment bases on structure because instructions involving functionality are often misinterpreted as described in the example below on mula-bundha. Unfortunately, alignment based purely on structure is proving to be inadequate and even dangerous. It is a great oversight on behalf of the student or teacher to assume as long as the body is forming the correct geometric shape of a particular yoga posture, the posture is being performed correctly. In my experience this assumption not only strengthens dysfunction patterns in the body, but also creates new ones, often resulting in increased body tension, micro-trauma forming scar tissue, joint laxity, pain and injury.
Teachers and teacher training institutes have attempted to avoid this issue by apply various principles and methods such as teaching asana variations, using props and insisting students never to push into pain when practicing yoga postures. Although these principle and methods are essential to any yoga practice more is required at the level of correct functionality of the body to avoid pain or injury and to access the true benefits of the postures.
To obtain great benefits from performing yoga postures adequate support from core stabilizing muscles is required. These muscles form to create balanced biomechanics to the hips, pelvis, spine shoulders and neck. Alignment of the bone structure follows to form the correct geometric shape/pattern.
Often in class the teacher will instruct the class to turn on the mula-bundha by pulling the naval to the spine. The purpose of this instruction on the physical level is to create stability in the pelvis and lower back (lumbar), however for most people this will create the exact opposite. Pulling in of the naval often creates a shortening of the ‘6 pack’ muscles (rectus abdominis). This muscle flexes the truck forward forcing the body out of alignment also inhibiting the use of uddiyana bandha.
What the student does in order to correct themselves from the forward bending position is activate the back muscles (erector spinae) to keep the spine straight, which only puts undue pressure on the spine and/or increases the curvature of the spine, primarily the lumbar, both of which cause a multitude of issues. Also, now that the front and back of the body are tightly fixed from opposing muscles contractions there is no room to breathe and still the pelvis and hips are not adequately stabilized.
As you can see from a structural perspective the posture looks CORRECT but from a functional perspective ITS FAR FROM IT. This example of the mula-bundha is only one of many misinterpreted instruction given from teachers to students during yoga class simply because the students lack of experiential knowledge of how to correctly use their core stabilizers. This statement is in no way implying incorrect functionality is the fault of the teacher. In fact no one is at fault. It is however the responsibility of the student to ensure they know what that are doing when practicing something as advanced as yoga asana, which may involve personal tuition.
Why is personal instruction so important?
Students report that after having personal tuition on how to use their body correctly, alignment in any yoga class becomes a logical and intuitive process. When a student follows on in class performing various postures, some of which they have never done before, they base correct alignment and safety on their ability to maintain core activation, postural alignment and breathing.
What is someone to expects when doing the Yoga Person Instruction Workshop?
When people come to my Yoga Personal Instruction Workshops they are often surprised to find themselves NOT learning yoga postures (at least in the beginning). What the students learns first is how to use their body in a functional way using easy practical steps on how to use their core stabilizing muscles. They also learn how their core works to form correct posture and bio-mechanics by stabilizing major joints and balancing opposing muscles groups (agonist and antagonist), which are often the cause of back, should, hip, and knee pain.
What does functionality of the body involve?
Functionality of the body involves core stabilization, correct biomechanics and neural firing, which are seldom covered in teacher training and therefore rarely taught in a general yoga class.
So who is this workshop for?
The information and practical knowledge provided in the Yoga Personal Instruction Workshop is everyone including yoga teachers and students who have not undergone rigorous in depth anatomy and physiology training from a yoga institute. Learning basic anatomy and functional training of the body through core activation is easy, you just need the practical knowledge. This knowledge is not taught in a text book fashion but directly to the individual encompassing mental and emotional (psychosomatic) aspects, which play an important role in how the body functions.
This knowledge enables the practicing student to be their own self regulator of safety and growth when in general yoga classes such as power yoga, vinyasa yoga, hot yoga, Bikram yoga, hatha yoga, and also when practising from a DVD, game consult or online.
And remember, just when you think you are done with a challenge a brand new challenge is on its way to ensure learning is a never ending part of life – so best ENJOY!
