christine
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Jul 13, 2006, 5:33 AM
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Hi, I'm new to this forum and happy to find you!
I'm a brand new yoga teacher - in the process of a 200 hour certification program - and have been volunteer teaching for about 6 weeks now. I have a weekly class at a Senior Center that is remarkably rewarding.
I have another class I teach every other Tuesday. It is consistently more challenging. It is at a local community center after an AA/NA meeting, so we keep the classes simple, short (one hour), gentle. Most students have never done yoga before, so I do quick anatomy demos w/ tips on keeping backs & knees safe, keep my instructions simple, do a lot of demonstration and (after checking) some hands on adjustment.
I had a student last night - a good friend actually, who came to support me! - who experienced pain in her right lumbar region after half moon (the right leg was the supporting, standing leg). We don't have blocks at this location, so I asked them to go to the wall for balance. I made a strategic decision to suggest hand to floor for two points of contact (old rock climbing rule...) but make it gentler by bending the standing knee and only straightening to the point of balance and opening.
She experienced pain which was made worse when I tried to support the extended/flying leg (so I stopped) and helped when she released the bottom hand from the floor. I went to her house this morning to massage the area & her erectors and quadratus lumborum are tight. I think it was a classic bending over injury.
Any reactions, comments, suggestions? I had given instructions to start w/ bent knee, open the pelvis skyward, bellybutton to spine and had done some warming up (spinal rolls, moon salutations, cat/cow, childs pose) and just previous we'd done warrior II and side angle.
If nothing else, be aware of the potential for this injury in this pose - the feeling of having a student sustain injury during my instruction is one I'd like to avoid in the future, for sure!!!
Inviting the realized teacher.... christine
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