How to do crow pose (bakasana) safely

Crow pose (bakasana) is the entrance to more challenging arm balances. (Check out this video on my favorite way to get into the pose.)

When practicing crow pose, you need a few key elements:

  • aware and educated hands
  • cat back
  • core and inner legs squeezing
  • hip flexion

The combination of these four component parts will help you – and your students – get there!

Component Parts

Hands

I like to do a little hand education before doing an arm balance. Weight in the hand naturally falls to the outer wrist, so we need to get the weight more into the index mound. You can practice good hand engagement (aka “hasta bandha”) at any point in your sequence. Here’s my trick:

When you are on all fours, lift the heel of one hand up so just the knuckles are pressing down. Then use your other hand to grab onto that forearm and pull up. Against the resistance of the pull up, slowly lower the heel of the hand back down. This little manoeuvre will help you activate the forearms and distribute the weight evenly into the hands and fingers. It’s also a lot more work.

Try this “lift the heel of your hand” thing in other poses such as downward facing dog. It’s a great reminder for optimal hand weighting in bakasana.

Cat Back

Your back is not flat in crow pose, it’s rounded. Practice finding this shape in positions such as cat pose. Use the core to scoop in and up strongly.

Core and Inner Legs Squeezing

Squeezing the inner things activates the adductors, which are the mainline to activating the transverse abdominis, your deepest abdominal layer. Find the midline. Squeeze the feet together, the knees into the arms, and presto, the core will start to light up. Finding levity in the upper body starts with strength in the lower body.

Hip Flexion

Most people take this for granted, but to do crow, you have to get your knees outside your shoulders! This is some pretty serious hip flexion. Get the body used to this “snuggle action” through poses such as side angle (parsvakonasana), lizard, and squat (malasana).

Peak Tip

Any arm balance can be done in a different configuration to gravity that will make it easier. Turn bakasana upside and do it on your back. Sit on your bum and do it by trying bent kneed navasana. These alternative versions of bakasana will 1. educate your students on the actions they need to get the pose without weight-bearing in the hands and 2. give them something hard to try as a peak pose if they can’t put weight on their hands for any reason.

Check out this video on my favorite way to get into the pose.

Happy exploring! Let me know how it goes!

Product Review: Zenifit Yoga Mat Bag (and discount!)

I really like this new bag from Zenifit! If you’re looking for a sweet little bag that makes transporting your daily yoga mat a breeze, then this handy tote may be a great solution.

Now there are a million yoga mat bags out there, it’s true, but I’ve found most of them to be fairly cumbersome. Frankly, I never use a yoga bag because they’re not worth the trouble. You usually have to deal with stuffing the mat into a tube like device and then zipping it all up, or threading your mat through a special pocket that makes carrying the bag all weird. In some bags, the mat winds up sitting horizontally rather than vertically, and I wind up knocking over plants when I walk by.

What I really like about this bag is that it makes everything so easy. You just stick your mat in the bag. Voila. Done. Because the sides of the bag are nice and high, the mat doesn’t tumble out or create an awkward weight issue. Having your mat in a tote may seem like a big no brainer, but I don’t see many mat bags out there that are doing this. And there’s still enough room in the bag to hold other important stuff, like your water bottle and your change of clothes. An outer pocket with a zippered compartment can keep hold your valuables, like your phone and credit cards. Nice wide straps make it easy on the shoulder to carry.

Now, I use a Manduka Pro Mat, which is very heavy. At the time of this blog posting, I am travelling to my sister’s, so I have my lighter travel mat with me rather than my Manduka. However, I still wanted to get a feel for whether or not this bag could accommodate a larger and heavier mat. To test it out, I rolled up three lighter mats together. And you know what? They fit in the bag, no problem.

The pro’s

  • Easy to use, just stick your mat in there!
  • Nicely weighted
  • Feels good on the shoulder
  • Roomy enough to hold water and extra clothes
  • Made from cotton, ahhhh, natural and durable
  • Sweetly pretty. The black color will wear well, and the embroidery and color accents (choose green or purple) adds a pretty touch.

The con’s

  • The embroidery and sac-shape may feel a bit “hippy” for yogis who love fashion with a sleek line.
  • Won’t fit a mat more than 1/2″ in thickness. If you use a very fluffy mat, do a quick measure test before you buy.
  • No shipping to Canada yet, folks.

All in all, I really like this bag and will use it for casual trips to the studio. I can also see leaving my mat at home and simply wearing this bag around to hop on over to the beach or the grocery 🙂 Nicely done! Check it out on Amazon.

First ten lovely readers a get 20% discount. Discount code: RSCOTT20

Review: Book Yoga Retreats

As many of you know, I took a yoga retreat to Bali recently. In fact, this was my first yoga retreat ever as a practitioner! Part of the reason that I took this yoga retreat was because the folks at Book Yoga Retreats gave me a shout and asked me to review their services.

Me: “Wait. You’re going to help fund me to go on a yoga retreat in exchange for an honest review?”

BYR: “Yes.”

Me: “And I can go anywhere you offer retreats?”

BYR: “Yes.”

Me: “Is there a catch?”

BYR: “No.”

Me: “Ummmm…okay?” (Small dance of incredulous joy.)

What an offer! I immediately started investigating my options. Book Yoga Retreats has literally thousands of retreats on their site. The possibilities were – quite literally – boggling. While I did check out options from all over the world, I ultimately narrowed my search down to Indonesia. Bali has been on my list for quite a few years, so why not go there?

Book Yoga Retreats is very user-friendly. Because – like many of us – I have a job, I needed to look at specific dates for going away. No problem. I input my start date and geographic region and then scrolled through the options.

I could search by several parameters:

  • region
  • categories (there are 80 to choose from, and the categories include pricing preference)
  • dates
  • yoga style

When I input “Bali” and my start date, the site returned about 200 retreats (amazing!). I could then sort the results by:

  • recommendations
  • price
  • duration
  • popularity
  • number of reviews

Being conscious of my budget, I tailored my search by price. Each listing had a photo and a quick blurb that included price, location, reviews, languages, available dates, and amenities. I could easily earmark my “favorites” with a heart and return to them quickly for further review.

By clicking on “see details,” I could see more photos, retreat highlights, recommendations, location, cancellations policies, and retreat details. The listing template is very thorough; you know exactly what you are going to get. With one-click, you can request a reservation or communicate directly with the host. I found the candid testimonials for each listing extremely helpful, especially because they weren’t all rave reviews. The testimonials provided the information I needed to feel confident about my retreat decision.

I contacted about ten different venues to ask specific questions about their retreats. In almost every case, I received a response from the hosts very quickly, directly to my email. The one time that I didn’t receive a quick reply, I received a note of apology from Book Yoga Retreats and suggestions for other, similar retreats. Communication with the hosts was very easy and secure payment was a snap. My only complaint about communication was that I did not have an easy access link to these conversations through the Book Yoga Retreats website; I had to click from the link that I received via email.

Summary of Pro’s

  • Thousands of retreats to choose from
  • Detailed listing template
  • Lots of helpful photos
  • Easily find a retreat to fit your schedule, budget and desires
  • Testimonials from fellow travellers give you a candid sense of the venue
  • Easy communication
  • Easy booking and secure payment

I loved my experience with Book Yoga Retreats. My package included yoga lessons, surf lessons, massages, snorkelling, and two daily meals – all for under $700. What a deal! However, it’s useful to understand that my priority was to find a retreat that fit my budget, time, and desired activities; my priority was not to find the best quality yoga. Strangely (for a yoga retreat) my priority was not my yoga experience. I am a teacher trainer and have practiced yoga for a long time. While I expected the classes to be safe and pleasant, I didn’t expect to find my next guru. My expectations were well-founded; although my teacher was lovely, she was newly certified and did not have much teaching experience.

If you’re going to a retreat centre that runs on-going yoga classes, it’s likely that the yoga classes are either outsourced to a local studio or taught by live-in yogis. For example, on my retreat, I took my yoga classes down the street at an independent studio. Signing up for the “retreat” was a way of having a few enticing services (yoga, massage, and surf lessons) conveniently batched into one price point. My hotel took responsibility for coordinating these services with local vendors. So yogi beware: your teacher may have gotten certified three months ago. They may teach an unusual style. Strangely (for a yoga retreat), the quality of the yoga may not really be the point.

If I had wanted to go on a yoga retreat to specifically deepen my practice, then I would have sought out a specific teacher for my continuing education and then tailored my vacation time around their specific retreat. While some yoga teachers do advertise on Book Yoga Retreats, it is not easy to search for them.

Bottom line: if you want to practice a specific yoga style or are looking to study yoga with a particular teacher, book your yoga retreat through your teacher directly. Book Yoga Retreats is not a source for educational yoga retreats, but for experiential yoga retreats. Book Yoga Retreats specializes in servicing the casual yogi, who is open to experiencing whatever yoga style is provided.

Summary of Con’s

  • You probably won’t know who your yoga teacher is
  • Teaching quality may vary
  • Yoga styles may not be accurately listed
  • No access to communication with host via website (you can only access conversations via email)
  • Sometimes it’s hard to know why yoga retreats may have widely different price points

Book Yoga Retreats is continually striving to improve. When we chatted about my feedback, they mentioned that they were working on their search parameters and hope to develop better tools to support searches for educational and teacher-driven retreats.

To summarize, their niche (and they excel at it):

Book Yoga Retreats provides casual yogis and adventurers with access to a wide range of retreat experiences in fascinating locations around the world.

If you’ve got some wanderlust, head on over to their site and take a look. Get inspired by the possibilities.

Book Review: Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga

Written by Marlynn Wei, MD and James Groves, MD, The Harvard Medical School’s Guide to Yoga pretty much had me at “hello.” To be honest, I get a little excited about anything published by Harvard because, well, it’s Harvard, and I assume it just has to be good. I’m also a bit starry eyed about linking yoga with medical research. So I cracked the book open….

The book can be characterized as a heartfelt east meet west. Both Wei and Groves have a personal connection to the yoga practice and compelling personal stories. Wei found yoga to find relief from her taxing job as a psychiatrist (and she also applies yoga in her work with her patients) and Groves (interestingly!) found yoga in his fifties. The book is a beautiful mix of scientific rigor and practical application with just enough yoga mysticism to feel authentic and sincere.

The book spans a wide range of foundational topics and I think would be a good addition to your library as a reference text. You’ll find:

  • the science of yoga (YAY!)
  • types of yoga
  • history and philosophy
  • subtle body systems
  • injury prevention
  • breathing
  • asana
  • mudras
  • guides for practice
  • yoga for specific health concerns

Throughout the book, the good doctors include references to correlating medical research (when appropriate) that provide research based evidence for the positive benefits of the techniques. Again – YAY! For those of you seeking to understand why yoga works, having access to this supporting research is enlightening and gratifying. If I’m going to be very, very picky, I will add that it’s good to be skeptical of blanket statements that are only supported by one or two studies. (One research study does not a fact make, no matter how good it sounds.)  I would also add that I would have loved for more specific physiological benefits to be included for individual asana.

Overall, if you are nerdy yogi, this book is an excellent read and resource. I personally love to have a “why” for the “what” when I’m teaching, and having a little science at your fingertips is useful when you’re luring more practical-minded students into the practice. Wei and Groves bridge the gap between western medicine and eastern practice with sincerity, clarity, and grace.

 

Check out book on Amazon.Com.

Check out book on Amazon.Ca.

Best yoga pants

Alright alright, I know that everyone out there has an article about the best yoga pants. So I’m going to weigh in and also provide a couple of links to some reviews that are out there.

First of all, let me say that I am not a fashion horse. I have been known to practice yoga in jeans and my sweaties and don’t really care what I’m wearing as long as I can move and don’t chafe. That said, not all products are created equal. And when I teach, it’s helpful to look like I didn’t just roll out of bed.

Lululemon is top dog for a very good reason. Great fabrics, good fit, nice detailing, and the clothes endure (in my experience). And I’m the jerk that puts them all in the dryer, too. I know that Lulu gear can get expensive, but I think it’s worth the price tag. Lulu also does pockets really well, which is not to be underestimated. Since I occasionally jog and work out in my yoga pants (in those activities, I am a bit more fussy about fit and fabrics), I really appreciate Lulu’s passion for being user-friendly and functional.

While Lulu is excellent standard wear, they don’t do crazy fun designs. For simple beauty, my favorite pants are made by the folks at Dharma Bums. Their designs are stunning and unique. Despite my personal lack of fashion sense, I get compliments on these pants every time I wear them because they’re so darn cute. But more importantly, Dharma Bums fit really well and the fabric is excellent. It’s soft, light, and durable. Great for practicing yoga and works just fine for a light sweat.

Get a discount! 20% off Dharma Bums. Use the promo code: RACHEL20 at checkout!

So: my two product go to’s? Lululemon and Dharma Bums. Both great for different reasons.

Here’s some more reviews of yoga pants.

Also, a quick caveat. Although I don’t wear shoes when I’m doing yoga, some people actually really like to have something on their feet when they practice, either because their feet get super sweaty or because they’re practicing sans mat. If you’re looking to investigate what you should put on your feet when you practice, check out more on this from the folks at Nicer Shoes. They did a little recon for you!

Yoga tourism and teacher trainings in Bali

The Yoga Barn has a wall that displays posters of its workshops. The teachers are predominantly white.

Travelling to Bali brought up mixed feelings. Happy to be there, certainly, but also confounded by the rampant yoga tourism. Who can blame the people here for giving us what we want? Whether it’s cheap massages (which don’t seem be frequented by the Balinese), asana classes (taught by non-locals) or raw, organic food (the Balinese tend to eat fried rice), I felt like I was sloshing down a tourist water slide. And I also felt like I was in danger of missing the point of travelling to Indonesia.

I didn’t take any yoga classes in Ubud, because I didn’t feel like paying thirteen bucks to go to Geoff’s class in Bali when I can get great yoga at home. I wanted to experience Balinese culture, not western culture set in an Indonesian setting. Maybe everyone else got the memo, but asana is not a Balinese tradition. The Balinese are Hindu, yes, but their daily life revolves around bhakti (devotional) yoga and temple ceremonies. My guide Wayan explained to me that people in Bali seek balance and clarity. Through ceremonies and offerings, they create balance, love, and community. However, there has been a huge uptick in last ten years (especially since Eat, Pray, Love) of yoga-seeking visitors. Bali offers an insane number of yoga retreats and is a hot destination for yoga teacher trainings. I suppose the only reason this bugs me is because Bali has become known as a destination for yoga asana. Which is not Balinese.

Here’s my point. If you’re going to Bali to do yoga or do your teacher training, then know that you are going to a beautiful location to participate in something that is, well, taught by foreigners. It’s like doing your TT in Costa Rica: great setting, great experience, but not indigenous to the local culture. I’m not casting stones: for the first week that I was in Bali, I participated in a yoga retreat where I went to classes taught by a nice gal who had done her teacher training with someone from Colorado. It wasn’t great yoga, but yes, it was a nice vacation.

My advice: if you’re going to make the trek all the way to Bali, don’t settle for just the yoga. Seek out the culture that lies beneath the asana and massage. Go to the temples. Talk to your Balinese drivers. See Balinese dance. Eat Nasi Goreng.

I understand that – unless we decided to make our homes in Bali – we’ll probably never get off the tourist train completely. That’s simply the nature of travel. However, wouldn’t it be more interesting to get on a train that has an Indonesian view?

How to Protect Your Yoga Business with Yoga Teacher Insurance

Hey new yogis, many of you have asked me about insurance and why you need it. Check out this guest article from Canopy. They cover some important points and – for my yogis in the States – I wanted to hook you up with this really great rate!

– Rachel 

Have you ever thought of what would happen if one of your students were to sue you? The average legal cost of a liability claim is $35,000 not including damages if you’re found liable. Insurance Canopy can help you find the yoga teacher insurance that is flexible enough to fit within your budget and still provide you with the protection you need.

What Is Yoga Teacher Insurance?

Yoga teacher insurance covers you in case you are sued for bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury.

You need this coverage for a variety of reasons. Let’s say, for example, you are a yoga teacher who routinely makes house visits. General liability coverage would cover damages to a client’s home if your yoga wheel indented their new hardwood floor.

Or, perhaps you are sued by a student because your instruction gave them an injury, such as a torn ligament or hurt back.

Do I Really Need Yoga Teacher Insurance?

Yes. It’s essential to carry yoga teacher insurance for the following important reasons:

  1. It protects your financial assets and can help you with legal expenses if you get sued, medical expenses if you were found liable for a client’s injury, or the cost to replace something if you damaged someone’s property.
  2. People won’t hire you without it. Many gyms and studios require yoga instructors to carry insurance. Some gyms or studios may require you to add them as an additional insured in order to conduct sessions at their gym.
  3. It keeps your career as a yoga teacher going strong, even if you are sued.

What Should I Look For in a Yoga Teacher Insurance Policy?

In addition to comprehensive coverage and low deductibles, you should look for the following features:

No Membership Required

If you have been shopping for yoga insurance, you know that the annual premium for yoga insurance policies can range from $150 to $350. In many cases, to access lower premium for yoga insurance, you must also purchase a membership in an organization or subscribe to a publication.

Insurance Canopy provides yoga insurance for a low annual premium of $129 with no membership required, making our policy one of the most cost-effective out there.

No Hourly Requirements

Whether you teach full time, part time, or as a hobby, our policy is available to you.

Insurance Canopy offers a single-cost policy that covers both part-time and full-time instructors.

Multiple Services Allowed

If you are a yoga instructor who provides multiple types of yoga instruction, you may have noticed that other insurance agencies require you to purchase a separate policy for each type of yoga that you teach.

With Insurance Canopy, you can provide multiple types of yoga instruction that will be covered under one policy.

Buy Online & Download Documents Immediately

Online access is important for yoga teachers on the go. With Insurance Canopy, you can purchase yoga insurance online within minutes, without needing to wait for a quote. You can also download your insurance documents 24/7.In addition, you can add additional insureds and have your proof of insurance within minutes at anytime during your policy period.

Insurance Canopy offers yoga insurance through a no-hassle, online process that is available at your convenience.

Additional Insureds

You may teach yoga at a single studio or travel to different locations. Gyms, studios, or other venues may require you to add them as an additional insured to protect them from your liability. To add a single additional insured to your policy, the cost is only $15.

With Insurance Canopy, you can also purchase unlimited additional insureds for just $30.

Have More Questions?

We hope this helps you understand what Insurance Canopy’s yoga insurance offers and what insurance coverages your yoga teaching practice may need. If you have additional questions, our representatives are available during business hours. Please contact us at 844-520-6993 or by emailing info@insurancecanopy.com.

How to Sequence to Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise is a bound standing pose, where you balance on one leg and try to look like a stork. But, you know, an elegant stork. It’s a doozy of a pose, requiring balance, open hamstrings, external rotation, and deep hip flexion. Let’s take a closer look at how you can get your students there.

Component parts – what needs to be warmed up or educated to do the pose

  • hamstring opening – particularly inner leg/ groin
  • flexion and external rotation of the lifted leg
  • internal rotation of the upper arm and openness to the chest
  • balance
  • binding – needs to be intelligently educated for health of shoulder
  • standing up – needs to be intelligently educated so that the work is coming from the legs and you’re not “hauling” the leg up with the upper body

Props you need

  • Strap

For this pose, there are some actions that need to be educated: binding and standing.

How to bind

I often see people binding in such a way that their chest collapses into spinal flexion. Binding at the expense of the chest (or binding and “hanging on for dear life”) is not optimal. Use a strap to lengthen the arms when needed. Everyone has different length arms relative to their torso. A bind that is easy for one person may be challenging for someone else. Honour the integrity of the pose over the aesthetics of “getting it.”

How to stand

Also, in Bird of Paradise, you have to stand up onto one leg. I often see students hauling themselves up by their upper body – in particular, letting the heavy weight of their bound leg rest in the bind of their arms.  Poor rotator cuff and shoulder! The leg is bigger – and heavier – than the arm, so don’t let the shoulder do the work of supporting the bound leg. Instead use the legs to lift the legs. Let the arms be decorative – not hauling machines.

Sequence of yoga poses

  • Wide legged child’s pose (opening groin)
  • Cat/ Cow
  • Sun Salutations – use to thread the remaining poses for flow class. Or simplify for hatha.
  • Side angle pose (parsvakonasana) with back shin down and parallel to back of mat (like a baby side angle) (flexion/ external rotation)
  • Low lunge (anjaneyasana) to half splits (ardha hanumanasana) (opens hamstrings)
  • Warrior two (virabhadrasana two) to side angle (parsvakonasana) (external rotation, flexion)
  • Humble warrior (extension and internal rotation of the arms)
  • Chair (utkatasana) shift weight side to side and balance on one foot (beginning to teach actions needed to stand up)
  • Chair (utkatasana) balance on one leg to step back into high lunge with hands clasped behind (extension and internal rotation of arms)
  • Tree (vrksasana) (balance, external rotation)
  • Lizard (flexion, external rotation)
  • Step forward to standing splits with top hip open (hamstrings, groin, balance) and stand up knee to chest (teach action of standing up)
  • Wide legged forward fold C (prasarita padottanasana c(hamstrings).
  • Add side to side shift (skandasana) for inner thigh stretch
  • Utthita hasta padangustasana b (balance, external rotation). This is bird of paradise without the bind.
  • Side angle pose (parsvakonsana) with teaching bind, use strap (flexion, external rotation, arms to bind, use strap)
  • Peak! Bird of Paradise. Teach how to get up into it first, then play.
  • Cool down should include outer hip stretches (those guys have worked to stabilize you!), perhaps a hamstring stabilizer like bridge.

Check out my sequence below.  While I’m not teaching this exact sequence, it shows how I teach you to come up into the pose safely (at about 44 minutes) and will give a similar sequence for you to practice and explore.

Happy sequencing!

Want more? Check out my continuing education courses in Yoga Sequencing and Teaching here.

How to sequence safely to Natarajasana – Dancer’s Pose

Natarajasana – Dancer’s Pose – is a beautifully challenging yoga pose. It’s a complex pose with a lot of benefits:

  • Opens the chest and front line of the body
  • Works your balance (ankle and hip stability)
  • Increases focus

The component parts (parts of the body that need to be warmed up or educated in order to do the pose) are as follows:

  • Hip flexor opening: the front of the hip needs to be stretched and opened.
  • Backbend: the backbend should initiate from the upper back (thoracic) and the lower back should be stabilized by the core, which leads us to ….
  • Core stability: engaging the abdominals intelligently prevents over-compression in the lower back
  • Hamstring opening: to hinge forward from the hip, the backs of the legs need to be open.
  • Arm in extension: the arm that is holding your foot is moving backwards in space. This helps with chest opening.
  • Balance: training the outer hips and ankles to support us in space.

Here’s a flow sequence that helps you warm up your body to make the most of the pose! Props you may want:

  • Strap

Opening

  • Virasana – Hero’s Pose
  • Cat Cow with leg and arm extended (Dancing Cat)

Warm Up

  • Surya Namaskar A with low lunges
  • Triangle trikonasana
  • Twisted chair parivrttta utkatasana
  • Eagle garudasana
  • High lunge with arms clasped behind
  • Wide legged forward fold prasarita padottansana  c
  • Sphinx and Locust salabhasana
  • High lunge into twisted lunge parivrtta parsvakonasana
  • Thigh stretch (add a quad stretch in low lunge, or do a pose like saddle)
  • Locust and Bow dhanurasana
  • Warrior 3 virabhadrasana

Peak

  • Dancers holding foot with simple standing quad stretch natarajasana
  • Dancers holding foot with arm in extension (behind), adding hinged forward backbend
  • Dancers holding foot with both arms above head and elbows bent – use strap to hook foot

Counter

  • Forward fold janu sirsasana or paschimottanasana
  • Seated twist ardha matsyendrasana
  • Thread the needle or seated outer hip stretch agnistambhasana

Happy sequencing!

Want more? Check out my continuing education courses in Yoga Sequencing and Teaching here.

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