"Drop-in classes" and Deepening the Poses

Check this forum for suggestions on Yin Yoga flows, sequences and postures, as well as HOW to practice Yin Yoga.
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Karen 2E
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:30 am
Location: Canada

"Drop-in classes" and Deepening the Poses

Post by Karen 2E »

I have a question re: “drop-in classes” for yin. Before Halloween the new Yin class was a registered session so that only those who signed up could attend. They pay extra for this class and it is not included with “attending as many classes as you like during the week” option. It works well in two ways; the students are committed and we can progress. However, in the interest of having as many students try out this different style of yoga, we opened up the class to "drop-ins" after Halloween. If we keep it as “drop-ins welcome after Christmas”, how does one progress to longer held poses? I can give options for newcomers for some of the more challenging poses, like snail, but holding the poses longer or not long enough may be a deterrent for the beginners and experienced groups, respectively. I have yet to see beginner and advanced YIN classes on websites, but I am thinking that in our small city, with such a unique practice, that the class sizes would be too small to run. Suggestions anyone?
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Mixing Levels

Post by Bernie »

Hi Karen

As you discovered, having a group of students sign up for a course of classes is really ideal: you get to know them, and their limitations and can help each student evolve throughout the time of the course. For most teachers, unfortunately, Yin Yoga is taught as a drop in style class, and the teacher needs to be able to cater to a wide variety of experience and abilities. It is not easy, but it is quite possible.

My own preference is to offer three "tracks" during my classes. Track One is for beginners, or for students who want or need a more gentle, less challenging practice. Track Three is for those students who already have an great deal of range of motion or are seeking a deeper physical challenge. Track Two is somewhere in between. I will often start the class by letting students know that we have these three tracks on offer, to pick the one that works best for them today, and to feel free to switch tracks at any time.

As you know, we don't need necessarily deeper or harder poses in Yin Yoga as we progress - we can just work towards staying longer. Remind your students that time is more important than intensity, and then also remind them that they don't have to wait for permission to come out of a posture early. Listening to the body is the most important instruction of all.

With this as background, I will generally start each class with a very yin-like, easy pose, such as Butterfly or Sphinx, which almost every level can do, and while the students are in this first pose, I explain the philosophy of Yin Yoga. Once students understand the intention of the practice and how to play their edges, become still and hold for time, then we can start to offer the different tracks.
  • Track One: students can come out of the pose anytime their body tells them too
    Track Two: we can offer options in the poses that make the intensity stronger if the edge has gone away
    Track Three: we can offer more challenging postures.
For example, we can start with a Caterpillar for everybody:
  • Right at the start, invite Track One students to sit up on cushions and bend their knees. After 3 minutes you can invite Track One students to come of the pose, while inviting Track Two to stay where they are, and then offer to Track Three (only!) the option to come into Snail.
Think of the progressions you can offer:
  • Track One - easiest versions and come out early
    Track Two - stay longer
    Track Three - more challenging postures
We can start with Sphinx, for example, then work towards Seal. We can start with Baby Dragons and work towards Winged Dragons. You can see how to proceed from here.

I hope this helps.
Cheers
Bernie
Karen 2E
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:30 am
Location: Canada

"Drop-in classes" and Deepening the Poses

Post by Karen 2E »

Thank you! These are great review points and it all sounds logical, Bernie, however, what do the Track 1 students do while waiting for the others who are either remaining in the pose longer or being shown a more challenging pose... perhaps a very long counter pose? As you mentioned, it will be a lot more challenging for me to keep track of everyone's next move! Experience is the best teacher! 8)
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Mutlitrack

Post by Bernie »

Beginners and those in Track One will need more time between poses anyway, so don't worry too much about always directing them. Let them rest in a shavasana (pentacle as Paul Grilley calls it) while others are still in the poses. In time, you will become able to orchestrate multiple classes all within the one class, but there is no rush to get there.

Cheers
Bernie
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