October weekend - Day two

We started our class off with a traditional Ashtanga class. After practice, Kathy asked us to think about things to do before starting a class.

Prepare for class

• Make sure practice space is clean, warm and smells good
• Ensure music and lighting of room is appropriate
• Have props ready
• Check bathroom
• Have a clock you can see
• Make sure you are clean, emptied bowels/bladder
• Eat two hours before, be hydrated
  
• Dress comfortably
• Clear mind, focus, steady breath
  

Assignments
Then Kathy reminded us to continue to list 100 things we do that is yoga. For instance, doing dishes is yoga, but doing dishes and listening to the news may not be yoga.

She also reminded us to think of 5-10 things we could eat before a yoga class that would not be too heavy for practicing. (My list from July's workshop)

Kathy is working on a new list of books. Everyone brought in their books. We broke up into groups and made lists.

General comments about assisting (in addition to points from July's workshop):

• When assisting, watch your body language--no hands on hips or arms crossed.
• Find a place where you are not making eye contact and are out of the way.
• Bring own towel, but use student's towel on them if they have one, and are particularly sweaty.
  
• In forward bends, find hump of back and press forward and down just below that hump. Only press above the "hump" on students who are extremely flexible, and just need assistance pressing down
  
• "The sacrum likes pressure" sometimes pressing down on the sacrum or hips is just enough assisting for tight students. It not only helps stabilize or ground a posture, it just feels good.
• Tucking the chin can help relax tension in the back.
  

Janu Sirsasana A
- From behind student, teacher's heel into the shin of the folded leg of the student; pull back (increasing angle of bent leg)
- Make sure student's spine is aligned with extended leg
- Find the hump of the back, press hands in butterfly shape just below the hump; press forward and down (allowing student's torso to flatten down and out toward extended foot.
- Alternatively, teacher may press one hand down on sacrum/lower back to press buttocks into floor, then use other hand to press torso up and over leg.

Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose)
- If student's knees are high, support with either blocks or your own legs.
- Press sacrum down and help student lean forward

Utkatasana/Virabhadrasana I (fierce pose and warrior one)
For some students, it is not comfortable to let the head hang back with the arms extended upward. Helping straighten the arms eases the pressure on the neck.
- Standing behind student, straighten student's arms by gently rolling elbows in
- In virabhadrasana, you may keep student's arms up while they switch sides
- From Vira-I to II, help student bring arms down, then press your elbows into your sides while helping extend student's arms (shoulder opener).