Undo, unwind, let go, and experience true rest. Instead of asking your body and mind to do more, this practice soothes your nervous system, quiets your mind, and helps you release deeply held tension. This workshop is a unique circuit of restorative poses where all the necessary blankets, blocks, and bolsters are skillfully arranged before you arrive. You simply come for the deep nourishing rest you need and deserve. Leave feeling completely revitalized and refreshed, ready for the week and the month ahead.

Everybody welcome; no yoga experience necessary. Please register in advance by 4p on the day of the workshop.

Yomassage is a small group class that combines restorative positions, massage, and mindfulness to provide the ultimate relaxation experience. Classes typically run 60-90 minutes and can accommodate 5 participants. Classes appeal to those who have never done yoga as well as those who have never received massage. Lauren is a licensed Massage Therapist and Yomassage Therapist in Northern Virginia.

Let your body feel some vibes as we flow in this Kundalini style yoga workshop. This musically driven fun flow will make your spirit soar to new heights! Take your yoga practice to a rockin’ new level as we play music that inspires, encourages and enlivens our every muscle. Then enjoy the guided savasana as the sounds of guitar ease you into calm. Lavender oil temple massage completes the experience with some OOH’s & AHH’s! A great way to get your groove on, let loose, and enjoy a post-class complimentary glass of wine with Monica!

As we enter Autumn, we harvest the growth of Spring and Summer and, like the trees, bring our energy inward to lighten up and release old “leaves” we no longer need.

Autumn is the most potent season for intuition and vision and is associated with the Metal Element in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In this workshop, we will focus on rejuvenating and invigorating the Organs and Meridians (energy channels) of the Metal Element - the Lungs and Intestines and the transmutation of their negative emotional characteristics.

The Metal energy of Autumn is an expression of new Yin. We will balance the Yin nature of gentle, cleansing asana stretches and breathwork with complementary Yang practices, whilst using meditation, journeying, and deep inward listening to open to our intuitive gifts.

Students of all levels welcome. In Silver Spring.

This 90-minute luxuriously relaxing practice is the ideal complement to today’s hectic lifestyle. In Restorative Yoga, you’ll use props such as bolsters and blankets to find the most supported position. This allows the body to relax so you can receive the benefits of the poses without any effort on your part. You’ll remain in the poses for 7-10+ minutes so you can unwind and enter a deep state of rest. The practice concludes with Yoga Nidra (or Yogic Sleep), a 25-minute guided meditation in Savasana (final relaxation). You will discover a new-found sense of peace and healing.

The Next Evolution of Vinyasa Yoga

As a longtime student and teacher, I’m committed to making the common sense upgrades to Vinyasa Yoga that will keep it safe, effective, and relevant for modern students. As a teacher, I’m committed to stepping back from my work, evaluating what I believe is effective and changing what can be improved. I’m committed to teaching the essence of the Yoga Tradition, while modernizing the biomechanics and language of this timeless tradition.

I’ve had the distinct privilege of studying with gifted, traditional teachers of various schools of yoga. I’ve also been influenced by my students, especially those that are Doctors of Sports Medicine, Physical Therapists, Orthopedic Surgeons, and Olympic Trainers. My goal is to retain the essence of yoga in my classes, while staying up-to-date with how other disciplines work intelligently with the body. I believe in the power and poignancy of traditional forms of vinyasa yoga. I also believe all systems need to make occasional bug fixes and software updates so that they continue to work for many years to come.

This weekend workshop series is dedicated to making all of the minor changes, updates, and upgrades that I believe will make your Vinyasa yoga practice a sustainable, transformative practice for decades to come. This program is the culmination of over 20-years of practicing, making mistakes, making revisions, and separating what I believe is truly useful from what is extraneous. It’s also the beginning of an updated, comprehensive method for moving our flow forward.

Rethinking Salutations and Standing Flows (Fri, Nov 1: 6–8:30p)

Salutations and standing-pose flows are the centerpiece of vinyasa yoga. They establish the pace of class and help maintain the dynamic experience until Savasana. Until now, vinyasa classes have been overly dependent on Surya Namaskar A and B. Similarly, classes over rely on Chaturanga to maintain intensity. While these Salutations are still worthy, it’s time to step back and realize that we have many other options to maintain flow—some that are even better tailored for modern practitioners. Moving forward, we need fewer chaturangas and other types of vinyasas that strengthen other regions of the body. We need to re-evaluate the hyper-speed pace of today’s flow classes and return to a pace that prioritizes skillful movement, mindful focus, and deep breathing. We need to standing pose combinations that strengthen and mobilize the entire hip circumference instead of overstressing the hamstrings and Sacro-Illiac joint. We need to take the essence of vinyasa yoga and give it the modern software updates that will make it even more safe and effective for the next generation.

In this workshop, you will:

• Take back the currently frenetic pace of vinyasa by synchronizing your movements with deep, rhythmic ujaayi breathing. You will work hard, but your breath will never be rushed.
• Learn Sun Salutations that complement Surya Namaskar “A” & “B” and are better tailored for modern practitioners. These salutations produce less repetitive stress on the hamstrings, SI joint, wrists and shoulders, while creating greater flexibility in the front of the hips and strength in the spine.
• Strong, powerful vinyasa linkages other than Chatturanga and Up Dog. These vinyasas complement Chaturanga and Up Dog by producing less repetitive stress in the shoulders and more balanced, functional strength throughout the body.
• Standing pose combinations that produce balanced strength and flexibility in the entire hip-joint, instead of simply combinations that chronically over-stress the hamstrings and SI-region.
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A Modern Approach to the Core & Bandhas (Sat, Nov 2: 1–3:30p)

The traditional bandha system, designed to create and direct the body’s innate resources, is beautiful and sophisticated. Unfortunately, the language that is used to teach the bandhas can be arcane and confusing. This practice bridges the Traditional teachings of yoga’s primary Bandhas with a modern understanding of core and spine. It demystifies the Bandhas and provides you with a clear, modern understanding of how to work from your center. This understanding will help you strengthen your core, stabilize your spine, and improve every category of yoga posture, including your twists, forward bends and arm balances.

In this workshop, you will:

• Unpack and demystify the language of the Bandhas. You’ll learn about the Traditional teachings of these actions in order to evaluate them in a modern context.
• Experience a modern approach to the Bandhas that helps strengthen your core, stabilize your spine, and improve your breathing.
• Update your understanding of traditional teachings with a modern understanding of the core and spine.
• Deepen every posture category, including twists, forward bends, and arm balances.
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Reformatting the Flow for Our Shoulders and Wrists (Sat, Nov 2: 4:30–7p)

The longer I’ve practiced vinyasa yoga, the more I’ve realized that the practice is imperfect for our shoulders and wrists. There is an excess of arm-overhead postures like Down Dog and arms in a forward position like plank and chaturanga. Even more, there’s an insufficient degree of postures that extend the shoulder joint and produce scapular strength and stability. But, all is not lost. Vinyasa yoga is still remarkably effective and saving our shoulders and wrists by updating our sequencing and technique is simple and straightforward.

In this workshop, you will:

• Strengthen the entire shoulder girdle and cultivate greater balance in your shoulders, neck and upper back.
• Learn to decrease the excessive movements that Vinyasa yoga asks of our shoulders and wrists. Similarly, you will integrate more postures that most vinyasa yoga sequences ignores, thereby creating greater stability in your shoulder joints.
• Identify key techniques in all weight bearing postures that will decrease repetitive stress in your shoulders and wrists
• Create balanced range of motion in your entire shoulder girdle.
• Updated your understanding of best practices for shoulder and wrist health in contemporary vinyasa yoga.
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A New, Balanced Approach to the Hips (Sun, Nov 3: 1–3:30p)

Traditional vinyasa yoga schools are powerful and poignant. And, like all systems, we need to upgrade the operating software and fix the bugs that show up after years of use. Since traditional styles of vinyasa yoga are heavily skewed toward forward bending, revise these practices for a more balanced approach to the hip socket will be helpful for modern students. For example, traditional sequencing stretches the hamstrings exponentially more than the adductors, hip-flexors and external rotators. Similarly, traditional sequencing stretches the hamstrings multiples of what it strengthens the hamstrings. Since most modern practitioners spend a ton of time in chairs, we need the opposite of this approach to the hips: we need much more hamstring and gluteal strengthening to go with our hamstring stretching; we also need to spend more time addressing tightness in the hip-flexors, outer-hips and adductors.

In this workshop, you will:

• Learn what parts of the hip need the greatest attention for modern practitioners that spend an inordinate amount of time in chairs.
• Establish an updated approach to vinyasa yoga that strengthens, stabilizes and stretches the entire hip socket in balanced way.
• Create greater range of motion in the entire hip joint while giving your poor hamstrings a break.
• Make progress on postures that demanding of the hip-joint such as Padmasana and Hanumanasana.
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YOGA 101 with Alice

Learn the 1-2-3's about yoga. We introduce a little bit of history, philosophy sharing the heart of the practice. You'll learn the importance of [pranayama breathing] and foundational poses that will strengthen, build flexibility and coordination in the body. Our bodies are influenced by our work environment, ergonomics, history and patterns in how we move in our body. Learn how to feel alignment in the body to keep you confident and safe in your poses. Learn how to detect holding patterns in the body and how to create a map into healthier movement patterns for health and well-being. We will break down the anatomy of the poses a little bit so everyone can leave with a refreshed understanding of the practice and how to apply it to your everyday life.

This is an opportunity to explore and learn the foundational fundamentals of YOGA. Every time you step on the MAT is an opportunity to explore, discover, and challenge your body to find it's way back into a state of balance. Find the mountain moments in every pose and transitions.

Cost: $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that weakens bones, often resulting in fractures. Recent studies indicate that Yoga, practiced the right way, can build bone mass and prevent fractures without undesirable side effects. You’ll learn a safe and enjoyable practice to improve bone and muscle strength, posture, and balance.

This workshop provides an overview of osteoporosis:

- Definition, prevalence, testing, risk factors, remediating factors, physiology
- Consequences: fractures, falls, bone health
- How yoga can counteract thinning bones without undesirable side affects
- Do’s and Don’ts: movements which are safe and movements to be avoid

Then we’ll guide you through carefully selected yoga poses to build muscle and bone, improve posture, balance, and overall strength as recommended by Dr. Lauren Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall.

For men and women of all ages; appropriate for those who’ve never done yoga, experienced students, and yoga teachers.

Yoga teachers can submit training hours to Yoga Alliance for CEU credits.

3 Day Teacher Development + Inspiration Program


WHY I CREATED THIS TRAINING

Having trained hundreds of teachers over the course of nearly two decades, the most common challenges that I see teachers struggle with involve sequencing—and, each of these problems eventually leads to burnout. The first challenge is that many teachers haven’t learned to properly sequence in their foundational program. They’ve learned to memorize and teach a sequence, but they haven’t learned how to construct their own sequences in a logical, progressive way. The second challenge is when teachers burn themselves out by constantly creating new sequences from week-to-week, or day-to-day. In this scenario, teachers often stress themselves out by putting pressure on themselves to constantly create new and different combinations—often at the expense of being consistent with their students. The last sequencing struggle that leads to burnout is when teachers don’t completely understand the anatomical foundations for safe, successful, productive sequencing.

I created this program from years of experience to solve all of these challenges—and, to you create authentic, effective, logical sequences that make a positive impact in the lives of your students.



WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS TRAINING

This program will provide you with the tools to develop meaningful, authentic and effective sequences for your classes and personal practice. It will provide you with the knowledge, inspiration and technique to generate fresh, safe sequences that represent your voice and vision as a teacher. You will learn the anatomical rationale that underscores safe, effective sequencing for every postural category. You’ll minimize burnout and ensure that you have a larger, more consistent student population by avoiding the most common sequencing challenges that teachers face.


WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT EACH DAY OF THE TRAINING

You will get plenty of practice during this training. Each day starts with seated meditation followed by an accessible, hands-on anatomy discussion that illuminates the sequencing topic of the day. Then, you’ll launch into a strong, 2-hr vinyasa practice that explores the anatomy and sequencing concepts of the day. In the afternoon, you’ll break down the anatomical details further while discussing the sequencing principles for each of the postural categories listed in the paragraph above. Each afternoon will conclude with another, shorter practice that illustrates the sequencing topic of the day.



THE TOPICS COVERED IN THIS PROGRAM

This program covers every aspect of sequencing, including the anatomical rationale that underscores safe and compelling sequences. This program covers the following topics:

DAY 1: Sequencing with Authenticity and Purpose
DAY 2: Turning Inward: Sequencing for Safe, Effective Forward Bends
Creating Space and Freedom: Sequencing for Efficient Backbends
DAY 3: Releasing Tension: Sequencing for Cleansing Twists
Taking Flight: Sequencing for Strong, Stable Arm Balances


THIS PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR YOU IF

• You want to teach vinyasa yoga with a more structured, consistent method that helps your students refine and advance their practice.
• You want to become a more successful, in-demand teacher by refining your skills and creating more consistent, compelling classes for your students.
• You want to refine and rededicate yourself to your personal practice while elevating the consistency and quality of your teaching.
• You need help balancing alignment techniques with the rhythm and movement of vinyasa yoga.
• You need support finding your own voice as a yoga teacher.
• You want a modern, credible, consistent approach to vinyasa yoga that is safe, skillful and effective.
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This event is perfect for first timers to yoga but is challenging enough to give even the most practiced yogis a challenging session. Our instructors modify each movement to accommodate all fitness levels. Participants begin with a Vinyasa Flow Yoga class and end with a glass (or two!) of wine. We’ll breathe, balance, connect and even laugh a little — priming ourselves for our post-yoga social hour.

Refresh, tune-up, expand your Bone Health/Osteoporosis practice!

This workshop offers students who've attended a prior bone health/osteoporosis workshop (or equivalent) an opportunity to get feedback and deepen your practice to prevent/reverse bone loss.

You’ll have an opportunity to:

• Answer questions about your practice to optimize bone health
• Modify, fine tune, or just recharge your practice of the initial 12 Fishman poses
• Learn alternates poses to vary your practice
• Explore asanas that strengthen bones in the arm and wrist (a common sites of osteoporosis fractures along with the hip, femur and spine)
• Practice balance and core-strengthening asanas to help prevent falls
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Food samples and cooking demo! Recipe booklet included. More info to come!

How does your current relationship with your body affect your experience of pleasure? When do you feel like you “have permission” to feel good? What do you find yourself wanting more of? Do you actually know what you want?

Many of us, particularly those of us in marginalized bodies, have experienced the demonization of our desires. It’s hard to avoid internalizing these messages, but doing so often limits our sense of choice. How can we free up more options, including those options we’d ultimately find most pleasurable? What tools does yoga have to offer us in our quest for agency? This workshop provides a forum to explore desire in a community setting, incorporating group discussion and ample opportunities to connect to your body and desires through adaptive movement practices that are suitable for all bodies and abilities. No prior yoga experience is required.

Parents: Is your child—late elementary school or early middle school—heading to school on their own? Walking alone or with other kids? Beginning to take public transit? Staying home alone for longer stretches?

In this workshop geared to 9 to 12 year-olds, Defend Yourself will share skills to help them be logistically, mentally, and emotionally ready for these and other situations, as well as strategies for if something doesn’t go as planned. Parents are encouraged to participate.

Spend an afternoon with your tween helping them cultivate independence, critical thinking, and safety… and give yourself some peace of mind.

The workshop will be led by teachers from Defend Yourself, which has been sharing child-safety skills for more than 20 years! For more info, check out www.defendyourself.org.

Class Fee: $110 for each child/parent pair (if more than 1 child per parent, $50 for each additional child). Limited scholarship funds are available; if you need financial assistance, please email classes@defendyourself.org.

The Kettlebell Turkish Get Up (TGU) is a formidable exercise and arguably the best tool in the Kettlebell arsenal for developing strength from the ground up. By comparison the Kettlebell 2ARM Swing is a “Yang” exercise when the TGU is a “Yin” exercise. So when done at Tai Chi speed (perfect for Yoga students) the TGU will challenge and stimulate all your muscle groups at the same time. Muscle balance, muscle symmetry, and overall muscle tone are some phenomenal benefits from doing the TGU. But even more important are the proprioception awareness and anti aging benefits that are developed by adding this technique to your strength tool box! For those kinesiology experts, the TGU stimulates and strengthened your bodies kinetic chain by connecting and balancing the large and small muscle groups. This systemic development is what helps you move with coordination, power, and grace!I can go on but why?

Come learn the proper way to do this incredible exercise (TGU) and become a better person for doing so!

The Sattva Yoga practice is an integration of Hatha Yoga, meditation, prānāyāma (Yogic breathing), Kriya, mantra, freedom movement, and transcendental wisdom. More specifically, it incorporates the five main threads of Yoga:

Raja: asana (physical yoga poses), meditation

Tantra: pranayama, Kriya, naad (yoga of sound), Himalayan kundalini, Laya movements

Jñāna: satsang (Q&A), wisdom talks, study of ancient yoga texts

Bhakti: sacred rituals, kirtan, sangha (community), partner work

Karma: seva (selfless service); ayurveda; and conscious eating, consumption, conversation, and parenting

A practice of Kriya is a tool for people to increase their ability to hold and sustain rising energy of kundalini. This practice is great for those who have had an awakening, and are looking for a holistic practice to integrate and guide their own shakti energy.

Sattva Yoga is a method that strengthens the energetic body for a smooth transition into awakening as well. We use Sattva Yoga to prepare ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually for the transformative experience available through accessing the deep reservoir of intelligent energy of the universe. Although Kriyas work to generate electricity, asana and freedom movement work to integrate the generated energy into the body, making sattva yoga an incredibly grounding practice.

Kriyas are a technique that teach us to master our own energy field. Each Kriya connects with a different energetic frequency, some leading us to the heart intelligence in a meditative manner, called laya movements, some invoking transcendental states, some
move energy through voice, others through mantra and breath. Together in a guided experience, each journey is taught with a specific intention, combining the transformative practice of Kriya, pranayama, asana, mantra, ecstatic dance, and more in an integrative
yogic experience.

In a study conducted by Stanford University, it was found that Kriya Yoga was able to bring down hypertension in patients. Studies have also found that the Kriya exercises aim at calming a patient’s mind and reducing anxiety and depression by almost 67%. In the practice of Sattva Yoga, the entire human system is energized in a very short amount of time. All of the internal organs are activated as they secrete necessary hormones and enzymes to keep the body fit. As well, with this practice there will be sufficient blood circulation to the brain and spine for balanced supply of oxygen to every party of the body. Although Kriyas produce incredible health benefits, Sattva Yoga is particularly designed for transformation, personal growth, and a steady awakening into our full potential.

For thousands of years Kriya Yoga from the Babaji Lineage was only offered from guru to disciple, however with the worldwide interest in awakening, the practice is slowly beginning to be offered in more settings by initiated teachers. This practice was passed down to Anand Mehrotra, who has taught myself and other Sattva Yoga teachers the fully integrated practice of yoga.

Cost: $45 in advance, $50 at the door

This 90-minute luxuriously relaxing practice is the ideal complement to today’s hectic lifestyle. In Restorative Yoga, you’ll use props such as bolsters and blankets to find the most supported position. This allows the body to relax so you can receive the benefits of the poses without any effort on your part. You’ll remain in the poses for 7-10+ minutes so you can unwind and enter a deep state of rest. The practice concludes with Yoga Nidra (or Yogic Sleep), a 25-minute guided meditation in Savasana (final relaxation). You will discover a new-found sense of peace and healing.

Caregivers—or the newer term, care partners—are likely to experience emotional stress and other negative impacts on their health or well-being. Most care partners had no choice about taking on their caregiving responsibilities, thus experiencing increased strain and stress—and the physical and mental health ramifications that come with these emotions.

Care partners come in many forms. You might be supporting your mother, father, child or other loved one. You might be in a profession that calls upon those skills. Many care partners don’t take time to pay attention to themselves. During these four weeks we will discuss ways to support ourselves and one another so we can be there fully for the person we are helping.

Gentle poses, meditation, breathing, and restoratives will be part of our practice. Appropriate for all levels, including those with no prior yoga experience. Students are encouraged to bring a journal or notebook. We will also work on personal vision boards.

YOGA 101 with Alice

Learn the 1-2-3's about yoga. We introduce a little bit of history, philosophy sharing the heart of the practice. You'll learn the importance of [pranayama breathing] and foundational poses that will strengthen, build flexibility and coordination in the body. Our bodies are influenced by our work environment, ergonomics, history and patterns in how we move in our body. Learn how to feel alignment in the body to keep you confident and safe in your poses. Learn how to detect holding patterns in the body and how to create a map into healthier movement patterns for health and well-being. We will break down the anatomy of the poses a little bit so everyone can leave with a refreshed understanding of the practice and how to apply it to your everyday life.

This is an opportunity to explore and learn the foundational fundamentals of YOGA. Every time you step on the MAT is an opportunity to explore, discover, and challenge your body to find it's way back into a state of balance. Find the mountain moments in every pose and transitions.

Cost: $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

About Cheryl

Cheryl Kravitz, APR, CFRE, RYT200 plus, is a graduate of the Willow Street Yoga Teacher Training Program in Maryland. She received additional certification to teach yoga to survivors of trauma, restorative yoga and yoga for brain longevity. She teaches weekly public classes as well as specialized yoga to people with injuries, survivors of abuse, individuals with dementia and caregivers.

Our Yoga Wallflower Ropes Certifcation is beneficial for all levels of yogis, from beginners to advanced, and can provide excellent support for people dealing with injuries. The rope wall uses gravity as a natural form of resistance to help release tension from your joints, deeply stretch your entire body and increase strength.

Classes on the Rope Wall will be focused on taking time in several poses to experience the alignment principles, expect little to no flow, but gain a whole new perspective on some of your favorite poses. Learn how to anchor your poses and expand movement. Be open to the relationship your practice will expand to with the wall and ropes as your body utilizes props for a deeper practice anatomically and energetically. Iyengar style of yoga is the worlds most widely practiced method of yoga that has made yoga accessible and relevant to people everywhere, no matter what their physical or mental ability. We infuse principles of this system of teaching that is methodical and progressive, emphasizing detailed correctness and absolute safety. The Iyengar method has systematically evolved precise postures and breathing techniques with a firm basis in the Yogic philosophy. When necessary, students use props to progress safely. Beginners work in a basic way on simple postures according to their capacity. As a student develops they move on to more refined ways or working as well as to the more complex postures.

We will offer a basic introduction to using dowels in a rope wall practice. We do have a Yoga and Dowels Workshop offered to expand your knowledge of using the rope wall.

Prerequisite: We require that you have been practicing yoga regularly for at least one full year. Please tell us in advance if you have any injuries, so that we can determine if this workshop is appropriate. Working with the ropes can help with injuries, but this may not be the right time depending on what is going on with your body.

This training counts towards CEU requirement to maintain RYT recognition. 200 Hr Yoga Certification or more is required to participate in this certification.

3 Day Certification for Yoga Wallflower Rope Certification Level I

We offer Yoga Wallflower Rope Certification Level I & II Master Certification with Slings/Aerial Practice

Friday 1pm-6pm
Saturday 1pm-7pm Sunday 1pm-7pm

Movement Science Meets Asana: A New Paradigm (1/25, 12:30-3:30p)

Are you finding that your students often struggle to do even the most basic poses in your classes? Or, if they're able to do all the poses, do they complain of wrist, back or hip pain?

Unfortunately, most people are desk bound and their only movement for the day is during yoga class, so their bodies aren't well adapted for the large ranges of motion required. Conversely, many of our students who are able to practice all the poses are still in pain, because they aren't balancing out their extreme ranges of motion with stability and strength.

If you're struggling with helping your students become more embodied and want strategies to create a safer class environment, this workshop is for you.

This Yoga Deconstructed® workshop will teach you:

* How to apply modern movement science to your yoga teaching.
* How to bring functional movement into your classes, while still feeling like you are teaching yoga.
* An exercise science based approach to sequencing to prepare the body for movement and minimize the risk of pain and injury.
* Understanding the components of a pose, such as directions of movement at each joint, loading principles, and biomechanics.
* An introduction to taking an interdisciplinary approach to teaching yoga and how to add techniques from other modalities to your teaching toolbox.

A New Beginning: An Updated Approach to Prepare Your Students for Asana (1/25, 4:30-7:30p)

In yoga classes, we're trying to create an environment that nurtures your mind as well as your structure. However, many of our students don't feel safe in classes because they're afraid of doing the poses “incorrectly” or receiving an unwanted hands-on adjustment.

Additionally, in most yoga classes, a typical warm up doesn't facilitate joint differentiation. For example, in cat/cow most students will flex and extend their spine in the places that already have the most mobility, rather than finding movement in places that are underused.

Beginning your classes with somatic exercises and sensory feedback methods before a corrective exercise such as cat/cow helps your students become aware of movement blind spots that may contribute to pain in more advanced poses later in class.

This Yoga Deconstructed® workshop will teach you:

* How to choose somatic exercises to encourage active ranges of motion, promote dynamic full body movement, and help prepare the body for larger static poses.
* The application of myofascial release techniques to help your students embody the anatomical concepts taught in traditional yoga, so they can better understand the purpose of the pose.
* How to apply the pain science paradigm to empower your students to trust that their bodies are robust and resilient.
* Strategies to introduce variability and neuromuscular re-education into class that help facilitate tissue resiliency, neuroplasticity, and new motor patterns.

Corrective Exercise: Introducing Creativity & Critical Thinking Into Your Classes (1/26, 12:30-3:30p)

Modern postural yoga uses poses that in theory prepare the body for a peak pose at the end of class. However, exercise science has shown that there is a more effective way. By incorporating corrective exercises into our classes, we can better prepare the body for more challenging asanas, while bridging the gap between our sedentary lifestyle and yoga asana. This also helps to reduce the risk of injury.

Also: asana is a highly specialized form of movement that often emphasizes aesthetics over function. Through corrective exercise, we can balance out our practice by including movements that don't exist in yoga poses, thus reducing our risk of pain and overuse injuries.

If you've been trying to incorporate corrective exercises in your teaching, but have been struggling with selecting the right exercises and sequencing them within a class, then this workshop is for you.

Oftentimes, alignment cues are thought to be synonymous with safety. However, not all alignment cues correlate with biomechanics or function. This is why critical thinking skills can make you a more effective teacher.

In this Yoga Deconstructed® workshop, you will learn to apply critical thinking when teaching, creating and selecting corrective exercises.

This will help you understand:
* How to choose the right corrective exercises for your students' needs and based on what you see in the room.
* How to use corrective exercises to prepare your students' tissues and joints for specific asanas.
* The application of corrective exercise to improving function in everyday life and athletic performance.

Putting It All Together: A Revolutionary & Non Dogmatic Approach to Asana (1/26, 4:30-7:30p)

Have you been trying to keep up with the latest research, but you aren't sure how to apply it to your classes?

Are you looking for a way to differentiate yourself and specialize in movement, so you can establish credibility, be the go-to expert in your community, fill your classes, and get more private clients?

Do you just want to know how to keep your students safe?

If so, you're in the right place.

Unlock your creative potential and movement smarts by learning how to combine applied anatomy with the transformative aspects of yoga.

This updated, evidence based formula will keep you current in your teaching, prepare you to foster a safe environment for multi-level classes, help you attract more private clients, and build your following.

This workshop will synthesize everything you've learned in the previous workshops, so you can:

* Structure classes and layer exercises in a fun and challenging way, while keeping the heart of yoga.
* Teach from a skills based approach, instead of lineage based approach.
* Feel confident teaching complex poses and exercises in multi-level classes.
* Incorporate exercises and theories from multiple modalities into your teaching.
* Help your students build strength and stability to balance out their yoga practice.

All workshops will be held in Silver Spring.

Each workshop can be taken individually. A certificate of attendance is awarded to students who take all four workshops. Qualifies for 12 Yoga Alliance CECs.