Plow Pose is a standard part of many yoga classes, and many teachers were trained to include it without much question. But in a group class setting, the demands on the cervical spine in this pose, combined with the reality of teaching multiple students at once, create a level of risk that is worth taking seriously. In this episode, I'll make a direct case for why plow pose does not belong in a group yoga class, what the anatomy actually tells us about what this pose asks of the neck, and what it means to teach responsibly when you cannot give every student your individual attention.

• The Reality of Group Classes
• Understanding the Cervical Spine
• Why Plow Pose Is Specifically Problematic
• Additional Problematic Poses
• What Thoughtful Teaching Actually Looks Like

Go Deeper

Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship

The anatomy behind the poses you teach, how to make confident decisions about what belongs in your classes, and how to work with students who have complex histories are all part of the Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship.

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Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

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• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
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• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
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Chaturanga is one of the most repeated movements in vinyasa yoga, and one of the most commonly practiced by students without having the foundational capacity to support it. For yoga teachers, understanding what chaturanga actually demands of the wrists and shoulder joint, and recognizing when students are not ready to practice it in a way that supports their bodies, is essential knowledge for teaching safe, effective vinyasa classes.

This episode challenges the assumption that you should teach chaturanga in every flow, answers the question "Why?", and offers you alternatives to use with the real range of students who come to a typical vinyasa class.

• Challenging The Assumption That You Should Always Teach Chaturanga
• The Makeup of Students In Your Classes
• Why the Wrists Matter
• Why the Shoulder Joint Is the Bigger Concern
• What to Offer Instead

Free Resource

10 Chaturanga Variations -

Download the free 10 Chaturanga Variations video series for a complete toolkit of modifications and alternatives you can offer any student in any vinyasa class.

Related Episodes:

Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone

How to Teach Students Body Awareness in Yoga

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

Many yoga teachers think of yin yoga as a universally gentle practice, but for students with hip labral tears, the deep hip flexion and sustained holds that define the yoga practice can be genuinely problematic. Understanding the difference between yin yoga and restorative yoga, why the hip labrum is vulnerable to certain kinds of loading, and what alternatives you can offer your students is the kind of practical anatomy knowledge that changes how you teach. This episode gives yoga teachers a clear foundation for working more safely and thoughtfully with students who have hip labral tears. Well cover:

• Yin Yoga vs. Restorative Yoga: Why the Distinction Matters
• What a Hip Labral Tear Is and Why It Matters in Yoga
• Why Yin Yoga's Deep Hip Poses Can Be Problematic
• What to Help Students Look Out For
• Four Alternatives That Work

Go Deeper

Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - The hip, labral tears, movement considerations, and practical sequencing strategies are covered in depth inside the Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship. Your real students, real scenarios, and real support

Not sure if it's the right fit? Book a strategy call.

Book a Strategy Call

Related Episodes:

Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone

How to Teach Students Body Awareness in Yoga

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.