Learn the significance of the psoas muscle and how yoga teachers can most effectively work with it in their classes.   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: 5 Things You Should Know About The Psoas Major - Free Download Libby Hinsley Anatomy Bites Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Investigate some of the common myths and misconceptions people have about anatomy and yoga.   Episode Highlights: The myth of alignment and what is actually normal or average Benefits and limitations of alignment-based yogaWhy doing a posture correctly according to formulas is not safe for everyone The myth of safety and the fragility of the human body How we can expect our practice to shift over the course of our livesExamining specific physical cues such as “bringing the shoulders back”   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Libby Hinsley Anatomy Bites Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

How do you bridge the gap between being qualified to teach yoga and teaching with confidence? Yoga teacher trainings are a deep dive into the practice and pedagogy of yoga, yet many graduates are thrown for a loop once they actually start teaching. In this episode, Sheri Fisher shares the five qualities that yoga teachers need to cultivate on their way to embodying leadership in the yoga classroom.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Differences between group fitness training and yoga teacher trainingWhy the transition from teacher training to confident teacher is so challengingThe five pillars of powerful teaching and how they come together to create your signature approachCueing statements vs coaching statements and why both are important in a yoga classHow to cultivate commitment as a teacher - and how to encourage commitment from your students.   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Root to Rise Yogis Standing Room Only: How to be THAT Yoga Teacher Follow Root to Rise Yogis on Instagram @roottoriseyogis   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Inversions inspire strong feelings. We love them, hate them, or we love/hate them - but how well do we understand them? While inversions are usually thought to be the domain of physically adept yoga practitioners, Kat Heagberg Rebar, author of Yoga Inversions, believes they can benefit anyone who wants a shift in perspective.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Defining inversions: Kat’s take on this ‘controversial’ questionHow Kat went from ‘too young yoga teacher’ to Editor-in-Chief of Yoga International - and handstand aficionadoWhy inversions can be difficult to teach and learn within the context of a yoga classThe dirty little secret of yoga inversion ‘influencers’The role of body proportions in your inversion practiceInversions during menstruation and pregnancyBenefits of inversions: the myths and realitiesHow cross-training in other modalities can help your inversion practice   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Kat Heagberg Yoga Yoga Inversions: Your Guide to Going Upside Down Follow Kat Heagberg Rebar on Instagram @katheagberglar   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga and business make strange bedfellows. Leaning into that paradox is exactly what’s needed to thrive as a yoga teacher and business owner. Join me for a conversation with Ava Taylor, founder of YAMA Talent and author of Your Yoga Business, on what it takes to build an ethical and sustainable yoga business.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why it’s important to keep things simple when building a yoga businessHow to build a yoga business that can withstand the test of time.Challenges and opportunities in the post-COVID yoga industryWhy 100,000 followers do not equal 100,000 dollarsHow your yoga practice can (and should) influence your yoga business   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: YAMA Talent Your Yoga Busines Follow Ava Taylor on Instagram @avantaylor Follow YAMA Talent on Instagram @yamatalent   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Becoming a parent is a rite of passage that will change your yoga practice forever. Sarah Ezrin was a dedicated yoga practitioner and long time teacher before having children blew her heart open, humbled her to the core, and turned her expectations about yoga practice upside down. This transition inspired her to write the book she wished she could read as a new parent: compassionate, irreverent, and steeped in the wisdom of yoga.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: How becoming a parent can make your yoga practice more honestAn exploration of Maitressence or the transition into motherhoodHow Sarah manages screen use as a parent and yoga practitionerHow yoga can help you desensitize and resensitize your nervous systemThe art of asking the right questions to help our children develop their intuitionThe advice Sarah wishes she could give the earlier version of herself   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Sarah Ezrin Yoga The Yoga of Parenting: 10 Yoga-Based Practices to Help You Stay Grounded, Connect with Your Kids, and Be Kind to Yourself Follow Sarah Ezrin on Instagram @sarahezrinyoga   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Breathing touches every system of the body, either directly or indirectly. It can be manipulated and shaped to adjust state, to change our perception of pain, to improve and enhance movement, and also to hasten deep restorative relaxation or amplify and excite. In this episode, Jill Miller describes the art and science of using breath as a tool for physical and emotional resilience.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Chemical and biomechanical aspects of breathingOverbreathing, underbreathing, and breath titrationWhy deliberate breathing is so effective for mood regulation5 ingredients for parasympathetic activationHow breath awareness supports compassion and communityWhy meditation and savasana can provoke anxiety in some peopleThe relationship between the heart and the diaphragm   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Tune Up Fitness BODY by BREATH: The Science and Practice of Physical and Emotional Resilience by Jill Miller Follow Jill Miller on Instagram @thejillmiller LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Rituals are actions repeated with intention. According to Tracee Stanley, author of Radiant Rest and The Luminous Self, rituals are also powerful tools for knowing yourself more deeply. Join me for a candid conversation where Tracee shares personal experiences, observations, and ideas that led her to share deeply personal stories and sacred practices with the world inside her recently released book The Luminous Self.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: How Covid influenced The Luminous Self to become more personal, vulnerable, and mature than the book Tracee was originally inspired to write.How Tracee is working to transition from a vertical model of community to a horizontal or circular model.The role of community care and supportive relationships for creating sustainable transformation.How to craft an environment that supports growth.The responsibility for teachers to embody and digest their practices instead of treating them in an extractive manner.   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Tracee Stanley’s website The Luminous Self Follow Tracee Stanley on Instagram @tracee_stanley   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Everything in life is for your awakening. This core teaching of tantra yoga is what guides Todd Norian on his quest for whole-hearted self-acceptance. Todd is a musician, founder of Ashaya Yoga, a Kripalu Legacy faculty member, and the author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness. In this week’s podcast, Todd shares stories and lessons from forty years as a yoga practitioner, teacher, and spiritual seeker.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Todd’s definition of spirituality and how it plays out in his everyday life.What Todd learned from being at the epicenter of two of yoga’s guru scandals (Kripalu and Anusara)Power dynamics and lines of spiritual developmentWhy loving your lesser evolved parts is key to overcoming perfectionismThree essential questions to help you craft the life you want   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Ashaya Yoga Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness - A Memoir Follow Ashaya Yoga on Instagram @ashayayoga   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

There are trauma survivors in almost every yoga room - but you can’t necessarily tell who they are from the outside. In this first episode of a series on recently published yoga books, Lara Land, author of The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga, explains how yoga can support trauma survivors and describes how yoga teachers can help or hinder the process.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: An expanded definition of traumaWhy yoga is so helpful for trauma survivorsHow yoga spaces can be harmful for trauma survivorsThe role of secondary traumaThree facets of safety and how they show up in yoga classes10 ways to promote safety in your yoga class   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Lara Land Yoga website Listen to Lara’s Podcast: Beyond Trauma Three and a Half Acres Yoga website Follow Lara Land on Instagram @laralandyoga The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga teachers often feel responsible to protect their students from injury during their classes. This is a big reason why many focus on guiding proper alignment during practice. But how much does alignment really protect students from injury? And are misunderstandings about safety, pain, and discomfort actually causing more harm to our students than good? In this must-listen episode, my guest Dr. Libby Hinsley sheds light on the relationship between alignment and safety.    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why yoga teachers tend to be so worried about safetyIs practicing yoga actually risky for the average student?Which risks are real and which tend to be overblownDiscomfort vs tissue damageScope of practice and the yoga teachers’ responsibilityTypes of painHow our narratives around pain affect our experience of itAlignment vs progressive adaptation   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Libby Hinsley Anatomy Bites Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga teachers are often asked to teach for free in the name of Karma Yoga. However, when this term is divorced from the context of yoga philosophy, it can be exploited and misused. In this episode, Mado explores the practice of Karma Yoga and some of the less obvious implications behind the decision of whether or not to teach for free.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: How the term Karma Yoga is commonly misused and a more accurate explanation of what it means. How Karma Yoga fits into the framework of the Purusharthas or the four aims of life.Three approaches to teaching yoga and how they relate to the Purusharthas.Pros and cons of each approach and how to choose which is best for you based on your circumstances.How teaching for free might help others or harm others - and ways to mitigate potential harm.   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Want to promote body autonomy in your classes but aren’t sure what that looks like? Featuring Dr. Libby Hinsley, this episode covers ways that yoga teachers may be unintentionally hindering body autonomy for their students and strategies for making your classes a self-empowering space for your students.    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why body autonomy is essential for yoga practice - and a revolutionary act that will help change the world for the better.How yoga teachers might accidentally interfere with body autonomy.Authority and power differential dynamics in yoga classes.Why hands-on assists should be approached with extreme caution - and alternative teaching methods that achieve the same goal.Inquiries to help you develop your own approach to body autonomy.The interplay between autonomy and perfectionism.The types of cues that are best for encouraging body autonomy (and what cues should be used more sparingly).How silence supports body autonomy.Why self-compassion is key for your growth as a teacher.   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Libby Hinsley Anatomy Bites Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Social media can be a great tool but it can also be a detriment to mental health. In this on-air coaching call, Kathy, a kid’s yoga teacher trainer shares her strategy for bypassing social media to reach her customers more directly.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: How to balance the benefits and the drawbacks of technologyOld-school marketing strategiesHow & why to survey your studentsOffering more to existing students vs finding new studentsWhy it’s important to think through the customer journey for your studentsHow to create a membership from work you’ve already createdWays to build a membership without needing to promote all the timeHow to reduce time spent on customer serviceHow much notice to provide when changing up your services   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Kathy Aruna Humphrys’ websites: Young Yoga Masters & Ambassador Yoga Zoom WordPress If you'd like to be featured in an on-air coaching call, email your topic idea to mado@teachingyoga.net.   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Learn to bridge the gap between your social media following and your email subscribers with Mado in this on-air coaching call. Christy is a yoga teacher who teaches inclusive yoga for bigger bodies. She’s found an audience for her message on Instagram but isn’t sure how to translate that following into email subscribers and course sales.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why Christy hated yoga the first time she tried it … and what convinced her to give it another shot.How to transition social media followers into email subscribersWays to repurpose content you’ve already created for your emailsTips for using email to launch courses, events and workshops   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: ConvertKit Creator Marketing Platform  Follow Christy Calahan on Instagram @chubbylotusyoga   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

What do you (actually) need to invest in when you start a yoga business? Business owners are the target of a seemingly endless number of services trying to convince you that their product is essential for your success. In this episode, Mado helps you figure out what’s essential and what can wait.    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Mistakes to avoid when investing in the early stages of your businessThe hidden downsides to free servicesWhat is entity formation and when should you do it?Why it’s crucial to create separation between business assets and personal assets and the inexpensive services that make it easyWhen to invest in a website and how to get startedThree pieces of tech you need in order to send marketing emailsThe type of support that is worth the investment at different stages of your business   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Asana Business Management Tool Previous YTR episodes on Email Marketing: Episode 16 & Episode 67  Which email marketing platforms have the best deliverability rates  Canva (sign up through this affiliate link to support the podcast at no cost to you)  Previous YTR episodes on Websites: Episode 5, Episode 220, Episode 221, Episode 222 & Episode 223  Learn more about the Impact Club  Previous YTR episode: Is Coaching Worth it for a New Yoga Teacher? Yoga Teacher Resource - Recommended Resources   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Learn how to bring more peer support into your life. Sheri, John, and Allison are a group of yoga teachers that found each other online and have been supporting each other since the height of the pandemic. Mado also shares how she taps into peer support and what to look for when starting your own collaborations.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why peer to peer support is so important, yet often overlookedDifferent ways to tap into peer supportHow to start and run a peer support groupBest practices for collaborating with peersWhat to look for in your collaborative partnersPotential pitfalls to avoid when engaging in a collaborative project   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Impact Club Root to Rise Yoga Teacher Method - Sheri Fisher Follow Root to Rise on social media @roottoriseyogis Standing Room Only | How to be THAT Yoga Teacher - Sheri Fisher’s book MBODY Yoga, MBODY.org & One Cake Wonder - John Cottrel Yoga Teacher Conf - Allison Rissel Gina Caputo Libby Hinsley, Anatomy Bites & The Hypermobility Hub Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga Good Karma Works - Angela Sealy OfferingTree   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Wish you knew how to lead yoga retreats that are stress free and well paid? In this episode, Mado & Lily draw from their upcoming online course Retreat Roadmap to share 3 key insights that will make the difference between your retreat feeling like an invigorating hike instead of a wild roller coaster ride. Whether you’re a seasoned retreat leader or a retreat leader wannabe, these tips will bolster your ability to create a profitable retreat business that thrives over the long term.    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: How Covid cancellations inspired Lily to re-vamp her retreat policies and ended up as a win/win for her and her students.The two reasons your boundaries get violated - and how to respond to eachHow a clear and complete contract can build trust and connection with your studentsThe four-step system that puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to promoting your retreat.How to layer incentive strategies to double your retreat bookings.One key asset to bridge the gap between interest and commitment (you’re probably overlooking it)An overview of what’s included inside the Retreat Roadmap online course   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Previous YTR episode Yoga Retreat Fundamentals with Lily Dwyer Begg Follow Lily on Instagram @lilydwyerbegg   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

For the 5th Anniversary of this podcast, Mado shares what she would do differently if she had a do-over at several pivotal points in her teaching career.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Four simple habits to build as a new yoga teacherSome of the differences in being a new yoga teacher in 2005 vs todayOne thing I regret putting off for five yearsHow to specialize when you have no idea about a nicheHow to make friends with social mediaWhat to focus on first if you’re looking to scale your business   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Anatomy Bites Tell me what you would do differently at SpeakPipe Previous podcast episode: How to Start, Nurture and Grow Your Email List   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Let’s talk about alignment. Some teachers center their entire teaching technique around alignment, while others argue that it does more harm than good and that students should be encouraged to explore asanas in a more open-ended way. In this episode, Mado shares how her own relationship to the concept of alignment has evolved over the past 20 years and her thoughts about how alignment can be both useful and potentially harmful.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Mado’s personal experience with alignmentDefinitions of alignment and how they have led to confusion in the yoga world.Common claims that yoga teachers make about alignment - and where they go wrong.How alignment might help prevent injury - and how it might contribute to injuries.The relationship between alignment and stress.Three components of alignment and how they can benefit your asana practice   EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Anatomy Bites Follow Jill Miller on Instagram Tune Up Fitness (Jill Miller’s company) LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe