CHAPTER 7. Class Planning Chapter 7. Class Planning 1 Yoga on High © 200-hour Teacher Training Manual Class Planning Sequencing Planning and sequencing a yoga class is an important part of being a yoga teacher. There are endless ways to structure a yoga class. Planning and sequencing can be used as the basis for the design of an individual class or series of classes. An individual class can also be sequenced to build to a specific pose, like Ardha Chandrasana, Half Moon. Overall, when sequencing a class, the class goal or student outcome must first be considered. Once a goal or goals have been determined, the idea is to work backwards from the ultimate goal to the smaller steps that are needed to achieve the desired outcomes. By working this way, the teacher ensures careful and precise planning towards preparing the students physically, mentally and emotionally to be successful within the class, no matter the level of student. This creates an experience that can feel safe and supported for the practice of self-inquiry, radical acceptance, personal growth and transformation. Major Points to Remember When Thinking about Overall Class Planning: ● Begin where the students are, taking into account their physical ability along with their present level of energy, emotional state, and intellectual grasp of the material you are planning to present. This can be difficult if you teach a class that has a shifting body of students such as a drop-in class. However, having a basic plan for the typical range of student is advised. o What is the level of the class or ability of the students? If the class does not have a level, use the warm up and sun salutations portion of the class to observe your student’s abilities and how they respond to your directions and cues. What is the energy level in the room? If you have planned a class that has some arm balances sprinkled in, but by the third Sun Salutation half of the students are coming into child’s pose, you may need to adjust your sequencing. Being able to adjust your class plan to meet the students where they are is an important element of being a successful teacher. o What time of day is it? A sequence for an early morning class may require different needs than an early evening or late evening class. For example, an early morning class may need more time warming the body than a noon or evening class. The pace of the class may also be influenced by the time of day, which will affect how much material you teach. o Are there students with considerations? For example, if you have 10 students in the class, and 3 of them express sensitivity in their wrists, will you need to modify the sequence to fit their needs? Or, offer appropriate modifications to keep them safe? ● Plan logically for optimum benefit. Class sequences should follow a logical physical sequence that readies the body for peak poses. The energy flow of the class contains an arc with the peak poses coming towards the middle or second half of the class. Toward the end of the class the pace slows to release any physical tension to let the body and mind move towards relaxation during Savasana. A class that is too vigorous or too long can unnecessarily fatigue students and Chapter 7. Class Planning 2 Yoga on High © 200-hour Teacher Training Manual have them struggle in the poses, losing alignment and control, which can lead to injury. The temptation to overwork students is greatest in Vinyasa classes that double as a “workout.” As a teacher, plan smarter than that. ● Other factors to consider: o Do you need props for your class? Where do they need to be placed for the sequence? o How will you set up the room? Music? Lights? Fan? Temperature? o If you are planning to demo a pose, where will you do that? Think about how you will walk the room while teaching so students can see you. For example, during standing poses on the right side, you will need to walk to the left side of the room to demo a pose so students can see you. o Anticipate what you can cut from your class if you begin to run long. For example, if you have 3 waves of standing pose flows, and you are running short of time, what could you omit? And what is critical to your sequence? o Consider what poses may need modifications offered. Be ready with an option for your students to step a pose up or down. Basic Structure of a Yoga Class ● The Arc of a Yoga Class Chapter 7. Class Planning 3 Yoga on High © 200-hour Teacher Training Manual ● The Basic Structure of a Class. Carefully plan all your classes properly and warm up the body in order to produce optimum results for students and guard against injury. The rest of the class should scaffold gradually to reach the overall goals/peak pose of the class and then gradually towards Savasana. Use all major muscle groups in a class. The flow or pace of the class is an important determinant in the overall experience. The pace may need to slow or accelerate depending on the student’s yoga experience, physical fitness level, energy level and personal goals. o Intention, Centering and Breath Awareness o Preparing, Opening and Warming the Body o Pathway to Peak o Exploring the Peak o Integration, Balance, Counterpose o Cool down o Savasana ● Pose Family- Within the basic structure of a class, you have all of the pose families to work with. Allow enough time to integrate poses from each category to create a balanced experience. o Seated Meditation, Setting an Intention, Breath Awareness and Pranayama o Warm Ups and Hip Openers o Sun Salutations- Classical, A and B o Standing Asana and Standing Balancing Asana o Core Integration and Arm Balances (optional) o Twists o Backbends o Forward Folds and Seated Asana o Inversions o Savasana Templates for Yoga Classes- There are many templates that can be used to sequence a class. Each style of yoga has its own template- Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram and many others. As a beginning teacher, a template is a great way to use as a tool for sequencing classes to ensure a balanced and integrated class. The Certification Sequences in the Manual can serve as a template for you to use beyond teacher training. With a myriad of choices, as long as the pose succession is physically logical, your creativity is limitless. Sequencing Towards a Peak Pose Sequencing a class is one of the most creative and important parts of being a yoga teacher. A sequence is the order in which things are arranged. The sequence should be carefully considered to progressively warm up the body to prepare for more challenging poses and balance the nervous system. Every yoga class should flow like a beautiful song or story with a beginning, middle and end that takes the class to a new level of awareness, embodiment or ability. Another word for sequencing is Vinyasa – this is true whether you teach Hatha or Vinyasa flow yoga. Sri Krisnamacharya defines Vinyasa as a sequence of Chapter 7. Class Planning 4 Yoga on High © 200-hour Teacher Training Manual consciousness with a beginning, middle and end cycle – a wave with a cyclical arc through time and space. We can see our entire life as a maha (great) Vinyasa from our cellular beginning to the release of our last breath. Within sequencing we honor this evolutionary wave and work to integrate the natural energetic movement that mimics the timeless rhythms of the universe. When planning on teaching a peak pose in class, you need to consider what actions to create in the body and which preparatory poses you can use to prime for the full pose. Look at the shape of the pose. Consider the following questions to sequence to a peak pose: ● What are the arms/ legs/ torso doing? ● What areas of the body need to be strengthened? What areas need to be stretched? ● What similar poses/ shapes do you recognize that can be taught to prepare the body for the peak pose? Consider 3-5 poses that will serve as preparatory poses for your peak pose. These preparatory poses can be from any pose category that is appropriate. ● Where in your sequence will you add the prep poses? ● What images will communicate the feelings, sensations, actions attendant in these poses? ● Does the order make sense? Before having students practice Vashistasana, side plank, for example, have them do both shoulder openers and shoulder strengthening movements. A simple example of a shoulder opener is clasping hands behind the back or Garudasana arms (modification could be to hold opposite shoulders). An example of a shoulder strengthener is plank pose (modification - knees down plank). In side plank the arms are in “T”, so teaching warrior 2 or triangle can be taught to reach through both arms. And “modified side plank” (which may be the version of side plank for some of your students) can be taught as a warm up to prepare for the final version. Many poses can serve multiple needs in building towards peak poses. Plank pose warms and strengthens the shoulders, and also integrates leg strength and the core. Students need to have the opportunity in class to practice the same skills in different ways. What the teacher points out to students in each preparatory pose connects them physically and mentally to what they need to understand before performing the final pose.