Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Bikram Choudhury leading a class at
Teacher Training in Acapulco, MexicoMany of you may not be aware of the intense training that new teachers receive. And you may not be totally aware of the ongoing training that certified Bikram teachers receive. Bikram's vigorous teacher training program is just the beginning of the ongoing process necessary to become a teacher and to remain certified as a teacher.
All of the teacher trainee's start out with basic prerequisites just to get selected to participate. Then once they commit to the 9 week training program the requirements expand. Each student is required to practice 11 classes a week - 2 classes a day - Monday through Friday - then 1 class on Saturday morning. If they miss a class for any reason, they must do a make up class at 11am on Saturday or Sunday. Some trainees do the extra classes just for the fun of it.
Believe it or not, the actual yoga classes are really the easy part of the day. The regular day begins with 8am sign-in and normally finishes at 11pm. The day is filled with posture clinics learning about each and every posture. There are also many lectures on an assortment of subjects - From anatomy, to connective tissue, to psycho-neuro-immuno- endocrinology. There are a number of top physicians from the United States, Canada and India that lecture on the latest medical benefits and the power of mind body healing through Bikram Yoga. Then Bikram will often talk late into the evening on yoga philosophy. Sometimes he will go until 2 or 3 in the morning.
After a trainee completes the intense training and receives their teaching certificate they go back to their home studios and begin to teach. This is where they really learn to teach and help others discover the joys of yoga. Bikram does require that all certified teachers receive ongoing training to maintain their certificates. If they don't get re-certified they can lose their right to teach.
During the current training many of you know that Carol Simpson from our studio in Bend is participating in the teacher training. In addition there are several other participants from Oregon - including Mica Fish and Dr. Tom Liemert. Mica is a past champion snowboarder and Dr Liemert is a retired oncologist from Portland. Dr Smith is interested in the mind body aspects of Bikram Yoga and the effect it has on the healing process.
Wherever you practice always make sure your teacher is certified. That way you can always be assured that you are getting the best possible teaching anywhere. At the Bend, Oregon school all the teachers are certified and do receive ongoing training to ensure your yoga experience is only the best. To find other studios around the world that are certified go to www.bikramyoga.com.
We hope to see you in class soon!
Michael Harris, Director and Certified Bikram Yoga Teacher
|
| Quote of the Month |
| "Common sense is that sense which is uncommon."
- Bishnu Ghosh |
|
|
|
Posture of the Month |
| Sit-Up
Amarntha Kokkuasana
The sit-up. There is so much that this simple movement does. Of course just like the name suggests, it gets you to sit up. It works the back and the abdomen. It helps to re-energize you. How? After lying in savasana at the end of a posture, then sitting up - it also masquerades as a breathing exercise. Coming up there is a quick inhale and as you reach for your toes and bring your head to your knees the air in the lines is released through a double jerk and exhale. By doing this after a posture you are releasing carbon and other chemicals in your lungs and replacing it with oxygen. This changes the actually bio chemistry of the body. You then feel more alert and refreshed as new oxygen moves into your lungs.
Is the sit-up an actually posture? Not really. It is more of a transition movement from one posture to the next. Some have called it amarntha kokkuasana - sitting folding crane. Though in Bikram Yoga we just call it a sit-up.
Michael Harris, Studio Director |
|
Student of the Month |
November
Student of the Month
Crosby Grindle
This month's student of the month is Crosby Grindle. Crosby came to his first Bikram Yoga class almost one year ago in November of 07. Happy one year anniversary!! A friend convinced him to come in by telling him what a good workout it was. He has been averaging 3 times a week ever since. Crosby is one of our early morning gang frequenting the former 6:30 am classes before going to work as a consultant.
20 years ago Crosby injured his back as a firefighter and paramedic. This injury created chronic back pain ever since. As a result of his Bikram Yoga practice the back pain has diminished.
Crosby has noticed an improvement in his balance, grip strength, foot strength. His over all feeling of fitness has jumped. His ability to focus and manage stress more effectively has increased substantially since he began his Bikram Yoga practice.
Because of current travel and his busy work schedule Crosby has not been able to do a 30 or 60 day challenge - yet. Though with the addition of the 6:15 am classes Monday through Friday, he has been able to do increase his classes. With this extra class time he has already noticed a dramatic increase in his ability to balance and an improved mind body connection.
One thing Crosby has noticed as he consistently practices Bikram Yoga is how easy it is now for him to stand on one foot put his sock and shoe on the other foot. It's amazing all the things we missed out on before we started practice balancing on one foot. The rest of the world doesn't know what it there missing.
What's Crosby's favorite posture? Rabbit pose - because he loves the feeling of each and every cartilage of every vertebra moving like a pearl necklace bending.
Congratulations Crosby! Keep on Sweating.,
Molly Clark Bikram Yoga Teacher
|
|
Other News |
|
Oregon Hatha Yoga ChampionshipsThis year the yoga championships will be held at Multonomah Arts Center Portland Oregon on November 23rd. We have several participants from our studio in Bend. Kathy Durham come in 1st place last year in the Oregon regional and she was 3rd place in the US Nationals. This year Kathy is participating again and is also helping to train other participants from Bend. The additional participants include Maria Limberg, Tom Dean, Casey Rosetto and Collene Funk. To find out more about how you can participate please check with Kathy Durham at the studio or kathy@bikramyogabend.com. Just to watch the event is really awesome. If you can get to Portland that weekend please come to support all the participants.
To view schedule updates go to the
Schedule on our website.
We hope to see you in class today!!
Michael Harris, Studio Director
Bikram Yoga Bend, Oregon |
