Today yoga is recognized as a star physical movement, a revolution in the fitness and wellness industry, and most importantly as a means to stay healthy, toned, and prevent lifestyle diseases. This draws attraction of yoga practitioners worldwide to enrol in 200 hour yoga TTC in Goa. Today there are a million yoga teacher training courses taught inside and outside India, but what remains paramount is mastering yoga alignment and having an injury free practice both in your personal domain as well as professional life where you as a Yoga teacher will be teaching yoga and alignment to your students.
Alignment in yoga is one of the most important aspects of yoga alignment is what makes yoga therapeutic, beneficial, and correct. Any sort of physical movement, asana, or posture in yoga when done in a wrong alignment can lead to more harm than good. It can result in injuries and long term disadvantages in your practice. Therefore, mastering alignment in yoga is not just important, it is a prerequisite to have an injury free practice. Especially in the 200 hour yoga teacher training courses, an injury free yoga practice not just strengthens you physically, but it also helps you gain mental clarity, emotional strength, and overall confidence in your personal journey of yoga.
It is one thing to do yoga and another thing to do correct yoga; there’s a difference.
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind self and intelligence” – BKS Iyengar
Why is it Important to Master Yoga Alignment?
To avoid injuries – One of the most important reasons to master yoga alignment is to avoid injuries in your yoga practice. Injure free Yoga practice is a therapy for the body and the mind. Doing wrong yoga continuously could result in misalignment in your postures, which can affect your body and produce stress in your joints, muscles, and also result in long term alignment issues, making yoga not a therapy but a lesson for you.
Balance the flow of energy – Yoga not only helps in keeping you physically fit, and your joints and muscles mobile. It also helps in nourishing the body internally by balancing the flow of energy. Yoga organically puts your body in balance when performed correctly. With the right practice and right method of doing yoga, you open up your body to allow the life energy (Prana) flow smoothly and have balance between your mind, body, and soul.
Cultivate strength – It is no surprise that yoga cultivates strength and stability. But right alignment in yoga offers added strength, balance, and rejuvenating vigour in your practice. When the right muscles are engaged in a certain posture, your body naturally falls for strength and therapy, deriving maximum benefits of the asana.
Build the right practice of yoga – Obviously, practicing right yoga will reflect in your body movements, vitality, and overall posture. You will draw the benefits not just physically but also internally you will feel the positive attributes of performing a certain asana. Correct alignment therefore helps in building the right practice of yoga and building a strong base. This will not only help in injury prevention, but also prepare you for diving deeper in your practice and moving on to advanced versions of the same asana or different asanas in advanced yoga.
How to Master Yoga Alignment in 200 hour YTTC
Breakdown complex asanas into simple movements
One of the most common reasons that people end up doing yoga the wrong way is that they attempt complex asanas just for the thrill and challenge of it, and not because it is necessarily healing. It is important to remember that even though it is good to perform complex asanas as it helps you break your physical and mental barriers, what is more important is to prioritize the right alignment. Therefore, breaking down any asana which you find complex into simple movements one by one, will help you gradually attain the right posture.
Inculcate the use of props and modifications
One of the major revolutions in Yoga was brought by BKS Iyengar when he introduced props, tools and modifications in yoga in order to fix the issues of alignment. Since, everybody is not equally fit or flexible, the yoga practice needs to be aided with certain helping materials like bolsters, chairs and other yoga tools that elevate the practice by helping you achieve a particular asana and not just achieve that asana, but also perform the yogic asanas correctly so that you derive the therapeutic benefits of the yoga postures which is the whole purpose of yoga.
Focus on anatomy and understanding physiology
Yoga in addition to opening you physically and mentally also enhances your understanding about your body. When you start practicing yoga, you learn deeply about your body, how your limbs move, their physical limitations and how they hold posture in various asanas. This understanding about anatomy and physiology regarding yourself helps develop practice and allow you to learn to do the right way of yoga.
Be patient and have confidence in your practice
Last but not the least, being patient and having faith and confidence in your personal practice is very essential in mastering alignment in your yoga. Yoga is not an overnight journey, you may or may not be able to perform a particular asana. Because yoga not only requires physical flexibility, it also requires opening up mental barriers and pushing your comfort zone. For instance, someone who might be scared of inversions may not be able to attempt Shirshasana (head stand) in their first attempt or even their tenth attempt. But having faith in their practice and doing it consistently will only yield results.
Beyond Alignment Developing Teaching Practice in 200 Hours YTTC
- Learning observation skills regarding body movements and responses.
- Developing teaching methodology and instruction techniques.
- Building confidence in practice as well as teaching.
Conclusion
Mastering yoga alignment is truly crucial in your yoga practice and even more important when it comes to yoga teaching. When you learn the correct alignment, you not only enhance your understanding in the practice of yoga, but you also are in a position to teach yoga the right way, methodology and, postures to your students. This makes you not only an able teacher, but also a responsible yoga practitioner. If you want to learn and master yoga alignment, enrolling in the 200 Hour Yoga teacher training courses in Goa offered by credible institutions like AdiYogam based in Arambol North Goa can be the perfect choice for you.
