Hands-On Yoga Assists

In Hands-On Yoga Assists: A Teacher's Guide to the Rubber Band Method (R), Kiara Armstrong-an ERYT-500 yoga teacher and certified massage therapist-presents her Rubber Band Method (R) and shares her expertise as on how to safely incorporate touch into the yoga classroom. You will learn how the body responds to assisted stretching and how to read tissues so you can offer your students a more beneficial yoga asana experience through hands-on assists. Hands-On Yoga Assists covers the benefits of assists, safety, anatomy, stances to use, how to read tissues, and how to implement touch in a way that respects the needs of those who may have suffered trauma. You will learn how to perform assists in a way that keeps your own body safe and keeps your students emotionally and physically safe. Included are assists for 15 poses to use in group classes or one-on-one instruction. For each assist, you will find a color-coded anatomical diagram as well as easy-to-follow instructions that cover purpose, student alignment, stance, hand placement, general precautions, and common misalignments. You'll also find valuable information on the following: The science-backed benefits of touch for enhancing health and the asana practice Techniques for listening with your hands and reading body tissues The 10 tenets of the Rubber Band Method (R) The importance of being respectful of boundaries when incorporating touch in any classroom How to integrate assists into a trauma-informed yoga class How the wisdom of the yoga sutras can be applied to incorporating touch in the classroom When offering yoga assists, it's important to understand that students with trauma are likely to be found in any classroom, and touch can have a significant impact on them. Armstrong shares some of her own experiences with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the benefit of consensual, purposeful touch in supporting students healing from trauma. Ideal for 200- or 300-hour yoga teacher trainings or as a resource for teachers of any level, Hands-On Yoga Assists: A Teacher's Guide to the Rubber Band Method (R) is a one-of-a-kind handbook with methods that have been tested and perfected with thousands of students over more than a decade. Complete with anatomical diagrams, photos, easy-to-follow instructions, and Try This activities, each chapter helps you become the hands-on yoga teacher you aspire to be.