Continuing Education Anatomy Training Course

Yoga Anatomy - Understand and Adjust

Understanding Each Individual's Anatomy and How to Adjust Asana

July 30 - August 13, 2011

with David Keil

This course qualifies for 100 hours continuing-education credit toward Yoga Alliance 500- and Centered Yoga 1100-hour training certification.

About the Training Course

David Keil returns to Samahita Retreat to teach his highly respected Yoga Anatomy series. David teaches these programs worldwide and is internationally acclaimed as one of the experts in anatomy for yoga. He has the groundbreaking Anatomy for Yoga DVD series.

The Continuing Education Anatomy course combines three basic workshops. By understanding the information from, and combining these three workshops, there is a synergistic quality that deepens ones understanding of anatomy. First is to know the anatomy, then be able to see the anatomy and finally, adjust the anatomy.

Over the course of two weeks, we will have an anatomy class each day, detailing and understanding how the body functions as well as how it can dysfunction. All the anatomy classes will play off of and relate to the Ashtanga Yoga method of practicing asana. For example, when we discuss knees, we'll be able to talk about difficult postures for students that involve the knee as well as why they are prone to injury in the practice. As we establish a common understanding of how the body is put together, we will then take this understanding of anatomy into the next segment of the workshop, which is Observation.

Being able to see the anatomy is key to making decisions about what to do with students, when to adjust them, when to make them work on their own as well as when to move them on or hold them back. We will use a series of exercises that help us to realize what it is our eyes are seeing, such as, static postural analysis, observation of people walking and group observation of other students in different asana. These will be set up to help us see the anatomy underneath the skin. If we can see it in these more static simple ways, we can then apply that to looking at the whole of the ashtanga sequence. When we see it, we can then decide what to do about it.

Those decisions are often carried out through corrections we make to their practice. One of the most common tools for making corrections to a student's practice is through hands on adjustments. These adjustments can either be a stock standard adjustment for a posture or they can be tailored to an individual student. The idea in this workshop is that you can learn to adjust based on an individual's anatomy, and what you see in the moment as opposed to only giving the stock standard adjustment for a pose.

Because of the nature of these three components, we'll be moving through them on a daily basis so that we are learning the anatomy, seeing the anatomy and adjusting the anatomy. This will make for a very rich, hands-on experience of the anatomy and help you understand the principles more deeply.

Through the entire two weeks David will be leading a combination of Mysore and Led classes that will bring the three components together in the practice.

Anatomy section:

• Understand function and dysfunction at key places in the practice.
• Learn principles and concepts that can be applied all over the body.
• Start to see the interconnected nature of the so-called "parts" of the body.
• Go in depth into the key areas of injury and how to avoid them with your students.

Observation section:

• Exercises to develop the ability of the eyes to "see".
• Organic way of looking at the body from different angles without judgment.
• Linear method of observation using a plumb line and charts to map out what is observed in your partners standing posture.
• Observation of partner during simple surya namaskaras.
• Observation of and mimicking students as they walk to develop a kinesthetic sense of the pattern they live in.
• Observe various asanas that play into the larger picture of the individual's bigger postural pattern.
• Link together and see the connection between asanas, the person's patterns and how to bring their awareness to it.

Adjustment section:

• What makes a good adjustment?
• Learn to see the adjustment first and adjust according to what you see.
• Learn to use the variety of tools (body parts) that you have available safely and effectively.
• Understand good body mechanics to keep you safe.
• Build confidence through different exercises and practice.

About the Teacher

David Keil is Authorized (level 2) to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga by the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Institute in Mysore. He is an international teacher of yoga and anatomy workshops and has a reputation for making the information simple and practical. David presents anatomy in a way that brings it alive, makes it three dimensional, and applies it directly to the practice of asana.

For more information on David please check out his bio at www.yoganatomy.com

David's YogAntomy DVD series

The Daily Schedule

The program begins at 5pm on the first day of the retreat with a group welcome and departure is at 12pm on the last day.
The schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the teacher.

Please arrive by 4pm for a program welcome on the first day. Departure is by 12 noon on the last day. You are welcome to arrive early or stay on, check our residential stay rates

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