The importance of specialty classes

Yoga for Back Care is Coming Around Again
And soon after, Yoga for Osteoporosis will return as well.
Why do I offer all of these specialty classes?
As many of you know, in addition to teaching group classes, I also work as a yoga therapist. And over the years I’ve seen something, which you have probably seen as well: group classes can be a mixed bag. You might heal something; you might hurt something.
Traditionally, all yoga asana practice was therapeutic in its intention. It was designed to be adapted to the individual and taught one-on-one, so that the poses fit the person—not the other way around. That is not the way we do it here these days. Now we often practice in rooms with 5, 15, sometimes 35 other bodies. None of those bodies are programmed exactly like yours. And what about the teacher’s body? It is most natural for a teacher to guide from their own embodied experience (and who can blame them?). But that can sometimes leave you trying to fit your body into a shape designed from someone else’s blueprint.
This past week I had a fascinating experience in class that I think relates.
As many of you know, I rarely pre-plan my classes. (If I do, it may not be relevant to the people who actually walk through the door.) I wait. I see who comes. I listen. And the practice reveals itself. (People sometimes ask me, “Where do you come up with this?” Quite honestly, it shows up in the moment.)
In this particular class, I was “shown” a pose using a prop. The intention was to create a strong hamstring contraction. What happened was that students who tend to have cranky low backs reported that their backs felt really good with this modification. Others felt the stronger hamstring work I originally intended. And some felt no significant difference at all.
Same pose. Same room. A bunch of different experiences.
It became clear to me that this was a specialty modification. For certain bodies—especially those with low back sensitivity—it is going to allow them to strengthen their hamstrings (so important for supporting a happy low back) without aggravating the SI joint. Yay! This is an amazing tool. But it is probably not something I will use in a general class because it requires wall space, enough blocks, and the time for people to move around and off their mats. Those conditions will not always be found in a regular class. But it will absolutely find a home in a Back Care series.
And this is exactly why specialty classes matter.
They create space for nuance.
They allow for intelligent, therapeutic application.
They give you time to ask questions and really understand why, when, and how to apply the asana.
They help you work with your body rather than against it.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about whether yoga is “right” for your back, your bones, or your specific needs, these classes are designed with you in mind. I personally love to teach these and watch people begin to understand how their body is programmed.