Today on the podcast, Trina Altman talks to us today about preventing injuries in our yoga students. 

Trina took a Kripalu yoga class at Brown University and became intrigued by the practice. She became a yoga teacher in 2008 igniting her desire to research anatomy and movement.

The culmination of the knowledge she obtained has allowed her to be a multi-disciplinary teacher; borrowing from many kinds of movement practices. Trina is very much focused on balancing her practice and teaching to include strength training along with stretching.

Trina’s passion for movement has led her to create Pilates Deconstructed®, an innovative interdisciplinary approach that fosters an embodied understanding of Pilates and its relationship to modern movement science.

Along with her 500-hour yoga teacher training, she is a STOTT Pilates® certified instructor, leads teacher training in Yoga Tune Up®, the Roll Model® Method and Rx Series for Equinox locally and Internationally.

Trina has presented at Kripalu and multiple conferences such as the Yoga Alliance Leadership Conference. She teaches online classes which can be found on her website as well as in person in Los Angeles at Equinox and The Moving Joint.

Trina’s teaching fosters body cognition and self-discovery that is firmly grounded in anatomical awareness. She builds bridges between the mystical and pragmatic and specializes in helping others to access their body’s tissues and their heart’s purpose.
[9:25] Where Trina’s yoga journey began

[11:45] How Trina began to consider the injuries that can be sustained while practising yoga

[14:55] Importance of strength training

[16:35] The danger of believing yoga is a fix-all

[19:00] What does Trina’s balanced personal practice look like?

[22:45] Trina’s concern about risk-prone movement in classes she’s attended

[23:00] Trina’s experience with group classes (and taking a break from them)

[25:25] Group class paradigm- pros and cons

[27:20] What can teachers do in their own personal practice to build strength

[29:40] How Trina teaches yoga (and how she takes from many different movement modalities)

[32:10] What is the Feldenkrais method?

[36:15] Trina’s online teaching offerings

[38:30] How do we prevent injuries to our students?

[40:10] Pilates- “the missing link”

[44:05] Where you can find Trina in the upcoming months

[44:20] Trina’s closing advice on preventing injury when teaching

[47:25] “There is no one answer”

[48:30] Group vs. private classes when it comes to yoga injuries

[49:35] Four Principles of Teaching Movement: T.R.U.E.

T- total embodiment

R- regress to progress

U- understand underlayer

E- creating an Environment of Safety

[57:20] Shannon’s closing thoughts

Links

Website: Trina Altman- Pilates Deconstructed® & Yoga Deconstructed® Embodied Anatomy Biomechanics

Trina Altman’s Youtube Channel

Trina’s Instagram

Trina’s Yoga and Pilates Facebook Page

Mettaversity Course: Realigning Yoga: New Directions in Yoga Anatomy and Movement Research with Trina Altman

Yoga Deconstructed® Courses with Trina Altman

Feldenkrais Method Wikipedia Article

Interoception Wikipedia Article

Proprioception Wikipedia Article

New York Times Article: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body by William J. Broad

Book: The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards by William J. Broad

Relevant Podcast Episodes:

Podcast: 007: Breath and Pelvic Health with Trista Zinn

Podcast: 32: Strengthen Your Yoga Practice with Kathryn Bruni-Young

The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Page

Trevor Parks Yoga Playlists (can view if a member of The Connected Yoga Teacher FB Page)