Ep 121: Yoga for Pelvic Health with Shannon Crow

Why is yoga such an amazing gift for pelvic health? How does knowing this information and using it change the way we practice and teach yoga? In this episode, Shannon shares more about one of her favorite topics yoga for pelvic health.

Shannon reveals her own personal experiences of going through three pregnancies and births with no idea about pelvic health, and how finding out more about the topic ignited her passion in the topic. She talks more about the four key elements of yoga for pelvic health – breath, alignment, movement and information – and why yoga makes such a difference.

After learning more about pelvic health, Shannon started to incorporate some of the things she learned into her own yoga practice, and how she shared yoga with her students. She walks us through some simple examples you can practice, try out and share with your yoga students.

If you’ve been wondering about how to improve your pelvic health in some way or have students who have approached you with questions or concerns relating to pelvic health, this episode has some great information that will change the way you practice and share yoga.

Key Takeaways:

[4:14] Where did Shannon’s passion for pelvic health begin?

“In the three pregnancies and births that I had, no one talked to me about pelvic health. I didn’t even know about my pelvic floor.” -Shannon Crow

[7:13] Shannon shares her first experience of meeting a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

[10:30] What are the four key elements of yoga for pelvic health?

“The four elements to yoga for pelvic health, and why yoga is such a great tool to use for pelvic health, … are breath, alignment, movement, and information.” -Shannon Crow

[11:15] Element 1: Breath – How does breath relate to pelvic health?

[14:23] Element 2: Alignment – Focus on the yoga student in front of you and their unique needs.

[17:16] Element 3: Movement – Movement is a key element in our overall yoga practice, and also in pelvic health.

[19:41] Element 4: Information – Internal information is just as important as external information sources.

“There is this amazing information that comes from internal, and this is where we provide the space as yoga teachers for students to come to an awareness of what’s going on in their body and their mind.”- Shannon Crow

[23:10] Shannon explains how to apply these four elements to Bridge.

[28:49] Shannon shares more about rib cage breath vs belly breathing.

[30:53] Shannon no longer cues mula bandha / core engagement / pelvic floor engagement in her classes. Why?

[35:26] Share your thoughts and questions about these practices with Shannon, and check out her new offering around pelvic health!

Links:

• Pelvic Health Professionals Website
• Other The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episodes on Pelvic Health:
  • 008: Core Breath with Kim Vopni
  • 009: Kegels, Mula Bandha and Pelvic Health with Shelly Prosko
  • 033: A New Perspective on Diastasis Recti with Dr. Sinead Dufour
  • 007: Breath & Pelvic Health with Trista Zinn
  • 069: Pelvic Organ Prolapse with Dr. Sarah Duvall
  • 075: Pelvic Girdle Pain with Dr. Sinead Dufour
  • 077: Interstitial Cystitis with Helena Spears
  • 079: Endometriosis [Part 1] with Kimberly Castello
  • 080: Endometriosis [Part 2] with Dustienne Miller
• Mama Nurture – (Training is no longer being offered by Shannon Crow because she has niched down)
• Janice Taylor, Pelvic Health Physiotherapist
• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 116: Pain Language with Shelly Prosko (Part 1)
• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 117: Pain Language with Shelly Prosko (Part 2)
• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 073: 8 Limbs of Yoga [Part 1] with Shannon Crow
• Yoga Anytime (PROMO CODE: CROW)
• Yoga for Pelvic Health Training
• Live Q&A Call
• The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group
• Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, November 2019

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity