Anyone here practice yoga?

Namaste

Namaste

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Hi all!
i am 2 hours away from being a certified yoga teacher, ive be doing this for a few years now and i was wondering if anyone else here goes to classes or is also a teacher. Im a little nervous about a few things, though ive taught classes before, and since my teacher isnt hoh she doesnt really know what advice go give me besides reassurance. I really want to organize a yoga class specifically for the hoh and deaf community with ASL involved and lots of hands on assisting. For me, i understand yoga is supposed to be relaxing, but the soft quiet voice and speaking while facing weird directions doesnt help the hoh and deaf students get the full benefit of the class, you know? So any thoughts would be appreciated :ty:

Namaste,
Kelsey
 
I took a yoga class and it was very stressful as the yoga instructor talked very softly and I was not able the hear her or read her lips as she wanted us to keep our eyes closes most of the time. I end up going only two times as it was not relaxing at all. When where we lying down on the floor I had to hold my head up to try and read the instructor lips and our heads had to be on the floor do the yoga pose. How are you to tell people what do when they're lying down ? If I could hear the instructor , I would love to go to a class.
 
What i would do, if there was another hoh or deaf student in class, is sign/tell them the instructions ahead of time, for instance, if i knew the next few minutes of the class would be laying down, or with the eyes closed i would sign/tell them what they should do while their eyes were closed before they begin that particular excercise. My specialty in yoga is Ashtanga Yoga which is exactly the same every time, a set order of postures, so i memorized it and fould those classes go the smoothest for me :)

Kelsey
 
I have yoga practice/classes (Ashtanga, Hatha, Iyengar, and Bikram) about 10x a week.

Because I'm Hoh/Deaf, I let the instructors know ahead of time (when starting a new class) and I do NOT close my eyes during savasana - I pick a gaze point and relax into it. For me having my eyes open is less stressful than closing them (and the whole point of savasana is to de-stress!)

The first few classes where tough - I won't lie. I had no idea what I was doing and had to watch carefully to understand the specific poses. After a few classes though (3 of each style) I started to know the pattern (ie the 26 Bikram poses follow) and even if/when I can't hear anything I can follow with my eyes now.

I'm fortunate in that my studio happens to be multi-purpose and has mirrors on two sides (front & one side) which makes it a lot easier to follow what is happening.

My instructors also make sure that if they move so that I can see them (if they're going to talk/give instruction on something etc.) and are great about watching to make sure I'm following well.

I'm glad I stuck through the first (really stressful!) few classes because now that I understand the flow of each class, I absolutely love it!
 
Start an ASL yoga class. You can write stuff on a blackboard/whiteboard and then check on each individual student to adjust them as you see fit. Use a project for positions, etc.. And, have an FM system in place for those students who use FM equipped hearing aids.
 
VacationGuy234 said:
Start an ASL yoga class. You can write stuff on a blackboard/whiteboard and then check on each individual student to adjust them as you see fit. Use a project for positions, etc.. And, have an FM system in place for those students who use FM equipped hearing aids.
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I take my HAs out for Yoga ... I sweat way too much.

Really, most of yoga is very visual - all that really needs to happen is the instructor to demonstrate how to get into/out of the pose from a few angles and then have the class do it. While they're in the pose the instructor can walk around and make adjustments to each student (my instructors do that all the time)

You really don't need to make any major accommodations other than for poses done while lying on the mat (prone or supine) and even that's pretty easy to figure out with a bit of real-word trial and error :)
 
Thanks for all the feedback!
I think everyone can benefit so much from yoga practice, and with such small accomodations the hoh and deaf community can find it a lot less stressful than some classes make it. Ashtanga is great because it is such a routine you dont even necessarily have to pay attention to the teacher if you dont want to. Lol
I just always found it so annoying in the more free flow classes that i didnt know what to do next and had to kind of watch the people around me to figure out where to go from each position. So i totally understand some peoples experiences being unpleasant but want to spread the word that if you'll give it a chance you'll love it. So good for the mind and spirit. And if you dont believe in spirits its great for mood and emotional well being. :mrgreen:
 
Namaste said:
Thanks for all the feedback!
Ashtanga is great because it is such a routine you dont even necessarily have to pay attention to the teacher if you dont want to. :mrgreen:
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That's also the reason I love Bikram - I take an hour long Bikram class we call "26 in 60" - 26 poses, 60mins. Once you know the routine, it's easy to follow.
 
Ive bnever actually taken aa bikram class as its not offered at the studio i go to, but i am really interested in taking one. I am certified as an Ashtanga teacher for the first series, and being hoh ive always really enjoyed that, and it made my skills immensely better. I <3 it :3
 
Namaste said:
Thanks for all the feedback!
I think everyone can benefit so much from yoga practice, and with such small accomodations the hoh and deaf community can find it a lot less stressful than some classes make it. Ashtanga is great because it is such a routine you dont even necessarily have to pay attention to the teacher if you dont want to. Lol
I just always found it so annoying in the more free flow classes that i didnt know what to do next and had to kind of watch the people around me to figure out where to go from each position. So i totally understand some peoples experiences being unpleasant but want to spread the word that if you'll give it a chance you'll love it. So good for the mind and spirit. And if you dont believe in spirits its great for mood and emotional well being. :mrgreen:
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I use to do yoga when I was a teenager and there where not a lot of people into it. I did it for hours in my bedroom as a way to escape my abusive dad. It helped keep me sane living in a very dysfunctional family.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I use to do yoga when I was a teenager and there where not a lot of people into it. I did it for hours in my bedroom as a way to escape my abusive dad. It helped keep me sane living in a very dysfunctional family.
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Im sorry to hear he was abusive, but i am glad that you had yoga to help you escape. My teacher's sister was murdered by her husband, and yoga helped her through the grief and as a way to get her mind into a positive place. I find once you practice yoga, you can use the teachings to your benefit in so many situations, whether its postures, breathing exercises or meditation :)
 
I used to, but I'm focused more on Pilates for it's regimeental strength training structure.
 
Hi, I have took a few and one at my boot camp taught by a 3D instructor... I don't find it difficult. First was with an interpreter then I wondered what will happen if I take one in local area or teach one since I am deaf. I went ahead and find it easy if we knew how but if it's for someone new, this instructor or deaf person should communicate by just following the motion and show how to breath (like acting, sort of) and it worked for two new clients in yoga at where I used to work at. These two deaf clients did ask me if I teach Yoga before they took the class and I said I would like to but I am not qualified for it yet and if you want, you can talk to the instructor before the class starts or just let her know so you guys can try to do your best as it goes. I was right, it went well.. they attended to the yoga class since early summer and still is attending until I resigned from that fitness center.
 
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I've never done yoga, but my wife has taken yoga classes before in community college.
 
What a good idea!!! trying to get a class together for the hoh/deaf. I've been lazy lately but I do yoga, but this is the exact reason why I would never take a class. I use videos, for awhile I tried a lot of different ones on exercise tv on demand until I found a favorite. Yoga Works Body Slim, but I also like the yoge dvd in p90x, that's a 90 minute one.

I have serious balance problems so a lot of time turning my head to check to see if we've moved to the next pose will be enough to throw my balance off, wicked annoying, and afraid really embarrassing if I was doing it with other people!! Forget about the one leg stances though, tree pose is okay, there's a whole section in the p90x I have to skip because I can barely get into the pose without falling over, nevermind holding the damn thing. Now that I'm thinking about it, if you do put together a class for the hoh/deaf you might run into peeps with balance problems.
 
I remember my attempt at Tai Chi; I was starting to like it before the sessions jumped for $70 to $90. We don't all have a career in medicine to pay for these classes. Everyone faced front, including the teacher (no mirror). Needless to say I heard nothing and I was always looking around at the others to see what to do. Talk about frustrating. You'd think teachers would be sensitive to hearing loss among students.

Laura
 
ambrosia said:
What a good idea!!! trying to get a class together for the hoh/deaf. I've been lazy lately but I do yoga, but this is the exact reason why I would never take a class. I use videos, for awhile I tried a lot of different ones on exercise tv on demand until I found a favorite. Yoga Works Body Slim, but I also like the yoge dvd in p90x, that's a 90 minute one.

I have serious balance problems so a lot of time turning my head to check to a whole section in the p90x I have to skip because I can barely get into the pose without falling over, nevermind holding the damn thing. Now that I'm see if we've moved to the next pose will be enough to throw my balance off, wicked annoying, and afraid really embarrassing if I was doing it with other people!! Forget about the one leg stances though, tree pose is okay, there's thinking about it, if you do put together a class for the hoh/deaf you might run into peeps with balance problems.
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That is easy fix. You got to work on that before you get into gold years. You can fix the problem then do whatever exercises you want to do. It is very basic.. just try training yourself by standing on one foot for couple of minutes, one foot at a time, take turns few times, and if you improve or is able, try moving around with one foot planted down onto the floor... etc etc... if you can do that for more then few minutes (3-5 mins) then you have no worries left over... have to practice doing that about every day until then. The older we people get the more we forget how to balance our body weigh... also can try riding your bicycle without hands.... etc..
 
Jason said:
That is easy fix. You got to work on that before you get into gold years. You can fix the problem then do whatever exercises you want to do. It is very basic.. just try training yourself by standing on one foot for couple of minutes, one foot at a time, take turns few times, and if you improve or is able, try moving around with one foot planted down onto the floor... etc etc... if you can do that for more then few minutes (3-5 mins) then you have no worries left over... have to practice doing that about every day until then. The older we people get the more we forget how to balance our body weigh... also can try riding your bicycle without hands.... etc..
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That's actually not an easy fix. I've been told by doctors over the years, including X-ray technicans even, that the hearing and balance are connected inside the inner ear. This is why many deaf/hoh people may have balance issues. When I went through my childhood medical files, it was noted that I was late to stand, late to walk, late to ride a bike. I've been in martial arts my entire life and I've never been able to kicking arts because of my poor balance. Depending on how you lost your hearing, it may not be an issue - but it is for many others.

Laura
 
Lau2046 said:
That's actually not an easy fix. I've been told by doctors over the years, including X-ray technicans even, that the hearing and balance are connected inside the inner ear. This is why many deaf/hoh people may have balance issues. When I went through my childhood medical files, it was noted that I was late to stand, late to walk, late to ride a bike. I've been in martial arts my entire life and I've never been able to kicking arts because of my poor balance. Depending on how you lost your hearing, it may not be an issue - but it is for many others.

Laura
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The reason why I became a trainer is to prove the people like you CAN.. instead of believing science and what they said. I have relatives who are in medical field for over 40 years... and I have seen a lot of people doing things that doctors and scientists said is impossible or according to what they read on you... I have a former client who has trouble just like you... is now capable of standing on one foot. I have very good friend who lost all of her abilities to speak, walk up straight, etc etc... I got her to be able to stand on one foot for a minute to two, before I did that favor, she wasn't able to. That is why I said it was easy fix as a trainer from my perspective even it takes a lot of work and lots of struggling which is not easy to beat. (Sorry, if it sounded like it was toward someone like you.. I wasn't clear, my apologizes)... I was born deaf but I have a wife who has half of that problem (she was born hearing). Again, I apologize for not being clear enough. I believe in you that you can win.
 
Jason said:
That is why I said it was easy fix as a trainer from my perspective even it takes a lot of work and lots of struggling which is not easy to beat.
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It's not at all an "easy fix" - it's easy for YOU as a trainer (without serious balance issues) to talk about an suggest exercises, but for the people who are actually effected by significant balance issues it's anything BUT "easy".

It's not a matter of core body strength (unlike hearing people with lousy balance), in which doing various exercises strengthen the core and limbs making balance easier.

For those of us with inner ear issues which cause balance problems (typically with vertigo) - it's a physical malfunction of the primary balance system which is extremely difficult to over-ride even with years of balance specific PT, and visual exercises.

There is NOTHING about overcoming inner ear balance and vertigo issues which is "easy" - and you are doing your clients (and anyone reading this) a terrible dis-service by stating that is it.

It is something that can often be improved with YEARS of specific work, but calling it "an easy fix" is terribly ignorant.


P.S. - as you might have guessed, I have inner ear balance issues which I DO work on daily,and have for my entire life.
Over the years I've danced, done gymnastics, yoga etc and I will tell you that even with 35years worth of constant work on my balance (with the help of professionals) I STILL have issues because part of the body's balance and space perception system is autonomic and simply not "overide-able" even with extensive training.
 
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