The following are actual questions that have been asked and that come up relatively frequently. If you have a question that's not listed here, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Q: You seem to only offer classes during the afternoons. Do you ever offer morning, evening and/or weekend classes?
A: We currently only offer the ASFYT series out of our small yoga studio on the Upper West Side, and there are yoga classes during the AM/PM time slots. However, don't let that stop you! We have a great home study course… and if/when we do offer the course at a time that works for you, we'll give you credit for the tuition you paid for the home study course! This means that you'd only pay the difference in cost, which is about $200 per course, and you'd essentially get to take the course twice!
Q: I'll be traveling for a few weeks and will miss several classes. Is there a minimum attendance requirement? How do I make up the material that I've missed?
A: There is no minimum attendance requirement. Of course we encourage you to attend class as much as you are able to, but if you have previous commitments and need to miss we have made it very possible for you to make up the material. You'll be able to download the lecture notes and presentation slides, watch/listen to the video lecture, and then complete the online quiz from the Student Resources Website. All you'll need is an internet connection and you can keep studying with us while you're away, and then jump right back into class when you return.
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Q: I don't know very much anatomy, and don't feel that I learned very much from the anatomy workshops in my teacher training. Will I be okay in this course?
A: You'll definitely be okay. You're in the same boat as most yoga teachers who have come out of their first teacher training. The courses offered by ASFYT start with the basics, and then gradually build from there. All that is required is the motivation to learn.
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Q: I've taken a lot of anatomy workshops over the years and am concerned that this course may be too basic for me. How deep does it go?
A: While we do start off with the basics, the course is layered and goes quite deep. It's also comprehensive, so it will likely fill in whatever gaps there are in your education if you have primarily learned anatomy piecemeal through small workshops. In addition, the frequent references made between the material being studied and yoga asana practice make the course extremely unique… even if you have previously studied anatomy. Plus - the only way to really learn anatomy is through repetition, repetition, repetition!
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Q: I feel pretty confident in my knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy. Can I just jump into ASFYT-3?
A: In short, while it is possible to do this we'd need to have a conversation about it first to make sure that i) you know what you'll be missing in ASFYT-1 and ASFYT-2, and ii) you're really ready for ASFYT-3. We cover a lot of great stuff in the first two courses that you may not have been exposed to before, and we don't want you to miss out on it! But read through the following examples of the kind of material we cover in ASFYT-1 and ASFYT-2, and if you feel confident that you already have a good understanding of it all then shoot us an email about ASFYT-3.
Examples of the type of things we cover in the first two courses...
- In ASFYT-1:
- after studying the various soft tissue structures of the knee joint, we explore how these structures might get injured within a variety of yoga postures (such as pigeon and hero's pose), as well as how to practice and teach these postures safely in order to prevent injury (i.e., how the medial meniscus could get pinched in pigeon and related postures, and how to modify pigeon pose or give an alternative that alleviates the compression)
- after studying the shoulder joint complex and scapulo-humeral rhythm, we explore all of the various coupled actions of the shoulder, as well as how a knowledge of these coupled actions can inform and enhance the verbal cues and hands-on-assists we give students (i.e., why we shouldn't cue students to draw the shoulders blades down the back or "plug the arms into the sockets" when the arms are overhead, as both cues could lead to repetitive strain injuries )
- In ASFYT-2:
- after discussing the location, attachments, actions and unique characteristics of the piriformis, we explore how weakness and/or tightness of the piriformis would effect various yoga postures, as well as how to strengthen and stretch the piriformis
- after studying the muscles that mobilize the shoulder joint, we explore in some depth how muscular imbalances can manifest in the shoulder that may lead to shoulder impingement syndrome, and what to do to help prevent these imbalances from arising
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Q: There seem to be a few anatomy courses to choose from now, and I'm trying to make a decision about which one to enroll in. Why should I enroll in this course?
A: We feel that our program has several unique strengths:
- both of the main teachers, Jason & Frances, have extensive experience teaching yoga, Pilates and other mind-body movement modalities in gyms, yoga studios and private settings, and bring this experience into the classroom by sharing numerous real-life examples that help bring the material to life
- the course we offer is comprehensive but well-organized, covering the material in a logical, step-by-step way that allows you to gradually learn a huge breadth of material with great depth, so that you feel confident integrating it into your practice and teaching;
- overall the course provides a well-rounded education in musculo-skeletal anatomy that leaves no stone unturned, which will serve as a great foundation for all future learning;
- the course covers most of the common musculoskeletal injuries and pathologies that yoga teachers may encounter in their teaching, including disc herniation, SI joint dysfunction, torn meniscus, torn ACL, torn rotator cuff, shoulder impingement syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, fallen arches, flat feet, bow-leggedness, knock-knees, elbow and knee hyperextension, scoliosis, hyper- and hypo- kyphosis and lordosis, etc.;
- it also includes a lot of take-away materials in the form of the lecture notes, presentation slides, downloadable audio and video files, and online quiz questions
- it is a great value, considering the quality and the quantity of the information that you receive
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Q: How much study-time will I need to set aside for this course?
A: Most students spend 5-8 hours studying each week outside of the lectures. One of the first things we do on Day 1 is make a study vow. We have you reflect on the times you have available to study, and then commit to studying during those times and share your study vow with the class. Creating this study time and then sticking to it is important, as it will help you get more out of the course.
Do you have a question that wasn't answered? Let us know!