Part 1 of Common Mistakes Yoga Teachers Make. Paul M. Jerard, E-RYT 500 speaks about mistakes Yoga Teachers commonly make and how to correct them. Dr. Paul Jerard, in his various videos, has explained the importance of practising safe yoga. Yoga postures or exercises when practised incorrectly can be lead to injuries. In order to avoid the risk of injuries, yoga students must ensure that they are practising yoga under the guidance of trained or qualified yoga teachers. Yoga teachers must also pay adequate attention to their students when they are performing the exercises taught to them.
In this video, Dr. Paul Jerard elaborates on some of the common mistakes that yoga teachers make. Dr. Jerard also suggests measures for avoiding these mistakes. Dr. Jerard begins with the Tree pose. In the tree pose, one leg is the stabilising leg (the one on the ground), and the other is in the air (the balancing leg), with the foot near the groin area or below the knee. Here, Dr. Jerard mentions that it is good to have the foot of the balancing leg either above or below the knee of the other leg, but it should not be beside the knee. By having the foot beside the knee, the student is actually exerting tremendous pressure on the knee, which could lead to injuries. Therefore, it is advisable to have the foot below or above the knee, but not beside the knee. If required, students may also take the support of a wall or a chair while performing the pose.
Further, in the video, Dr. Jerard speaks about neck rolls. Here, Dr. Jerard points out that in neck exercises, especially in circular movements, when students bend their necks backwards, it leads to skeletal compression and could cause premature wearing out of the cervical spine. Instead, it may be a better idea to opt for linear or lateral neck movements, rather than practising circular neck movements.
Next, in the video, Dr. Jerard explains the common mistakes that occur while practising lunges. Dr. Jerard explains the problems associated with pronated lunges, where the knee goes beyond the ankle. Some students may practise pronated lunges, but never encounter any problems, whereas some students may start to face problems by just practising these lunges for a very brief period. Dr. Jerard stresses that people with existing knee problems must refrain from practising pronated lunges. As a best practice, it is good to align the knee with the ankle rather than pronating the knee.
In the concluding part of the video, Dr. Jerard discusses the problems associated with faulty practising of the Upward Dog pose. Dr. Jerard points out that some students lock their elbows while practising the pose. Locking the elbows or any joints for that matter while performing exercises can lead to a risk of injuries or cause premature wearing out of the joints. Therefore, students and yoga teachers must avoid locking their elbows or other joints when practising any exercises.