Your shoulder is one of the most mobile—and vulnerable—joints in your body, and the rotator cuff muscles play a crucial role in its stability. When a student is dealing with a rotator cuff injury, it can be challenging to know how to sequence a class that supports their healing while still offering a meaningful practice.

If you desire to understand and effectively address rotator cuff injuries, then a solid understanding of shoulder anatomy is essential. 

The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles—the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—which work in concert to stabilize the shoulder joint and facilitate a wide range of motion.

In this episode, I’ll explain:

• the anatomy of the shoulder and rotator cuff,
• explore sequencing strategies to limit strain on these muscles, and 
• discuss how to incorporate strengthening and restorative elements into a vinyasa flow class. 

This conversation will give you the tools to confidently support your students with shoulder injuries. I'm excited for you to listen!

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

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Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

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I’m a couple of weeks back from hosting another yoga international yoga retreat. While I was away, I had a few yoga teachers ask me about how to start hosting retreats. I’ve also coached teachers on planning and organizing their own retreats, as they were interested in diversifying their offerings to include retreats.

So today we’re diving into a topic that’s both exciting and might feel a little intimidating: planning your first yoga retreat.

Hosting a retreat is an incredible way to deepen your teaching, connect with students, and create a transformative experience. 

• But where do you even start? 
• How do you find the right venue? and
• How do you attract students to sign up?

In this episode, I’ll walk you through a beginner’s guide to planning a yoga retreat, from clarifying your intentions to crafting messaging that resonates with your ideal students. Whether you’re dreaming of a local retreat or an international getaway, this conversation will give you some tools to make it happen. 

I'm going to give you 4 questions to ask yourself, so get your journal so you can write them down…

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

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YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

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You want to create a safe and inclusive space for everyone who walks into your classes. But when a student is dealing with an injury, it can feel overwhelming to know how to support them. Do you resort to telling them, “Do what feels right for you”? This is a valid suggestion to offer, but have you ever yearned to actually help them or address their needs in your class?

Questions like:

• How do I assess their needs? 
• What questions should I ask? and
• How do I know when to refer them to a healthcare professional?

In this episode, I’ll share part of my framework for teaching students with injuries, from asking the right questions to offering modifications and knowing when to refer out. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned one, this conversation will give you practical tools to confidently support your students. 

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

In this guided meditation, I want to take you on a journey… a different journey than the guided meditation in Episode 56, in which I guided you through an awareness of your body and breath. 

In this meditation, I’m going to take you on a visual experience and  also help you to calm and regulate your nervous system. Guided meditation, also called Yoga Nidra, and is a powerful tool for rest and rejuvenation. It allows you to connect with your body, calm your mind, and support the natural healing processes of your nervous system. 

I am excited to share this experience with you and help you feel the benefits of meditation in the safety of your own space & on your own time. 

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

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You either love Half Pigeon pose or you hate it!! Which is it for you or your students? It can be a powerful hip opener, but it’s also a pose that begs respect for the body’s limits. Understanding the pose on a deeper level (more than anatomy and general alignment) and adding in the biomechanics of the pose, helps us practice and teach it in a way that honors our students’ unique bodies and needs. 

As teachers, we must understand the complexity of Half Pigeon pose, because we are placing stress while we position the joints in extreme ranges while adding weight, gravity, force, and load onto the body. 

In this episode, I will deconstruct Half Pigeon pose and help you understand its many complexities - we’ll explore its anatomy, biomechanics, potential risks, and ways to teach it responsibly. 

YouTube: Half Pigeon Pose: How to Avoid Pain & Injury

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

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YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

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Have you ever considered teaching chair yoga? It’s a versatile and accessible style of yoga that opens the doors of the yoga practice to students of all ages, abilities, and levels of mobility. If you’re thinking of offering chair yoga classes, remember it’s not only an opportunity to diversify your offerings but also a chance to serve a wider community of students who may feel excluded from traditional mat-based yoga practices, and opens up a whole new demographic of students for you! 

In this episode, I’ll share the benefits of teaching chair yoga, debunk a few myths, offer some practical teaching tips, and include strategies for marketing your chair yoga classes to help you attract a diverse range of students.

I can't wait for you to listen & consider teaching chair yoga!

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

Meditation is a practice of focusing the mind to regulate your nervous system by reaching for a state of mental clarity, emotional calm, and overall awareness. 

However, the thought of starting a meditation practice can feel out of reach. Whether you think “I can’t possibly sit still for 15 or more minutes” or “It’s impossible to quiet my mind” you too CAN meditate, and you can encourage your students to try it as well… so let’s talk about it.

Get your journal for this one because I’ve got lots of ideas for you!

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

Is it winter where you live right now? While the cycle of the seasons is more apparent in certain parts of the world, winter brings its own unique challenges: shorter days, colder temperatures, and a natural tendency for your body & mind to slow down. 

In Ayurveda, winter is a season dominated by Vata (cold, dry, and light) and Kapha (heavy, slow, and damp). As yoga teachers, now is the time for you to create classes that honor this seasonal energy while addressing common winter imbalances.

In Ayurveda, the doshas are three biological energies—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—that govern all physical, mental, and emotional processes in the body and mind. Winter is a season dominated by Vata (cold, dry, and light) and Kapha (heavy, slow, and damp) so we’ll focus on those 2 in this episode. 

Oh, and you may want to get your journal for this one because I’ve got lots of ideas for you!

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

Welcome to meditation! Today is the perfect day to explore how your breath can help calm and regulate your nervous system. Guided meditation, also called Yoga Nidra, is a powerful tool for rest and renewal. It allows you to connect with your body, calm your mind, and support the natural healing & regulating processes of your nervous system.

In this episode, I invite you to get cozy and listen along while I guide you through a short meditation practice. You'll finish feeling calm, relaxed, and renewed. 

Ep 38: Managing Pain & Injuries via Nervous System Regulation Pt. 1

Ep 39: Managing Pain & Injuries via Nervous System Regulation Pt. 2

Ep 48: The Effects of Chronic Pain on the Nervous System Pt 1

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

 Teaching beginner classes sounds easy, but when you have a room full of students who have never practiced yoga or have preconceived notions of what yoga should be or what it looks like because of the images they've been fed. Well, teaching becomes a little bit more challenging. 

So let's get into some different ways to welcome students, calm their nerves, and teach beginner-friendly classes. 

In this episode, I'll help you with some tips for teaching students who may feel like they're not flexible enough, not good enough, or that yoga isn't for them.

Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!

Support the show

YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright

Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries

Let's connect:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
• Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.