The Yoga Addiction

By Natalie Senger and Sandy Huen

Yoga is everywhere, and its diversity in practice has many people asking more specific questions about how this practice ‘works’. Join Natalie and Sandy as they explore the modern yoga practice as tea... more

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FAQs about The Yoga Addiction:

How many episodes does The Yoga Addiction have?

The podcast currently has 64 episodes available.

The Yoga Addiction episodes:

July 17, 2019 24: The Controversy of the Tuck Your Tailbone Cue & When You Still Need it!
As yoga teachers, we are all guilty of recycling cues from our teachers and peers--"tuck the tailbone" being a very well-known one. In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of this cue, whether or not we can actually tuck the tailbone without moving the pelvis or low back, and how we can more intelligently speak about pelvic positioning. We finish our discussion with several ways to refine the cue, "tuck the tailbone", and in which postures we find this cue helpful.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

Are there any cues you could use for all poses? (9:23)
Yoga International article about throwing out cues entirely (10:14)
What should teachers be trying to achieve with the cue, "Tuck your Tailbone"? (11:46)
Does the tailbone itself move in respect to the pelvis? (13:03)
The Medium article claiming tucking the tailbone is bad for your pelvic floor (14:08)
Video about the SI joints (15:14)
"Tuck your tailbone" is an easy way to orient the pelvis in space since we can't really move our tailbone without moving the pelvis, and often our spine too (17:55)
Bernie Clark's chart from Your Spine Your Yoga book - We can't really know conclusively if anyone is "tucking their tailbone" (20:21)
Nutation vs. Counternutation in backbends like cobra (24:23)
The Yoga Addiction podcast where we talked about forces in the spine depending on position relative to gravity (30:57)
Why Nat practices a minor tailbone tuck in ardha uttanasana tailbone tuck (31:33)
"Tailbone tuck" cueing in a backbend (37:59)
"Tailbone tuck" and classes that focus on lots of core work (47:18)
Nat gives her opinion on drop backs (51:45)
The Yoga Addiction "TVA is a badass" podcast (58:30)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Yoga International article - Ten Alignment Cues Teachers Need To Stop Giving
YouTube video on the SI joint
The Medium article - Why Not To Tuck The Tailbone In A Yoga Class
Bernie Clark's Book
Episode 2: Why The Transverse Abdominis Is One Badass Muscle And How To Use It
Episode 3: Interview with Danielle Eve - Everything You Need To Know To Create A Successful Corporate Yoga Business
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
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...more
1h 1min
July 10, 2019 23: Pose Breakdown: Extended Side Angle Pose / Utthita Parsvakonasana
Pose Breakdown... Today, we break down Side Angle Pose, or Parsvakonasana. We start from the ground up, from feet, ankles, thighs, hips, spine up to the shoulders. We discuss common patterns of tight muscles as they show up in this pose, and what cues we can use to help adjust the pose for more comfort. We cover our anatomical differences that make this pose challenging, discovering that Nat and Sandy are basically opposites. This was probably one of our most entertaining and enjoyable episodes to record and produce.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

We reminisce about our first teacher training, and bringing all the lessons we learned back home (3:22)
Why a social network of teachers within your teacher training is so important (10:45)
Rachel talks about how social media can feel like a lot of pressure for new teachers to define themselves when they aren't ready yet for that definition (15:16)
Are there physical/ spiritual pre-requisites to be a yoga teacher? (24:51)
Do teachers need to be able to do a pose in order to teach it? (40:02)
Rachel talks about intention / purpose in teaching (45:53)
What's the difference between a Yoga Alliance 300 hr and 500 hr training? (48:30)
How would a teacher know he or she is ready to teach a teacher training? (50:51)
The "path" of a yoga teacher in the modern world (56:41)
Interesting variations for the top arm in Parsvakonasana and a variation against a wall that might aid the lat stretch (1:03)
Nat's healthy point of view on tight lats (1:06)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Parsvakonasana image
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
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1h 16min
July 03, 2019 22: Rachel Land - How Do You Know You Are Ready for YTT And How To Choose Which Training Is For You?
Today we chat with our friend and teacher Rachel Land. Despite a severe time difference (Rachel lives in Queenstown, New Zealand), we've recorded this podcast to give you everything you need to know before, during and after your 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training. Whether you've just signed up for a training, or in the midst of a training, we cover several important topics. Like building a social network of teachers for support and advice as you launch this next phase of your life. Like the role of social media in your teaching career. Like whether or not you should be able to perform every pose you teach. We end our discussion with a few words about the "path" of a yoga teacher in the modern world.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

We reminisce about our first teacher training, and bringing all the lessons we learned back home (3:22)
Why a social network of teachers within your teacher training is so important (10:45)
Rachel talks about how social media can feel like a lot of pressure for new teachers to define themselves when they aren't ready yet for that definition (15:16)
Are there physical/ spiritual pre-requisites to be a yoga teacher? (24:51)
Do teachers need to be able to do a pose in order to teach it? (40:02)
Rachel talks about intention / purpose in teaching (45:53)
What's the difference between a Yoga Alliance 300 hr and 500 hr training? (48:30)
How would a teacher know he or she is ready to teach a teacher training? (50:51)
The "path" of a yoga teacher in the modern world (56:41)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Rachel Land's Website
Rachel Land's Instagram: @rachel.land.yoga
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
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...more
1h 8min
June 26, 2019 21: What Does An Alignment Based Practice Mean And When Is It Most Useful?
As yoga teachers, we have been trained to look for alignment in our students. But why are we so fixated on alignment? What does an 'alignment-based yoga teacher' do differently, better or worse? In this episode, we discuss what alignment means to us and our purpose as teachers. We go over 2 important viewpoints from senior teachers Leslie Kaminoff and Bernie Clark on alignment and where it fails us and where it guides us.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

What does calling yourself an 'alignment-based yoga teacher' mean? (10:00)
We are taught in 200hr yoga teacher trainings that well-aligned poses create the safest joint alignment. Is this true? (11:47)
Lots of alignment cues come from 200 hr YTT training teachers to put group classes quickly and 'safely' into a pose. However, there are many drawbacks to simply teaching with cues from a 200 hr YTT (14:51)
"A lot of alignment in general is the balance of the deeper muscles closer to the joint capsule and the superficial muscles to bring more integrity to the joints." (16:35)
Tensegrity plays a huge role in how we 'align' our bodies in poses (24:06)
Leslie Kaminoff's article in yoga journal, "Asanas don't have alignment" (29:55)
We break down dancer's pose into it's constituent parts and talk about how to think about asana more functionally (33:52)
Bernie Clark's Yoga International article, "Functional Yoga: When is Alignment Important?" (42:27)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Leslie Kaminoff's article
Leslie Kaminoff's book "Yoga Anatomy"
Bernie Clark's article
Myofascial Release video link for Traps
Myofascial Release video link for Gluts
Rad Roller – The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter
Contact Us
Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
55min
June 19, 2019 20: Does Yoga Increase Bone Density?
Today, we answer the question, "Does yoga increase bone density?" We've chosen 3 research studies to dive into and how it might affect the way we present the benefits of yoga to students. Though it does seem like yoga has a positive effect on osteoporosis and bone density, for the most part this is another case of, "We just don't know enough." We briefly discuss the limitations of current research and pose some interesting questions about bone and yoga.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts and why bone is remodeled relatively quickly (19:18)
Stress and its relationship with magnesium and calcium balance and why bone is involved in this balance (20:55)
What is Peak Bone Mass and when do humans generally achieve it? (24:39)
"It has been theorized that achieving a 10% higher peak bone mass in young adulthood could delay the development of osteoporosis by around 13 years, and ultimately reduce the lifetime risk of fracture by 50%. While there is no experimental evidence from large life-long studies required to test such a notion, a growing body of evidence suggests that adaptations to mechanical loading in youth translate to greater bone strength over a lifetime." (Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) position statement on exercise prescription for the prevention and management of osteoporosis, 2017) (27:01)
We discuss progressive resistance training, impact activities, and balance training as it pertains to bone density (35:49)
Study: Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss (2016) (36:55)
Our opinions on yoga and weights (41:45)
Study: Effects of an 8-Month Ashtanga-Based Yoga Intervention on Bone Metabolism in Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Study. (2015) (45:59)
Does someone with a stiffer body build more bone density than someone with lots of flexibility? (57:32)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Episode 5: SAID
Study 1 Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) position statement on exercise prescription for the prevention and management of osteoporosis
Study 2 Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss
Study 3 Effects of an 8-Month Ashtanga-Based Yoga Intervention on Bone Metabolism in Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Study. (2015)
Rad Roller – The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter
Contact Us
Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
1h 5min
June 12, 2019 19: On Teaching Yoga to Beginners
Beginners are maybe one of the most rewarding groups you can teach, if you can get a group of them together. In this episode, we go over several important aspects of teaching to beginners, like placing them in the middle of the room, incorporating parts of yoga that are meaningful to you as a teacher and whether or not it's appropriate to use Sanskrit during class. We reveal what it was like for us when we began yoga years ago, and the challenges and thresholds we faced then. This episode will equip you with plenty of ideas on teaching to beginners.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

We discuss beginners-only classes vs. beginners within a mixed group class (14:33)
The benefits of set sequences when it comes to beginners (19:55)
24:45 - We talk about not understanding "intention" setting for years, and incorporating the other elements of yoga in a beginner's class
We discuss teaching 'unguided' to beginners (31:09)
Nat talks about the 'comparative mind' for beginners (34:11)
We discuss how much teachers need to demo to beginners (39:03)
When you aren't sure about people's motivations to take a beginner's class, as a teacher, we need to let go of expectations to understand the content or to be present for it (44:01)
Should you use Sanskrit in a beginner's class? (46:19)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //

Yoga 4 Stiff Guys - Vancouver
Jonny Kest
Rad Roller – The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
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Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
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59min
June 05, 2019 18: Allie Geer - Teaching and Practicing Prenatal Yoga
Today, we feature our second interview with Allie Geer, who is not only a fascia expert but a prenatal yoga specialist. This episode is a must for anyone teaching public group classes, because sooner or later a pregnant yogi will stroll through your doors, too. We talk about how to make all your students feel welcome and supported, what adjustments you might make in regards to hormone changes with pregnancy and even particular poses to include or remove.

// IN THIS EPISODE //
Allie discusses the main differences in moving a pregnant body (6:55)
How to teach group classes with pregnant women without singling them out (13:13)
The main difference between a prenatal class vs. group class (18:30)
About how the hormone relaxin affects the body and what prenatal yoga needs to do to accommodate (25:52)
Allie tells us a story about one of her students helping out a pregnant yogi during an outdoor yoga class (31:03)
We discuss the pose Malasana and its purpose in a prenatal yoga class (34:30)
We discuss the controversy over inversions during pregnancy (36:48)

// RESOURCES & LINKS //
Allie Geer's website
Allie Geer's instagram @alliegeeryoga
Allie's prenatal yoga training with Sue Elkind
Episode 7 with Allie (About Cadaver Dissections and Yoga)
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter
Contact Us
Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
48min
May 29, 2019 17: Hiiro Zake-Sigal Prince - Must know differences between Yin and Restorative Yoga
Restorative and Yin yoga are two practices that often get lumped together into one category. However, our expert guest Hiiro Zake-Sigal Prince sheds light on the distinct differences of these two practices, how and when to intelligently blend the two, and how to decide which is best for you or for your students depending on the needs of your nervous system, musculoskeletal system, fascial system, or otherwise.

// IN THIS EPISODE //
Nat tells us how she and Hiiro met (6:55)
Hiiro tells us about his history with movement and yoga; it started with Dance Dance Revolution! (8:15)
Why Hiiro has named his brand "true identity" (31:22)
Hiiro tells us about the tradition of restorative yoga (33:26)
Hiiro clearly delineates the difference between Yin and Restorative Yoga (35:38)
The one thing Hiiro won't back down on regarding yin (48:21)
What would yoga studio schedules be like if we re-labelled classes to just "Yoga"? (53:28)

// LINKS & RESOURCES //
Hiiro's website
Hiiro's Instagram: @hiiroprince
Hiiro's Facebook group
Nicole Marcia (trauma sensitive)
Hala Kouri (trauma sensitive)
Book - Judith Hanson Lasater
Book - The Body Keeps The Score
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter
Contact Us
Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
1h 20min
May 22, 2019 16: Yoga for Athletes - How to Design a Practice for Resilience, Recovery, and Power
The worlds of athletics and yoga are slowly but surely finding a common place to collide and more athletes are turning to various practices of yoga to increase mobility, focus, power, resilience, etc. In this episode we talk about what pieces of the very big and diverse yoga world fit best with athletes; from weekend warriors to professionals.

// IN THIS EPISODE //

Why should yoga be incorporated into an athlete's training program? (9:05)
Mindfulness and how it's applicable in sports and life (13:50)
Nat puts together a few focal points for teaching weekend warriors (23:21)
Working with an athlete's schedule, whether it's work or training (29:53)
Athletes and hormones; yoga can help cortisol decrease after a burst of exercise and raise testosterone...this is a good thing! (36:13)

// RESOURCES AND LINKS //

Episode 5: What is SAID and How Can We Use it in Asana
Episode 9: Yoga and Hormones - How To Use Yoga To Support Cortisol Regulation
Episode 15: What is Fascia and How Do We Care For it in Yoga?
YouTube Video: Three Stretches Every Athlete Should Do - Regardless of Your Sport!
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
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Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
52min
May 15, 2019 15: What Is Fascia and How Do We Care for It in Yoga?
In the last few years, fascia has become a huge area of research and investigation. In this episode, we dive into the current knowledge about fascia, its anatomy and how yoga can contribute to the health of the fascia. We talk about common fascia dysfunction, tension patterns, and tendencies. If you're interested in how to serve your fascia through a yoga practice, do listen through to the end for tips and pose suggestions.

// IN THIS EPISODE //
Nat and Sandy ramble on about their weekends, and Nat talks about the detox she's doing (5:15)
What is fascia and where is it? (15:00)
What's fascia made of? (16:42)
Why do yoga teachers need to know about fascia? (20:15)
What do compartment syndrome and shin splints tell us about fascia? (24:10)
Sitting posture, 'locked long' trapezius and rhomboids, and how this affects the fascia around it (34.19)
'Locked short' muscles, like biceps brachii, gluteus maximus (43:09)
Which yoga poses are best in terms of fascial health? (47:40)
Nat teaches us how fascia and rocks may have similar properties (58:37)

// RESOURCES AND LINKS //
Dr. Stephen Cabral's Detox
Fascia Conference 2018
Tiffany Cruickshank's Myofascial Release Module with Yoga Medicine
Tom Myer's course on Yoga U Online
YOUTUBE - Trap release
YOUTUBE - Glute Max Release
Rad Roller - The myofascial release tools we use every day
DISCOUNT - 10% off all Wanderlust Regular Admission Events for 2019
Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter
Contact Us
Instagram: @natandsandyyoga
...more
1h 5min

FAQs about The Yoga Addiction:

How many episodes does The Yoga Addiction have?

The podcast currently has 64 episodes available.