The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
170: Is this Movement Safe? with Shannon Crow
Description:
A question that comes up time and time again, both from yoga students and teachers, especially those dealing with pelvic health issues such as lower back pain, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, infertility etc. is “Is this movement safe?”.
The truth is, there isn’t a list of movements that are safe or unsafe for a body, and it really varies depending on each person, and the movement itself. A lot of us teach yoga to women, and more specifically, women who have given birth at some point in their life. As such, the likelihood is high that we may have someone dealing with pelvic health issues in our class, but they may not be comfortable speaking about it, or may not be aware of it.
So how can we ensure that the movements and poses that we are offering in our classes are safe for each and every student? Shannon has four questions that can guide you in determining which movements are safe for your clients.
Key Takeaways:
[9:45] How can we check if a movement is "safe"? If you have other questions that you would like to add to this list, leave a comment!
[11:09] Question #1: Do I enjoy this movement and can I maintain it with ease? Shannon highlights the challenge of finding the balance between something you love but are afraid of doing, or something you hate but think is good for you.
[15:18] Question #2: Is my breath continuous?
[16:35] Shannon explains intra-abdominal pressure and how it relates to ensuring if a movement is "safe".
[18:56] Question #3: Is there doming or reverse doming (invagination) at the linea alba?
[22:53] Shannon brings up the example of her client who was struggling with plank pose.
[25:33] Question #4: Am I bearing down on the pelvic floor?
[29:24] Every body is different. Why is this so important to keep in mind?
[32:23] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, join the Pelvic Health Professionals membership. Doors are open till June 12, 2020.
Links:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 129: Pelvic Floor 101 with Marie-Josée Forget
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Find variations of movement that bring you joy." - Shannon
"What is happening if we are unable to keep a continuous and steady breath?" - Shannon
"It's not like there's this list of movements that are safe and unsafe for a body. There's this list of questions to ask." - Shannon
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
170: Is this Movement Safe? with Shannon Crow
Description:
A question that comes up time and time again, both from yoga students and teachers, especially those dealing with pelvic health issues such as lower back pain, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, infertility etc. is “Is this movement safe?”.
The truth is, there isn’t a list of movements that are safe or unsafe for a body, and it really varies depending on each person, and the movement itself. A lot of us teach yoga to women, and more specifically, women who have given birth at some point in their life. As such, the likelihood is high that we may have someone dealing with pelvic health issues in our class, but they may not be comfortable speaking about it, or may not be aware of it.
So how can we ensure that the movements and poses that we are offering in our classes are safe for each and every student? Shannon has four questions that can guide you in determining which movements are safe for your clients.
Key Takeaways:
[9:45] How can we check if a movement is "safe"? If you have other questions that you would like to add to this list, leave a comment!
[11:09] Question #1: Do I enjoy this movement and can I maintain it with ease? Shannon highlights the challenge of finding the balance between something you love but are afraid of doing, or something you hate but think is good for you.
[15:18] Question #2: Is my breath continuous?
[16:35] Shannon explains intra-abdominal pressure and how it relates to ensuring if a movement is "safe".
[18:56] Question #3: Is there doming or reverse doming (invagination) at the linea alba?
[22:53] Shannon brings up the example of her client who was struggling with plank pose.
[25:33] Question #4: Am I bearing down on the pelvic floor?
[29:24] Every body is different. Why is this so important to keep in mind?
[32:23] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, join the Pelvic Health Professionals membership. Doors are open till June 12, 2020.
Links:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 129: Pelvic Floor 101 with Marie-Josée Forget
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Find variations of movement that bring you joy." - Shannon
"What is happening if we are unable to keep a continuous and steady breath?" - Shannon
"It's not like there's this list of movements that are safe and unsafe for a body. There's this list of questions to ask." - Shannon
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
169: Integrating Pelvic Health into Yoga with Shannon Crow & Mado Hesselink
Description:
Lots of people who do yoga may be dealing with pelvic health issues, but there has traditionally been very little focus on integrating pelvic health and yoga. Shannon is extremely passionate about the importance of pelvic health, so this episode features an interview Shannon did on Mado Hesselink’s Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast on the topic.
Third-time guest Mado Hesselink has been teaching yoga since 2005 and training yoga teachers since 2010. She is the creator of Yoga Teacher Resource, created to fill the gaps between what is taught in YTT and what it takes to be a successful and effective teacher. She also hosts the Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast, where this episode was first aired.
With Mado in the interviewer’s seat, Shannon dives into the basics of what every yoga teacher needs to know about pelvic health, why Kegels and Mula Bandha aren’t appropriate for all (or even most) yoga students, and why pelvic health can be a fantastic niche for yoga teachers. Find out more about how how Shannon built up my 1:1 pelvic health business and how yoga teachers can work cooperatively with pelvic health PTs to grow in this niche.
Key Takeaways:
[8:44] Shannon introduces Mado Hesselink who conducts the interview on this episode.
[10:13] How did Shannon get interested in pelvic health and what has her experience been with it?
[14:13] What are some commonly taught and practiced yoga techniques that specifically could be detrimental to people with pelvic health conditions?
[16:05] Mado and Shannon address the idea that the pose that you hate the most is the one that you need the most.
[19:16] Shannon highlights the importance of addressing specific concerns like doming or invagination.
[21:36] Shannon speaks about three other things to look out for when teaching poses that may be contraindicated.
[24:18] What are some cues that students may interpret in the wrong way?
[27:36] Mado and Shannon discuss the importance of providing students with information about the exercises and techniques that could help them.
[31:34] Reminder - there are PTs that specialize in pelvic health. If you or your student suspect you might have a pelvic health issue, approach them directly.
[34:43] Having access to the right information around pelvic health can help a lot of practitioners of yoga.
[37:02] Taking the shame away from the conversation around pelvic health can really help.
[37:47] Shannon talks about the business aspects of niching down into pelvic health in yoga.
[44:37] Mado highlights some strategies for connecting and building relationahips with PTs.
[48:45] You can't make a success of a yoga niche that you're not actually passionate about.
[51:24] Shannon shares some final bits of information about pelvic health in yoga.
[53:19] Check out Pelvic Health Professionals for more resources around pelvic health.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Lots of people deal with different pelvic health issues, and there's no part in a yoga teacher training that covers it." - Shannon
"Movement and variation in movement, and finding things that challenge the body are also beneficial." - Shannon
"We know that overall, most people are holding quite a bit of tension in the pelvic floor." - Shannon
"You can't make a success of a yoga niche that you're not actually passionate about." - Mado
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
168: Social Media Marketing Strategy with Andrea Jones
Description:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, … With all these social media platforms available, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one to be active on and what to post. That’s why we need to have a social media marketing strategy that helps us to be intentional with our actions on social media.
Andrea Jones is a social media strategist who is committed to helping businesses build profitable communities online through simple social media solutions. As the host of the Savvy Social Podcast and the creator of SavvySocialSchool.com, Andrea simplifies social media through easy-to-follow courses, professional guidance, and community support. Andrea’s mission is to make social media fun, reduce the feeling of overwhelm with strategy that works for her clients.
There isn’t a best way to approach a social media strategy, but Andrea has some insight into key questions such as how much time we should be spending on creating content for social media, how often we need to check in, and how to grow our audience. She also explains how we can ensure that our actions on social media are having a positive impact on our main marketing goals.
If you have ever wondered what you should be posting on social media, or what platform you should be on, you are going to love this episode.
Key Takeaways:
[6:19] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Andrea Jones.
[8:20] What does Andrea do and how did she get into doing it?
[10:01] How did Andrea meet her husband on YouTube?
[11:51] How do you turn a marketing goal or objective into a social media strategy?
[13:46] How should yoga teachers figure out what they should post on social media?
[16:43] Andrea shares more about her 5 Pillars of Content - Promotional, Educational, Community, Entertainment & Engagement.
[17:47] How should you think about scheduling out posts in relation to the 5 Pillars?
[19:47] How many different platforms should you be focusing on, and which platforms should they be?
[21:57] What are some of Andrea's favorite tools for scheduling?
[25:07] What tips does Andrea have around planning content for Instagram stories?
[26:52] How can we get our posts out to more people? Andrea shares her tips for boosting engagement.
[33:29] Check out Andrea's free course, and do connect with her on social media.
[35:25] Shannon has a personal update to share.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and The Connected Yoga Teacher Collective
Quotes from this episode:
"You want to think of social media as dating."
"You're not going to get your class completely booked by posting one time."
"Instead of just posting about the fact that there is a class available, really think about why someone would join."
"I recommend having the same content on multiple platforms."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
167: How to Make a Recruiting Plan with Reneé Clair
Description:
One of the best parts of growing your team is that it frees you up to have more time to work on the parts of your business that you love. However, it can be tricky to know how and where to start offloading tasks to other team members, and where to look for your ideal candidates. That’s where Reneé Clair comes in.
Reneé Clair is the founder of Clair de Lune Yoga, and has been teaching yoga since 2015. Apart from being a yoga and meditation teacher, she is passionate about helping yoga teachers build their teams in order to offload tasks and make their business run more efficiently. She’s a yoga teacher who works for yoga teachers by recruiting multi-talented yogis!
Recruiting is a multi-step process (ten, in fact!) and it may feel overwhelming to know where to start. Reneé takes us through this process and guides us on where we can start, how to know who you should recruit, and tips on interviewing. She also has some strategies to make the recruiting process easier through automation, and insights about other aspects of crafting a recruiting plan.
If you are hiring or thinking about hiring, this episode is full of great nuggets for you. If you’re on the other side of the recruiting process, Reneé also has some advice for you, so be sure to tune in.
Key Takeaways:
[8:53] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Reneé Clair.
[10:41] What does Reneé do and who does she do it for?
[11:46] Once you decide to hire someone, what is the next step?
[12:51] What are some of Reneé's tips for writing a job description?
[14:30] What are some ways to put together the application aspect of recruiting?
[16:09] Reneé shares some strategies for automating processes around the application stage of recruiting.
[18:13] How does Reneé sort through the applications received?
[21:35] What does Reneé do to make the sorting process easier?
[23:54] What is Reneé's opinion on addressing pay rate in the application?
[26:34] The next step of the process is the interview. Reneé and Shannon share how they worked on this stage.
[28:53] What are the top three questions to ask during interviews?
[34:22] Why was it so important for Shannon to narrow down the pool of candidates to her top 3?
[36:20] Shannon did some test tasks with her potential candidates to see how they would be a fit for the role.
[39:53] What are some questions Reneé recommends for the final stage of the recruiting process?
[42:21] Reneé shares some tips for people who are going through the final stage interview, which can be nerve wracking!
[44:17] Reneé helped Shannon with rejecting unsuitable candidates.
[47:08] How do personality tests fit into the recruiting process?
[50:53] Reneé has some last tips for people going through the hiring process.
[52:52] Check out Reneé's podcast, Light Me Up.
[54:45] Get in touch to Reneé on Instagram, LinkedIn or her website to find out more about her work!
[55:56] Shannon does a recap of the steps in the recruiting process.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and The Connected Yoga Teacher Collective
Quotes from this episode:
"I really encourage you to start [where your audience is] because those are the people who are interested in what you have to offer and most likely, those are the people who are going to want to give back and to work with you."
"If we can automate things, we're going to really save ourselves some time, and that's even true within your own recruiting process."
"It is so important to talk about and be okay with setting a salary range that you're happy with."
"It is always important not to just see a candidate for where they are right now, but how could they grow with you in your business."
"I encourage you to be mindful of your time and their time as you go through this process."