Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast

Peek behind the curtain of Anatomy Bites - the easiest and most enjoyable way for yoga teachers to learn anatomy. In this unusual episode, you’ll hear the audio portion of a live Q&A session led by Dr. Libby Hinsley, physical therapist and yoga teacher. Anatomy Bites is a 36-module program designed to give yoga teachers a solid foundation in anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. You’ll also hear the story of how Anatomy Bites came to be and learn about what it’s like to be a member. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 The birth of Anatomy Bites 04:16 Dynamic vs. static movements for strengthening 06:41 The relationship between the low back and glutes in backbends 11:50 Foot and knee alignment in backbends 22:24 Foot placement in wide leg forward fold 30:20 Does it matter which side you roll towards in savasana? 33:41 Concentric vs eccentric movement 38:11 Torn labrum & chronic pain 52:11 Noise in neck movement 53:11 Spinal issues in yoga classes 01:06:14 Rounding the spine for older adults 01:10:51 Nerve sensations in Yin Yoga 01:13:27 Understanding fascia and its impact on movement 01:15:48 What to do with the shoulder blades in forearm plank 01:19:16 What it’s like inside Anatomy Bites EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Libby Hinsley Anatomy Bites Anatomy Bites - Embodied Anatomy Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

What are some ways to help a student with a hip labral tear? In this episode, Dr. Libby Hinsley explains how a labral tear can affect yoga asana practice and how to support students who have them while staying in your scope of practice.   Episode Highlights: What are labral tears and what are the symptoms? How labral tears are diagnosed - and why a true diagnosis can be problematic Treatment options for hip labral tears Connections between asana practice, hypermobility syndromes, and hip labral tear prevalence. How yoga asana can exacerbate the risk of hip labral tears. How yoga asana can support the healing of hip labral tears. Tips for teaching standing balance postures in a way that will benefit all your students, including those with labral tears.   Episode Links & Resources: Visit Anatomy Bites Libby Hinsley Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook   Links & Resources: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast

Should we modify spinal flexion for osteoporosis? Osteoporosis affects approximately 20% of women over the age of 50 and increases the risk of bone fractures. In this episode, Dr. Libby Hinsley and I continue our 3-episode miniseries highlighting common medical conditions.    Episode Highlights: What is osteoporosis, how to treat it, and how to prevent it. Why many people don’t get diagnosed with osteoporosis until after they fracture a bone. The three most common locations for osteoporosis, and how this might affect a yoga practice. Whether or not to modify yoga practices for higher-risk students who do not have an osteoporosis diagnosis.  How osteoporosis is different from other common medical conditions that are likely to show up in your yoga classes.   Episode Links & Resources: Visit Anatomy Bites Libby Hinsley Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook   Other Resources: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast

Students often share scary-sounding diagnoses with their yoga teachers and expect us to know what they are - and how to modify for them. Today’s episode is the first of a miniseries about some of the most common conditions that will show up in a yoga classroom. Dr. Libby Hinsley demystifies the misleading diagnosis of “degenerative disc disease” - and shares the tools you will need as a yoga teacher to confidently help any student who tells you they have it.    Episode Highlights: How your back is like a Jelly Doughnut! What IS “degenerative disc” and what impact should it have on your practice? The relationship between bulging, slipped, and herniated discs (hint - one of these isn’t a real thing). The prevalence of spinal abnormalities - and how worried we should be if they show up on imaging. The relationship between degenerative disc disease and backbends. Nerve compression symptoms and how to modify for them.   Episode Links & Resources: Visit Anatomy Bites Libby Hinsley Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook   Other Resources: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes

Yoga teachers often find themselves with a business model that leads straight to burnout. In this live coaching session, yoga teacher Amberly Kelley-Dotson opens up about the exhaustion of the one-on-one grind. Amberly is caught in a cycle of high-touch services and hidden, unpaid labor. In this episode, we work through a real-time restructuring of her business, moving away from the "passive income" fantasy and toward sustainable, concrete alternatives. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 02:51 Amberly’s journey from injury to therapeutic yoga 06:32 The unpaid labor of private practice 11:04 Packages and multiple levels of service 20:03 Marketing Without the Info Dump 24:55 Courses, Retreats, and Reusable Content 30:42 Next Steps & Wrap-Up EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Amble WellBeing Follow Amberly Kelley-Dotson on Instagram @amblewellbeing Follow Amberly Kelley-Dotson on Facebook   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Basic misunderstandings about the human body can lead to yoga cues that have the opposite effect from what the teacher intended. In this episode, physical therapist and longtime yoga educator Dr. Ariele Foster breaks down why rigid alignment cues often fail our biology. Listen in to hear a nuanced discussion of the role of alignment in asana and how to bring more functional movement into your yoga classes. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:11 Meet Dr. Ariele Foster: From yoga enthusiast to physical therapist 11:08 Reconsidering the role of alignment 15:18 How alignment can either increase or decrease your options for movement. 22:58 How alignment can feed into kinesophobia 30:05 Functional movement vs. specialized movement 42:58 How to weave more functional movement into your classes 46:36 Conclusion and further resources EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Yoga Anatomy Academy Yoga for 3D Hip Stability Course Follow Yoga Anatomy Academy on Instagram @yogaanatomyacademy Follow Yoga Anatomy Academy on Facebook Wellilo Physical Therapy and Yoga Follow Dr. Ariele Foster on Instagram @dr.ariele.foster Follow Dr. Ariele Foster: Wellilo Physical Therapy + Yoga on Facebook Here is a webinar on how to avoid injury that Dr. Ariele Foster would like to share with listeners.   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPip

If you feel super awkward as soon as the camera starts rolling, you’ll be able to relate to this on-air coaching call. Henrica shares her challenges in producing on-demand yoga videos that she feels are good enough to release to her students. Listen in for my advice on how to get started with creating and editing yoga videos when you’re struggling with perfectionism.  EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:41 From Corporate Life to Teaching Yoga in Multiple Languages 05:22 The Challenges of Creating an On-Demand Video Library 07:25 Technical Struggles and Solutions for Video Production 11:58 Bad Recordings and Failing Forward 15:09 The Pros and Cons of Recording Live Classes 18:30 Strategies for Using Video to Boost Retreat Registrations 28:48 The difference between good and perfect (this distinction is key for recovering perfectionists!) EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Henrica Yoga Algarve Follow Henrica on Facebook   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Yoga is a powerful tool, but it isn’t a complete physical solution. In this episode, physical therapist and yoga teacher Dr. Libby Hinsley introduces the concept of a "movement diet" as a framework for long-term physical sustainability and longevity. Over-relying on asana means missing out on essential movement "nutrients." Learn about the ‘macro-nutrients’ of the movement world, including where yoga shines and where it is limited. We share personal stories and practical advice for yoga-lovers who want to transition from a yoga-centric routine to a more comprehensive ‘diet’. Listen in for a clear-eyed look at what it takes to support your body for the long haul. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:07 The myth of yoga as a complete exercise 05:43 Yoga's role in a balanced movement diet 09:30 Strength, cardio, and mobility: The macronutrients 13:21 How much strength do we build when we practice yoga asana 21:38 Where we are now & our personal movement diet through the years 28:47 Tips for getting started with strength and cardio 36:32 Final thoughts and resources EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Libby Hinsley Bendy & Badass Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Can you honor the roots of yoga and still pay the bills? Join me for an on-air coaching call with yoga teacher Lorine Bamberg as we explore the intersection of spirituality and commerce. Lorine is committed to embodying yoga’s ethics but faces the very real challenge of protecting her own financial health. Together, we look at the evolving responsibilities of the modern teacher, from navigating fair pricing to balancing service with self-preservation. We also explore the complex role of social justice in practice: determining when to speak up and how to hold space for global issues with integrity. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:13 Lorine’s story: From gym rat to yoga mat 04:35 What it really takes to teach yoga full-time 07:04 Navigating the ethics of pricing and the tension between service and profit 21:40 Balancing leadership with humility as a teacher 24:23 When and how to address social issues in class 35:29 Yoga as a practice to reclaim agency EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Swaying Tree Yoga Follow Lorine on Instagram @swayingtreeyoga Follow Lorine on Facebook LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

What happens when algorithms influence the public perception of yoga? Social media algorithms distort the public view of yoga and exacerbate a disconnect between yoga teachers and the people we aim to serve. In this candid discussion, Lily and I explore the challenges of teaching and practicing in the digital age. We question the viability of the "all levels" class and discuss the profound missed opportunities when yoga is 'sanitized' and divorced from the messy reality of life. Tune in for our perspective on how to use asana as a tool for cultivating deep self-understanding and agency. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:45 How social media platforms prioritize and amplify sexualized content 05:05 Why this type of content might be contributing to a decline in yoga class attendance 09:14 How the complex reality of a yoga practice is more beneficial than the sanitized version presented in the media and online 10:24 An honest look at whether a single group class can truly serve “all levels” 14:14 Options and free space as tools for accessibility 22:51 Why home practice is a crucial space for genuine learning and self-acceptance 26:13 How over-accommodating students based on assumptions can undermine their agency and stunt their growth 31:03 Yoga class as an immersive experience vs a structured place to learn 33:22 Advanced asana practice as a self-aware relationship with your body  EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga Follow Lily on Instagram @lilydwyerbegg Follow Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga on Facebook   LINKS AND RESOURCES: Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource  Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group Learn more about the Impact Club Leave a review on iTunes Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe