Is it working?
A few years ago, I got in the habit of asking a certain question that made people scratch their heads.
The first time was during a workshop in Perth, Australia. We’d been exploring full range push-ups (lowering all the way to the floor) and got on the topic of Chaturanga. One of the participants mentioned that it’s necessary to keep the elbows at a 90-degree angle. My response to that was…
Why?
Why should we keep the elbows at a right angle in Chaturanga? What difference does it make?
His answer (after a long pause): “Um…it’s safer?”
Me again: Why? What makes that position safer than any other angle?
Him: “I’m not sure.”
I’m convinced that every time one of these conversations happens in a Yoga Detour training, an angel gets their wings.
There’s nothing better than watching someone discover a whole world beyond the rigid alignment rules they’ve been fed by past teachers. Asking “why” makes you think about the things you say, the poses you practice, the movements you teach, and the intention behind all of it.
The other day I was thinking about the Big Picture Why: Why am I still teaching? I’ve been doing this for what feels like a long time (almost 14 years). I’ve spent over 10,000 hours guiding people through group classes, private lessons, workshops, and immersions. Recently, I’ve started to wonder if it’s time to hang up my mat and let the next wave of “disruptors” take over the movement education scene.
But whenever I start thinking about walking away and trying something new, the universe interferes. In the last two weeks, three students come up to me after class to share exciting news—news about how great their bodies feel thanks to the Yoga Detour approach. It’s feedback like this that reinforces why I do what I do (and reminds me how well it's working):
1. “This yoga doesn’t hurt me.”
I distanced myself from the world of vinyasa flow so long ago that I forget what it’s like. I forget about fast-paced, sweat-fest classes where there’s barely time to breathe between chaturangas, arm balances, and backbends. It can feel like a conveyor belt of fancy tricks, punctuated by adjustments that push you to your brink.
You already know that Yoga Detour classes aren’t like that. But when people are new to this style of movement, they’re often shocked at how it doesn’t hurt. Sure, you might wake up the morning after class and feel like you’ve worked muscles you haven’t paid attention to in a while, but you won’t feel wrecked. You won’t feel like your body was overstretched or put through a repetitive, painful cycle of questionable poses.
Yoga Detour classes are purposefully designed to combine challenge with simplicity. They’re not complicated, but they’re never easy. We move in a way that’s scalable, leveraging the power of progressive load, so that everyone finds the level of intensity that works best for them. The result? People walk away feeling better than when they walked in. Mission accomplished.
2. “My husband noticed I don’t slouch anymore!”
This person has come to my class once a week since January. She’s missed one or two, so let’s call it 18 classes altogether. Eighteen hours of movement. In the larger scheme of things, that’s nothing. A drop in the bucket of time. And yet…she’s experienced massive change.
I never teach (or market my classes) with an emphasis on changing your body. It’s not about losing weight or getting more “toned”. How you or anyone looks is no indication of how strong and capable you are.
I DO focus on how your body feels and how well it functions. Can you do the things you want to do? Will you be able to keep doing those things, indefinitely?
This student was happy about the change in her posture not just for aesthetic reasons but because she’s getting stronger. Her shoulders are sitting in a way that lets her do things with more ease. Her upper body capacity had changed. She isn’t experiencing constant tension across her upper back and neck. She feels like she’s aging backward—all because of a few months of intentional movement.
3. “I had the best ‘off the couch’ return to rock climbing ever - I felt amazing.”
The student who said this has been coming to my classes multiple times a week for months but I had no idea she rock climbed. Once she said it, I thought to myself, “Of course. Of course, you rock climb. Everyone around here either rock climbs, mountain bikes, or skis, and some do all three on the same day.”
Despite not knowing that this student was planning a return to rock climbing, my classes gave her what she needed. When you move better in general—reclaiming your ability to push, pull, balance, carry, squat, hang, and hinge—you get better at everything. You get better at carrying groceries, picking up kids, and getting up and down from the floor. You become a better runner, cyclist, rock climber, skier, and roller skater. You experience less pain, fewer injuries, and get to do more with your life.
That’s what it’s about.
If you’re practicing yoga or any other type of movement that leaves you feeling wrecked for days after, you’re missing the mark—your practice is taking more than it’s giving back.
But when your practice is working for you, your movement options increase. Every class gives you a little more access to the body you want to live in for the rest of your life.
Knowing that I have the tools to help expand your movement options—that’s why I’m still here. It’s why I’ll keep talking about chaturanga, hamstring injuries, wrist prep, and all the other things I’ve been building courses around for years. Because everyone should feel good. Everyone deserves to feel strong. Everyone should be surprisingly capable at something—even when you just got up off the couch to try it.
If you’re a yoga teacher looking for more tools to get your students excited about their movement options, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got some updates on how we could work together coming down the pipeline.
For now, feel free to drop me a line and tell me what’s going on with you. Are you still enjoying teaching? Do you ever ask yourself, “WHY am I doing this?!”?
You’re not alone. Reach out anytime.
Have a great weekend,
Cecily
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