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During the first year of my yoga teaching career a fun-loving, high heeled 80-year-old (who I’ll call Sheila) cheerfully, religiously, and unsteadily, teetered into my Monday evening class (occasionally smelling like cocktail hour). I loved her free-wheeling personality, but she also made me a little anxious – what if she falls and breaks something?
When I’d asked her to use the wall or the back of a chair for tree pose, she’d roll her eyes and crack, “That’s for old people!”
So, I started leaving balance poses out of that class. But she teetered in her warriors and triangles too, sometimes reaching out to for support to the person next to her with a laugh or a whoop.
While we were all inspired and blessed by Sheila’s indomitable spirit – I was also concerned about what the heck I could teach that would be safe for her and keep the rest of the class happy and interested.
Eventually, I tried a different strategy.
When it was time for something that required a little balance – everyone goes to the wall. Standing forward bends or lunges? Everyone uses blocks. Tree pose? Everyone either goes to the wall or stands back to back with a partner for a little extra support.
Sheila sighed and huffed when I announced a prop pose but she never fell in my class – and I stopped dreading Monday nights.
That was almost 25 years ago, and I’ve kept the same strategy over the years – everyone gets props at the beginning of class (as for people showing up inebriated, I have learned to address that immediately and directly, but I’ll leave that for another blog)
Another thing I realized back then is that when I’m teaching, if I use a prop, others will feel more comfortable using them. If I ask everyone to get a block but don’t use it myself when I demonstrate, then folks feel like the “real” way to do the pose is the way I’ve shown it and want to emulate me.
But that’s not fair.
I’m not teaching yoga to show off my asana chops, I’m teaching yoga to help people develop theirs. Using props myself conveys the idea that you can kindly and compassionately support yourself and, of course, minimize the risk of strain or injury. But the ubiquitous advice that you should “use a prop if you need one” is dismissive at best.
In recent years another participant I’ll call Tom has poo-pooed my prop requests. He likes to say, “Props are for Wimps!” with a big grin.
It’s frustrating, but I have to remember that many people in the western world have been acculturated to think that dominating and subduing their body is somehow good for them. That the harder they work, the more they will benefit. That the Nike God has rendered some enduring, eternal truth, and etched it into stone (and Lycra).
When you work to help folks overcome the idea that using props means you’re a wimp or you just suck at yoga, then you are doing a great service.
Please check out my free class and accompanying stick figure chest sheet, Subtle Yoga for Greater Nervous System Resilience and Brain Function.
My experience has been that the asvad students utilized props —all claiming that it improved their practice.
Yes, I agree. If I don’t demo a pose with a prop, then the students who are always wanting the stronger options won’t use one. And sometimes props make you work harder!
yes that’s a great point Jennifer!
Yep! Bravo! Your activity in yoga will set the example. With seniors, use the props, do gentle stretches to begin. Don’t overdo or they will.
exactly!
Great Post. Thanks for sharing. I usually encourage people to take props when they arrive . I have also had students who would not take a prop because they felt they could do the pose without it. I always felt somewhat dumbfounded when that happenned.
I think it’s a great strategy to encourage folks to get them in the beginning, even if they don’t think they need them. thanks!
I’ve learned that language and queues make a big difference in how the students hears the advice. I like to call props tools and I suggest that the tool allows you to experience the pose more deeply so that you can integrate the experience more completely. Tools are out in the room and I have them close to my mat so that I can demonstrate with them when needed. I think offering a suggestion of self-compassion is super important. I suggest that compassion starts with you. I still get push back once in a while though. There is so much to learn about this.
Love the word switch! I have never liked the word props in Yoga. Thanks!!
really excellent Tamara! I love the word tools here!
Great insights! It’s a challenge to work at community/Rec centers that don’t provide props ( only a mat). How do you approach that when blocks and straps plus bolsters are part of the necessary equipment?
That’s a really excellent point that I neglected to address in the blog so thank you for bringing it up Debra! Yes, sometimes we don’t have the luxury of blocks when teaching. if there are chairs in the space, they make great props so use them! Particularly for savasana when a tight or painful low back makes lying flat uncomfortable. Make sure you are offering plenty of supine and prone postures – assuming your peeps can get up and down from the floor. Table Top poses are also great. And then also spend a lot of time doing standing poses and offering many variations for accessibility. E.g. arms don’t have to go up over the head in Warrior 1 – they can do “cactus” instead, etc. (of course I go into all this in my greater length in my training programs). Be careful about seated poses without props – they can be particularly challenging for low back issues. You can do joint rotations from seated or supine. And people seem to always love some self-massage. I hope this is helpful!
The British wheel of yoga training always emphasises to demonstrate all the steps towards the full posture so that people can work their way up slowly. If they work this way they are more likely to stop at the level they feel comfortable. These steps include use of props then perhaps gently removing them if appropriate. But once people use props they often find they can go deeper into the posture (not straining) than without. In reply to Deborah above, when working in centres that do not provide props either ask all students to bring their own or you have to bring them in. My car boot is permanently full with props…