I Love Anatomy – SRL

This program teaches foundational anatomical, biomechanical and kinesiological principles as they relate to improving your functional movement in yoga. Your learning tools include video, photo, text, and an Ask Susi form so that you can ask me questions throughout the program.

By the end of the program, you will have an understanding of the following:

  1. the importance of anatomy to the practice of yoga.
  2. considerations for your practice, and considerations for your students.
  3. the importance of critical thinking as it relates to movement cues and teaching tips.
  4. how to cultivate strength and stability, and how to avoid injury.

 Course Design

I have designed the course in a 19 Lesson Format. The first half (approximately) of the lessons set the Basic Foundations to help you understand concepts of movement; and the second half enables you to deepen your understanding of the anatomy of select poses. Within each part you can start where you want; however, I do suggest that you develop your eye and your understanding of the first set of lessons before going into the latter lessons. Ultimately, this is self-paced and you can log in at any time of the day while the course is online. AND, the real beauty is you have access to me for the full length of the course to explore your questions.

Note on Videos: There are lots of videos throughout the lessons and we have grouped some of them together. A list below the video player indicates the videos available if there is more than one. Just click on the one you want and then click play. If you have a slower internet connection – click on the playback quality to switch it from high to low.

Credit for your Yoga or Fitness Association

We have evaluated the course content and based on past online trainings we have offered – we will issue a certificate of completion totaling 15 hours for the I Love Anatomy online training.

To receive a certificate registrants are required to:

  • submit and pass a short answer test at the end of the course.

We have discovered that the number of hours people spend on the online training varies greatly. Some move through the material quickly. Others take a very thorough approach and spend a considerable amount of time ‘taking the lessons to the mat.’ Still others spend significant time on the ILA Q&A Calls each month. Please recognize that the 15 hours may not be equivalent to the number of hours you spend on the course but does reflect a reasonable proximity of the amount of time needed to review and learn the material.

Important: In order to receive your certificate, you must be active throughout the course and submit questions to me via “ASK SUSI” or ask questions during the live calls. Alternatively, you can post insights that demonstrate that you are practicing what I am teaching and integrating the concepts. You are also required to complete a short test, and submit it back to us. The purpose for these sets of tasks is for you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding. If you aren’t active throughout the course, I am unable to recognize if you understand the information. To request your test, please email Kiya at [email protected]. You will be able to write the test after one month of your own access to the course.

Your Mentor: Susi Hately (that’s me!)

My background includes a BSc. Kinesiology, being a Physiology teaching assistant, and leading anatomy and kinesiology trainings for yoga teachers since 2001. I began training yoga teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors and physicians in yoga therapy in 2004. I have been working at a yoga therapist with an active client base for 20 years.

My Approach

I follow the foundational principles of anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics that can be found in any anatomy or kinesiology text book. The distinction is that I have applied them specifically to the practice of yoga. I believe in the ‘plasticity’ of the body, meaning its ability to change if given the appropriate stimulus or exercise. ie. Push yourself beyond your edge, and you’ll likely not make the change you want; recognize your edge for what it really is, and you’ll see change happen quickly and efficiently (ie. practice Ujjayi breathing with tension, and you’ll get more tension. Breathe with ease, and you will get more ease. Push through Trikonasana, and you’ll have a higher chance for SI joint issues, move into and out of Trikonasana understanding principles of kinesiology and biomechanics and you will develop a remarkable amount of stability).

In this light, I believe that any sensation a person feels is ‘good news’. Why?

Because the body responds to stimulus or input from us and our environment. Whatever the expression – pain, tight hamstrings, or burning – the expression is a form of communication. The key to this is that the body responds (it doesn’t wake up one day and say, “oh, I am going to be tight”. Rather it responds to what we do and how we think). Remember, it is the brain that dictates the amount and the length of contraction.

I believe that by understanding the language of the body – its pieces (bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood flow, neuromuscular communication etc) and how those pieces relate (biomechanics), we can see how our pieces and their mechanics create and contribute to movement, breath and awareness. From there, the sensations or expressions that are being communicated can be heard.

I use this approach in all sorts of yoga situations – whether someone is in pain and wants to get out of pain, or whether someone wants to improve an asana, improve their sitting for meditation, or attempt a more challenging yoga technique.

My hope with this program is to give you a map so to develop your understanding of movement, and in turn enable you to decipher the sensations that arise in your body, and help your students decipher those that arise in theirs. You will find that you inherently will teach safely and that your students will make incredible gains in how they progress their movements, deepen their sense of inner quiet, and if they really want to “bust out a cool yoga move” they can with awareness, understanding and a tonne of pizzazz.

Have fun exploring!

Susi

Here is a quick How-To on how to navigate throughout this course.