77: Letting Go of Alignment (And What To Teach Instead) with Derek Cook

I think many of us would agree that a strict, dogmatic focus on alignment in asana doesn’t really serve our students, but the question you may be asking next is… what do I teach then? If I’m not telling students the right or wrong way to move their body, what am I teaching them? How do I communicate information about movement without taking away my students’ agency?

My friend Derek Cook is here to take us on a deep dive into anatomy, biomechanics, and pedagogy as we attempt to answer some of these questions!

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • overarching themes we see in lineages that have an emphasis on alignment
  • how bodies grow and change, the role trauma plays, and why that matters to yoga teachers
  • what changes when we look at how a body is ORGANIZED as opposed to how it is aligned
  • a breakdown of many of the most commonly used aesthetic cues and when they make sense to use and when they don’t
  • how Derek decides what to teach! 

Learn More From Derek:

Subscribe to the Mentor Sessions Podcast

2 Responses to “77: Letting Go of Alignment (And What To Teach Instead) with Derek Cook”

  1. Mary Ann McGrail

    Enjoyed the podcast very much. Derek’s point about differences in bodies and aesthetic pre- judgments is a critical one.

    Reply
    • Francesca Cervero

      I totally agree Mary Ann! I’m so glad we’re on the same page about this. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)