Are backbends in yoga actually doing what you think they are?

In this episode, Brea breaks down the functional anatomy of the spine in backbends and why traditional aesthetic cues might be doing more harm than good. Learn how to refine your cueing to create safer, stronger, and more empowering backbends for your students!

Prefer to watch this? This episode was recorded as a video! Head over to YouTube to watch the full breakdown, visual demonstrations: https://youtu.be/Rfrm1oBTgAo?si=7a7IYsAs8OL5Dwzh

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Are you micromanaging the knees in your yoga classes? So many traditional yoga cues tell us to keep the knee over the ankle or micro-bend the joint—but the truth is, the knees aren't as fragile as we often think! When we take a step back and look at global movement, building stability in the feet, ankles, and hips is what actually protects the knees and builds long-term strength.

In this episode, we’re unpacking a more functional, evidence-informed approach to knee alignment, handling knee pain in class, and helping your students move with confidence.

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When students ask to "work on their hips" in class, default passive stretches like pigeon pose or static lunges aren't always the best answer. We go over the 4 essential shifts every yoga teacher can make to move beyond generic "hip openers".

Learn how applied movement variety, active mobility, and understanding individual bone diversity can help you teach safer, more inclusive, and more impactful classes!

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In this episode I cover: • Why applied hip movement matters for cueing and pose selection • Moving beyond default passive stretching into functional mobility and strength • Why "tight hips" are often a brain perception, and how movement variety helps • Honouring individual skeletal differences and letting go of aesthetic alignment

Resources & Links:

Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH Start Here.

Is yoga teacher training actually hard? 👀 As always, we go into the nuance of it all, including imposter syndrome and perfectionism to physical worries and the inevitable "messy middle." This isn’t just about Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) because let’s be real, a lot of this is also life.

Whether you're researching your first 200-hour YTT, struggling halfway through a program, or already a teacher navigating self-doubt, this episode goes over why the hardest part of YTT is often getting out of our own way—and how the practice of yoga helps us work through it.

IN THIS EPISODE: • The surprising mental and emotional challenges of YTT • Why "imposter syndrome" and perfectionism spike during training • How to handle the middle-of-the-training burn out or desire to quit • Physical vs. mental demands: Do you need to do advanced poses to teach? • Shifting from rigid "discipline" to genuine commitment

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Are you spending hours planning your yoga classes only to feel overwhelmed when you actually start teaching?

In this short episode, I'm sharing 5 common reasons why yoga teachers overcomplicate their sequences and how you can simplify your process for a better experience for both you and your students.

We'll cover everything from finding a clear class focus to the power of the "pause" in transitions.

Teaching yoga doesn't have to be a stressful multitasking feat, you can learn how to read the room and adapt your sequence to the real people in front of you.

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Have a question about yoga teacher training? Leave it in the comments. We read them, and your question may inspire a future episode.

About this episode:

Is yoga teacher training worth it if you never plan to teach? And if you do want to teach, how long might it take to earn back what you spent?

Brea and Ula unpack what “worth it” actually means when you are considering yoga teacher training. We talk about the financial reality, the fear that can come with investing in yourself, and what a training may offer beyond a certificate or future income.

You’ll hear about taking YTT to deepen your own practice, the unexpected personal changes that can come from becoming a student again, realistic teaching income, and ways to make training more accessible through payment plans, scholarships or work exchanges.

And we explore a harder question: how can you tell the difference between a decision that feels scary because it really matters to us, and one that genuinely is not right for you now?

Learn more about the Heart + Bones 200 + 300-Hour Online Yoga Teacher Certification: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

New yoga teachers often copy their teachers at first. Their sequencing, their cues, their language, even the way they hold the room. But how do you move from repeating what worked for someone else to finding your own voice as a yoga teacher?

In this episode, Brea and Ula talk about copying, confidence, repetition, belonging, and what it really means to teach in a way that feels like you. We get into why copying can be a normal part of learning, how repetition helps you become more responsive in the room, and why the best yoga teachers are not trying to sound like everyone else.

We also talk about yoga teacher training, inclusive teaching, representation, and the pressure many teachers feel to fit into a certain image of what a “real” yoga teacher looks or sounds like.

If you’re a new yoga teacher, a yoga teacher in training, or someone who feels like you don’t quite fit the usual yoga mould, this conversation is for you.

Links mentioned this episode:

Learn more about Heart + Bones Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/ Explore Yoga Teacher Lab: Nervous System 101: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/ Try the Heart + Bones online yoga studio: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

$1 for 1 month use code: PODCASTMONTH

Why Student Love Boring Classes: https://youtu.be/TVAmLoAhSDY?si=aKCW7cNj8Jd5nedO

This audio was taken from our Yoga Teacher Tips Youtube Channel!

Watch the video HERE

Feeling like you lack "self-belief" as a yoga teacher? It might not be a lack of confidence at all. It might just be that you haven't discovered what kind of teacher you are yet.

In this episode, we’re moving beyond "being a good teacher" and diving into the self-awareness required to find your unique voice. We’ll explore the spectrum of teaching styles—from intuitive "wingers" to structured planners, poetic storytellers to precise communicators—to help you stop the comparison trap and start celebrating your natural gifts.

Take the Quiz! Ready to go deeper? I’ve created a playful quiz to help you further refine your teaching identity and voice. ✨ Take the Yoga Teacher Type Quiz here: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/quiz-what-type-modern-yoga-teacher-are-you/

What we cover in this episode:

• The secret to true teaching confidence.
• Intuitive vs. Planned sequencing: Which one is your "nervous system safety net"?
• Poetic vs. Precise: Finding your unique way of communicating cues.
• Tradition vs. Modern Movement: Where do you land on the lineage spectrum?
• Finding your "Sweet Spot": Balancing your schedule to avoid burnout.

Join the Yoga Teacher Tips Community: At Yoga Teacher Tips, we’re all about the nitty-gritty details of teaching and the big conversations that help us grow. Subscribe to join a community of teachers dedicated to teaching with heart and bones.

Let’s Chat! Once you take the quiz, come back and let me know your results in the comments! Are you more of a "Planner" or a "Winger"? Let’s build this amazing community together.

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

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