SOD Planning Immersion2
Creating Your SOD Sequences of the Day Planning
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Common Situations • • • • • •
Custom class Older students / younger students Longer class / shorter class Standing only (office/outdoors) / Seated Only (low ceiling) Festival class Outdoor class
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #1 “Your teaching plan doesn’t need to be set in stone, but with a solid plan, you can improvise and adjust intelligently.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Basic SOD Structure • • • •
Standing + SOD + Finishing SOD: standing poses should come immediately after standing series SOD Must Include: forward bend, backbend, twist and a peak pose Could Include: hip openers, core strength, upper body strength, balancing and inversions • Peak Pose: a posture that is just beyond the level of most of the class, causes heart rate to rise, challenges breath, is difficult to teach/practice
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Peak Poses • Most challenging and most difficult poses either for strength, flexibility, concentration—or all of the above • Don’t skip / omit the peak pose • Don’t treat your students like they are not capable or it will become a selffulfilling prophecy • Don’t apologize or excuse yourself for introducing peak poses, make it an integral part of your class
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Sample Peak Poses • • • • • •
Backbends Arm Balances Inversions Partner Pose Deep Hip Stretch Complex / Combo Poses
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Pose / Counter Pose • • • • • •
Forward Bend + backbend Twist right + twist left Headstand + shoulder stand Core work + backbend Standing series + seated series Max flexion + max extension
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Misc Tips • Focus on the steps, the practice, not the pose
• Disallow people from skipping peak poses—get them into step 1 at least • Don’t give students too many options or “freedom to choose” poses
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #2 “With your peak poses, avoid calling out the pose name, just start teaching the steps so students are in it before they even realize what’s going on.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Short-Form Classes • • • • •
Standing Series + Finishing = 30 minutes Standing + 5-7 Poses + Finishing = 45 minutes Standing + 10-14 Poses + Finishing = 60 minutes Standing + 15-20 Poses + Finishing = 75 minutes Extended Standing + 15-20 Poses + Extended Finishing = 90 minutes
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Extended Standing Series • 5 + 5 Sun Salutes • Add in Half Moon Pose & Reverse Half Moon after Triangle / Reverse Triangle • Add bind variations in Side Angle & Reverse Side Angle • Add in Warrior II after Intense Side Stretch
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Extended Finishing • • • • •
Plow variations Shoulderstand variations Add in Fish Pose Add supine twist Add more time in headstand
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Need Pose Ideas? • Yogajournal.com/pose-finder
• Google Image Search • Modifications, variations, add a prop, add a partner • NOTE: only teach poses you know inside and out from your own practice
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #3 “You’re a teacher not an artist. Don’t ever feel the need to be creative, feel the urgent need to be effective.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
How to Plan? • • • •
Use Class Planner Add in stick figures Add in estimated times Add in “time suck” notes, poses you’re worried about
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
What to Do with Your Plan? • Practice it many times and again the day you’re going to teach it
• Bring it with you to class, don’t be shy about your plan • Adjust, adapt and modify as needed
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #4 “Ultimately, your goal is push students to the edge of their mental and physical ability; to challenge their strength, flexibility, and balance; to challenge their breath to the point where they can just barely follow along.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Key Learning • Plan your classes • Test your plan • Adjust, adapt and modify as needed • Rinse and repeat your “winning” sequences
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Common Situations • • • • • •
Custom class Older students / younger students Longer class / shorter class Standing only (office/outdoors) / Seated Only (low ceiling) Festival class Outdoor class
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #1 “Your teaching plan doesn’t need to be set in stone, but with a solid plan, you can improvise and adjust intelligently.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Basic SOD Structure • • • •
Standing + SOD + Finishing SOD: standing poses should come immediately after standing series SOD Must Include: forward bend, backbend, twist and a peak pose Could Include: hip openers, core strength, upper body strength, balancing and inversions • Peak Pose: a posture that is just beyond the level of most of the class, causes heart rate to rise, challenges breath, is difficult to teach/practice
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Peak Poses • Most challenging and most difficult poses either for strength, flexibility, concentration—or all of the above • Don’t skip / omit the peak pose • Don’t treat your students like they are not capable or it will become a selffulfilling prophecy • Don’t apologize or excuse yourself for introducing peak poses, make it an integral part of your class
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Sample Peak Poses • • • • • •
Backbends Arm Balances Inversions Partner Pose Deep Hip Stretch Complex / Combo Poses
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Pose / Counter Pose • • • • • •
Forward Bend + backbend Twist right + twist left Headstand + shoulder stand Core work + backbend Standing series + seated series Max flexion + max extension
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Misc Tips • Focus on the steps, the practice, not the pose
• Disallow people from skipping peak poses—get them into step 1 at least • Don’t give students too many options or “freedom to choose” poses
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #2 “With your peak poses, avoid calling out the pose name, just start teaching the steps so students are in it before they even realize what’s going on.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Short-Form Classes • • • • •
Standing Series + Finishing = 30 minutes Standing + 5-7 Poses + Finishing = 45 minutes Standing + 10-14 Poses + Finishing = 60 minutes Standing + 15-20 Poses + Finishing = 75 minutes Extended Standing + 15-20 Poses + Extended Finishing = 90 minutes
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Extended Standing Series • 5 + 5 Sun Salutes • Add in Half Moon Pose & Reverse Half Moon after Triangle / Reverse Triangle • Add bind variations in Side Angle & Reverse Side Angle • Add in Warrior II after Intense Side Stretch
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Extended Finishing • • • • •
Plow variations Shoulderstand variations Add in Fish Pose Add supine twist Add more time in headstand
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Need Pose Ideas? • Yogajournal.com/pose-finder
• Google Image Search • Modifications, variations, add a prop, add a partner • NOTE: only teach poses you know inside and out from your own practice
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #3 “You’re a teacher not an artist. Don’t ever feel the need to be creative, feel the urgent need to be effective.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
How to Plan? • • • •
Use Class Planner Add in stick figures Add in estimated times Add in “time suck” notes, poses you’re worried about
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
What to Do with Your Plan? • Practice it many times and again the day you’re going to teach it
• Bring it with you to class, don’t be shy about your plan • Adjust, adapt and modify as needed
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
PRO TIP #4 “Ultimately, your goal is push students to the edge of their mental and physical ability; to challenge their strength, flexibility, and balance; to challenge their breath to the point where they can just barely follow along.”
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
Key Learning • Plan your classes • Test your plan • Adjust, adapt and modify as needed • Rinse and repeat your “winning” sequences
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
©Yoga Teachers College – All Rights Reserved
