Skeletal Variation – MUST READ for Yogis

Mmmmm Skeletal Variation.

So important.

Yet not included in most Yoga Teacher Trainings.

This blows my mind.

From a personal point of view, most of my YTT was anatomy based, teaching what the ‘perfect alignment’ was for each pose in the system.

So when I found out about Skeletal Variation 3 years late, I felt frustrated, upset and guilty that I hadn’t been able to bring this wisdom and compassion into my yoga classes.

I really encourage you to head over to Paul Grilleys website to view images of different human bones so this concept can really come to life.

Bone Photos

 

If you want to hear more on this topic, check out this episode of The Susie Hemsted Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-susie-hemsted-podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74NWwXBpRcM8nmmyyjkJ75?si=DDkg9eGPRUyFvHVyeYH9pw

 

The image below shows two students (me and another yoga teacher) in ‘seal pose’, which is the deepest backbend in Yin Yoga. Due to the differences in the gaps between the spinous processes in the Lumbar vertebrae (spine), our back bends are VERY different!!!

This photo is not showing our flexibility, as this other lady was verryyyyyyy flexible & had been practising yoga for many many years.

This is a powerful demonstration on the differences in human bones & how a pose will ‘look’ based on the range in the skeleton.