Santhanam Sridharan

Yogi. Teacher. clubhouse @santhanam Founder of conscious community chakra project . runs a mastermind group

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Joined CrossFit. It's really fun. They made me do way too much, snatches and everything. I know my form is all over the place, but I'll get there.

Same patience I ask of everyone in my yoga class.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

For a bit I couldn't do much yoga practice and only did strength. Just two weeks, and I became very stiff. My toes used to be here. They had gone two kilometres away 😂😂😂

Two, three days back on the yoga mat and I was like, oh, I'm back.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Told the new teachers I mentor: at least smile at the beginning of the yoga class. Namaste, with a smile. Show all your teeth 😂😂😂

What a beautiful thing we are offering people. You're welcoming them to that space.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Teaching an online yoga class? First five to seven minutes, always demo. People are joining. They should not be lost. They should be clear who the teacher is and who is taking care of everything. Afterwards, sit down and teach.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

When I teach a yoga class now, I don't even get up to show. But that's not how I started. I would demo a lot. I would fumble, not get the words, and say: listen, let me show you what I'm talking about. It took ages to get to this place.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

In a deep forward fold like tortoise (Kurmasana), don't be in a rush to straighten the legs. That is the ego talking.

Go one leg, one hand, one limb at a time. Never get into the yoga asana at the cost of hurting your elbows. We want a holistic progress.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@YogaMobilitys Listen to your body and do the work, not your ego. Hip openers are where people push too hard on the yoga mat.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@MuscleB1ueprint Same with backbends on the yoga mat. You can't get away with only pushing the back. Core strength, glute strength and quad strength hold it up.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@PostureUni Agree. Two weeks of only strength training and I became very stiff. My toes had gone two kilometres away 😂😂😂 Two, three days back on the yoga mat and I was back.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@Conor_Harris_ Same on the yoga mat. Right-handed? Your right side is probably a little more muscular and a little stiffer. The side you use most may be the side that opens least.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@sculptherbody Same on the yoga mat. If a movement is too difficult, do the easier version. Knee down is fine. But don't skip it completely.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

@Eyecandy9f Injury prevention starts with one line I gave my yoga class this week: listen to your body and do the work, not your ego.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Obviously joking. It's a tough yoga asana, so it takes effort. Everyone was fine, of course.

Tip: if your arms slide in easily, you've probably made a mistake and put them in the wrong slot.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Teaching rooster (Kukkutasana) in my online yoga class, I had to ask: do you need an ambulance to get your hands unstuck? 😂😂😂

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Draw inspiration from others. Just don't let it become ego lifting, as the weightlifting world calls it.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

If your body says you're an advanced practitioner, you are.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

If your ego says so (which is the case with many people), you'll end up hurting yourself. We look at others on the yoga mat, decide we must be there too, and it turns competitive.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Right-handed? Your right side is probably a little more muscular and a little stiffer. It is like this for a lot of us.

So on the yoga mat, the side you use most may be the side that opens least. Let it go slightly. That is also good.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

Trying one-legged wheel for the first time? Don't lift the leg yet.

Just float one foot off the yoga mat and see if your balance is off. Then bring the knee closer to the chest. Straighten it last. Don't be in a rush to straighten the leg.

[Santhanam Sridharan @yogi_santa]

In wheel, don't hand everything over to the hands.

Keep thinking of your hips and legs, and keep lifting from there. The yoga asana gets lighter on the arms.