Language of Anatomy Yoga Workshop
with Rich Logan September 9-11
Rich Logan has traveled the world for many years studying and teaching massage therapy and Yoga. Rich incorporates his knowledge of anatomy and physiology with a unique understanding of spirituality in the modern world. A serious student of Yoga since 1998, teaching since 2001 and a meditation practitioner since 1978, Rich has taught in many training programs, universities and festivals around the world. Some of his previous work includes teaching in the Chicago School of Massage therapy and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. He has taught in the Indian based Teacher Training group Rishikul in their Nepal program. Rich has been a guest speaker of Western massage techniques at the Auyurvedic College in Mysore, India. He teaches yoga anatomy for several teacher trainings in Chicago as well as workshops in the surrounding area. He has also taught adjustment and anatomy oriented yoga courses for yoga teachers in Germany and other places in Europe. He has presented at Wanderlust Chicago, he was also a featured yoga presenter at Bhakti fest Midwest in Madison. Rich is also a passionate musician and has performed with Kirtan groups all around the world as a guitarist as well as leading his own group with a revolving band of world-class musicians called Akoustikirtan.
Rich has studied at the prestigious Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India with TKV Desikachar, the Atma Vikasa in Mysore with Yogacharya V. Venkatesha and wife Acharya Hema and the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center near Dharamsala with Sharat Arora. Rich's study of healing arts and yoga has been life-long. His most significant teachers have been, Kim Shwartz, Tias Little, Aadil Palkhivala, Gabriel Halpern and Anna Forrest. Rich has assisted Tias Little in workshops and. He continues an ongoing relationship with his main teacher, guide, the enigmatic and brilliant Gabriel Halpern.
Rich has an eclectic teaching style focusing on a deeper practice by sitting in some poses for extended periods and moving through other postures smoothly with deliberate attention on placing ourselves in the pose, gradually correcting habitual patterns and not allowing gravity to run the show. Rich’s approach guides students towards a mindful practice that is focused on bringing us to the edge of ‘experience’ to ‘witness’ the moment unfold and realize the true essence of yoga practice.
Friday September 9 6-8:30pm
Introduction to Anatomy
What are we made of? It is important for yoga teachers to familiarize themselves with the basic language of anatomy and to start to grasp what is holding us together. In this workshop, the first of a five-part series, we will move from a cosmological perspective to the introspective view of the yoga practitioner. We will ask the question “What are we?” and begin to understand the answer to that question on a physical level.
This workshop will provide a healthy balance of experiential activity and lecture for students. Topics of discussion will include, but are not limited to: general kinesiology, planes of the body, muscular terminology, connective tissue, bone structure, and how being “comfortable” isn’t always healthy.
Sat. September 10
9-11:30am
Going Deeper Within
In the second class of our workshop dedicated to the Language of Anatomy, we will explore the nervous system’s connection to the musculoskeletal system. Rich will unpack the complex relationship between muscles and bones, and challenges commonly held beliefs regarding the nervous system and emotions, leading to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of our major physical and psychic systems.
Rich uses lecture, demonstration and practice to deliver further exploration of the theme, what are we made of? introduced in the first workshop. Palpation of major muscles and body landmarks will help us to understand the important features of the physical body directly. We will then experience the effects of the physical practice of yoga postures on our health and well-being.
Learning about the interconnectedness of bone and muscle, nerve and emotion will lead us to acknowledge that we truly cannot separate the parts from whole.
Sat. September 10
3-6pm
The Spine
The spine is literally the backbone of the musculoskeletal system; understanding its functions and its vulnerabilities is crucial to developing a sound approach to yoga anatomy. This class will combine lecture, discussion and demonstration to help us identify and recognize the capabilities and limitations of the spine.
We will become familiar with the form and function of a healthy spine as well as to identify some common spinal imbalances. Applying this knowledge of spinal function, we will learn to assess imbalances and practice some safe ways to adjust the spine within a yoga class. Through this workshop you will learn the kinesiology and muscular anatomy of the spine. We will explore range of motion and explore yoga techniques to bring the spine into balance.
Sunday September 11 9-11:30am
The Shoulders
In this class we will focus on the shoulder. When we consider its normal, healthy range of motion, the shoulder is relatively free compared to other major joints. As a result, it is functionally less stable than some of the other joints characterized by less innate freedom.
In this workshop, we explore the anatomy of the shoulder girdle. We will analyze the rotator cuff musculature, important bony landmarks, and connective tissue that comprise this complex joint.
We will examine healthy and unhealthy patterns of movement and imbalances commonly found in the shoulder girdle. After learning how to identify what may be inhibiting the shoulder from its fullest potential, the students will participate in practical exercises to help find safe and effective ways to increase mobility and strength. In addition, the heart plexus and the role of the surrounding connective tissue will be reviewed. Discussion and demonstrations will be presented throughout the workshop to explore and instill the anatomical complexities of the shoulder described above.
Sunday September 11 3-6pm
The Pelvic Floor
The pelvis serves multiple anatomical purposes, supporting viscera and operating as the stabilizing structure from which the legs explore the world. The pelvic girdle is a matrix of checks and balances: for every degree of imbalance below the pelvis, something must compensate, creating imbalance above. Its subtle mobility is essential in movement, and if lost, in either inflexibility or hyper-mobility, the rest of the body suffers.
As we become more familiar with the innate kinesiology and muscles of the hips, we will be able to assess and address imbalances within the pelvic girdle. We will also discuss how imbalances within the pelvic region not only affect our physical health but also our mental well-being and emotional balance. Rich will teach simple exercises and techniques we can practice to maintain healthy hips and help correct or manage imbalances.