While I'm not convinced this kind of athletic wear is going to become widely available any time soon, it did make me start thinking about receiving "subtle nudges" in yoga classes.
Personally, I love it when instructors adjust my body. While I love the feeling that I am doing a pose correctly (it makes me feel like I'm getting more experienced), I'm not insulted if they correct me. I'd always rather be doing the pose right. When an instructor touches me to help me to relax my neck, square my hips, or reposition my arms, I can then allow the muscles that are supposed to be working the chance do their job and get stronger. I also feel more confident that I'm not going to injure myself.
Beyond that, I find an instructor's touch can just feel really good; in so many cases, that touch helps me breathe deeper, sink lower, or stretch further, which feels great. Even if I can't do it on my own just yet, a few seconds of doing a pose more fully, with the support of someone I trust, helps me know what it can feel like, and I love that.
While I don't mind being touched or corrected in yoga classes, I know not everyone feels this way. Some people prefer not to be corrected or touched at all. Some people feel embarrassed by corrections, while others just don't like to be touched and feel that an instructor's touch can interfere with their sense of personal space and comfort levels.
So I'm curious: do you mind when instructors correct or touch you during class? Why or why not?
- Rachel
High-Tech Tank Top to Replace Teachers' Touch? [YogaDork]
Move [electricfoxy]
I am totally with you on this one Rachel.
ReplyDeleteIt must be said that I am one who values his personal space very, very highly. Still, whenever an instructor takes time to correct me (it happens often enough!), it tells me two things:
1) The instructor takes his/her job seriously, not only by telling me something, but more importantly by helping me to really learn it.
2) He/she is paying attention to me and thinks enough of me to help me do whatever it is properly and safely. This is deeply gratifying.
To date, I have never been corrected in a manner that disturbed me. It's easy enough to tell if someone is correcting through a need to feel relevant, rather than a desire to help. If I were ever to encounter such a situation, I would likely ignore the "correction".