Last Week - Reflection

These past 8 weeks have flown by way too fast. As I was reading some of my previous posts, I realized how much knowledge I’ve acquired about Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates. The path that got me here involved several different learning concepts and theories. When I began Bodyflow class, I really struggled with my breathing technique, which can make it a lot more difficult to hold poses. I learned that as my breathing got better, so did my stance and stamina in various poses in Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. This is what led me to the most valuable takeaway from this whole experience, and that’s knowledge transfer.

I learned a lot about different transfer in Bodyflow class.  I found knowledge transfer in breathing to be foundational for Bodyflow class because the breathing technique can vary for each pose or stretch. This really requires an individual to have enough knowledge about breathing and stretches and poses to know how to utilize the appropriate breathing technique.  I am getting a lot better at breathing, but 

I am still fine-tuning my breathing schema as I continue to learn more.

Transfer in Bodyflow class is particularly important within Tai Chi, Yoga and even Pilates because some of the smaller moves are incorporated in to larger movements. I have an easier time learning and memorizing larger movements because of my existing knowledge of the smaller moves being incorporated in to it.

In learning about breathing, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates, I was able to learn through a variety of learning processes that included a Zone of Proximal Development, working with an expert, and through social learning.

When I attended Pilates class, I was able to work with another girl in the class, my friend and the instructor where we could freely ask questions and learn amongst each other by creating a Zone of Proximal Development.

My Bodyflow instructor was such a great resource. She truly was an expert in Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. She gave me great advice in breathing and I felt that she efficiently “chunked” topics as she was teaching us new moves or breathing styles.

I watched the breathing techniques videos almost once a week to help fine-tune my breathing skills through social learning. These videos were great because I could pause or replay a section as needed, and they were available to me on-demand.  

And lastly, in my post from week 2, I wanted to be able to do the Flip the Dog Move.

See a video of me doing Flip the Dog below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D27RCzceqHc

Week 7 - Breathing: Learning & Transfer

I’ve been in BodyFlow class for about 8 weeks now. This week I’ve been doing some thinking about the most important element between Tai Chi, Yoga, and Pilates, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s breathing. Breathing technique is one of the most transferred skills in BodyFlow class. Each pose or movement can be affected significantly by one’s breathing. This week we are reading about Learning and Transfer from the book, How People Learn, and I’m relating transfer to breathing in BodyFlow class.

I am still watching the breathing videos I described in my first blog post, and they help me understand better breathing techniques. I consider this learning social learning about breathing to be initial learning for breathing with Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. The text indicates that “without an adequate level of initial learning, transfer cannot be expected.”

The text also notes the importance of giving feedback in learning. Students need feedback about the degree to which they know when, where and how to use the knowledge they are learning. With breathing, I know how to do the techniques, but not always when to apply them. The instructor’s feedback on when and how to breathe throughout different poses has helped me to fine tune the times in which I apply certain breathing techniques.

When I learn about different breathing techniques online or from other sources, and then apply them in class, I can better learn how and when to breathe and can stretch deeper in to poses or hold them for longer periods of time. The text from this week about Learning and Transfer discusses that learning is most effective when people engage in “deliberate practice” that includes monitoring of ones experiences. This has been true for me because I have been able to learn more about breathing in class when applying the skills I’ve learned.

The last relatable note I’ll make about the readings this week is that it takes time to learn. When I consider my breathing skills 7 weeks ago, they were fairly poor compared to how I was breathing in BodyFlow class this week. By spending time over the past 7 weeks on breathing, I have been able to better my skills. The more time I can spend on my breathing skills, the better I hope they become.

References

Bransford, J., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Week 6 - Wannabe a Newcomer in Yoga

Bodyflow classes have been going really well. I've learned to control my breathing and I am able to hold poses longer by strengthening my core. As I've stated previously in other posts, I'm really beginning to enjoy Yoga. As I was researching more about Yoga over the past few weeks, I've come to learn new terms that are familiar within the Yoga community and also techniques, and delivery methods.
With all of this newfound knowledge of Yoga, I'm considering taking a permanent weekly Yoga class, possibly a Hot Yoga or a Paddle Board Yoga class. As I was reading about Peripheral Participation this week, I started to realize that if I want to be serious about Yoga, then I should acquire the proper known knowledge within the Yoga culture. I can read to learn about Yoga, but it would be best learned with a zone of proximal development (ZPD) setting where I have an instructor to help guide my skills and knowledge of Yoga.  It made me think that this could also be similarly looked at as an apprenticeship as well over time. In the readings from Lave and Wagner, they indicate that newcomers to a community of knowledge have basic knowledge, but utilize their peers within the community to learn and grow those skills. If I take years of classes from knowledgeable Yoga instructors, I could develop the processes and skills to become an expert in Yoga through a ZPD.

Week 5 - Yoga Culture

I'm beginning to enjoy the Yoga portion of Bodyflow class. I have been able to better fine tune my breathing and stretching synchronization within poses each week. I am able to stretch deeper in to poses and my balance is getting better. I can successfully do the Warrior III, which is a standing balance pose. This pose has been really difficult for me so it was really rewarding when I completed the full sequence of this pose without falling over or loosing my balance.

Figure 1 - Warrior III Pose

Since I am now enjoying Yoga, I would like to try a stand alone Yoga class. I've had some friends that have been to a Hot Yoga class and really enjoyed it. I did an search for Hot Yoga studios near me. I found several studios, which lead me to researching more on Yoga and discovering that there are about 14 different Yoga styles:

Anusara
Ashtanga
Bikram
Hatha
Iyengar
Jivamukti
Kripalu
Kundalini
Prenatal
Restorative
Sivananda
Viniyoga
Vinyasa / Power
Yin

You can read about each of these individual Yoga styles here.
My Bodyflow instructor has mentioned that the Yoga we do in class is Bikram, one of the more common styles. In reading about each of the different Yoga styles, I would really like to try
Iyengar Yoga. Its is also known as "Furniture Yoga" because it incorporates props like harnesses, straps, and blogs in to the poses for a different stretch.
Along with my search for Hot Yoga studios and Yoga in general, I found other methods of Yoga incorporation like Paddle Board Yoga. There is a company in Park City that teaches Paddle Board Yoga classes.
I would really love to try both Hot Yoga, and Paddle Board Yoga.
As I was reading about the different Yoga styles and methods to incorporate with it, I referred back to the readings this week about  Cognition and the Culture of Learning. As I read more about Yoga, I learn how it applies to the different moves and sequences. This week's readings talk about cognitive apprenticeship and learning by being within the environment or culture in which the specific knowledge would be applicable in various situations. I began to wonder how successful my learning about Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates would be if I had to learn the basic terminology and memorize poses before physically doing or practicing them (cognitive apprenticeship). I feel like my knowledge is more concise and I am learning more by doing the hands-on approach (cognitive apprenticeship) with Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates in class, and then I fill in the missing knowledge by research, social learning, and working with experts. The reading states that "approaches such as embedded learning in activity and make deliberate use of the social and physical context are more in line with the understanding of learning and cognition that is emerging from research." I really apply this to my learning in Bodyflow class, because I have been able to learn and grow my skills by doing the poses and sequences within each class.
The readings this week also talked about utilizing tools learned within the culture they are acquired in and how one applies those tools. In Yoga, a person's interpretation of a pose, stretch or sequence can be differently applied and used depending on which Yoga Culture their knowledge was cultivated in. The 14 different styles of Yoga represent the different Yoga cultures a person may know.  Each move (tool) is applied differently within the different Yoga styles (culture).

References 

Brown, J. S. (1989). Cotnition and the Culture of Learning. American Educational Research Association, 32-42. 

Ward, B. (2013, 4 20). MindBodyGreen. Retrieved 10 22, 2014, from MindBodyGreen: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-8622/14-styles-of-yoga-explained-simply.html

Giam Life. (n.d.). Giam Life. Retrieved 10 22, 2014, from Giam Life: http://life.gaiam.com/article/beginners-guide-8-major-styles-yoga

Week 4 - Focused on Pilates

I’ve enjoyed the Yoga and Tai Chi portions of the Bodyflow class I am attending, but have struggled to motivate myself to excel in the Pilates portion. For me, Pilates is a lot more physically enduring compared to Yoga and Tai Chi. The Pilates music tracks are fast paced and the moves are sequenced to the fast paced music. This causes me to be more physically exhausted after we finish the Pilates portion of the class. I also feel like the majority of Pilates moves we do in class are focused on the abs. I decided to take an hour-long Pilates class with one of my friends in order to fine tune and accommodate my Pilates skills.

I really learned a lot about breathing in Pilates during this class. I am able to focus on my breathing for Yoga and Tai Chi because the movements are a lot slower than Pilates. I realized that when I got to the Pilates portion of the class, the music and moves were so quick and fast paced that I forget to pay attention to my breathing. My lack of knowledge transfer could have been the reason that I was really struggling with Pilates.

The Pilates class I attended only had 1 other person in it besides myself and my friend. All 3 of us were beginners and the instructor took the time to explain each movement and answer any questions we had. She told us that steady breathing between the movements is so important because it allows the muscles to contract faster and perform more efficiently. Our instructor focused on moves that worked our legs, stomach areas, and upper back. The instructor asked us which areas we liked and didn’t like in Pilates and also what we struggled with the most. She showed us how to keep our core (stomach area) strong as we moved throughout different Pilates moves. She indicated that by having a strong core and strengthen that core, we will be able to breathe and move throughout the poses better. I really felt that this instructor was able to really help me strengthen component skills like my breathing and strong core to better perform various Pilates movements.

Reflecting back on the Pilates class I attended and the reading by Ambrose on How Students Develop Mastery, I realized what an expert the instructor was in teaching Pilates. She was able to instantly see how we struggled in different poses, and took the time to stop and fine tune our individual poses and issues we had. She was excellent in identifying foundational component knowledge we would need in order to be successful with the movement. Later that week, I went back to Bodyflow class and applied the knowledge I had learned from the Pilates instructor, and I actually found myself in a flow-like state of mind. I instantly remembered to concentrate on my breathing and core while carrying out the Pilates movements. I had a much easier time with the Pilates portion of the Bodyflow class after attending the Pilates class.

This is my favorite move the Pilates instructor taught me. It’s called the Mermaid. It incorporates balance, breathing and focuses on working the lower back and lateral sides of the abs. 

Week 3 - Tuning and Transfer in Yoga

My instructor for Bodyflow class uses an Advance Organizer by letting us know which poses/stretches in Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates we will be doing throughout each class.
I really like knowing which moves we will be doing because I can decipher which poses or moves I already know, and which ones I don't know and want to focus on. It also helps me better prepare myself for each move throughout the class.
As my knowledge base for Yoga grows, I find myself relating my own memorization of the moves to the theories of knowledge we learned about in chapter 4 of Learning and Cognition by Michael E. Martinez.

Lately I've experienced a lot of Tuning with my schema for Yoga. Many yoga moves like Flip Your Dog incorporate smaller moves that attribute to a larger movement. A larger movement involves a series of small movements in order to complete the large movement. I didn't realize that the smaller yoga movements made up the larger movements, until the instructor started breaking out each larger movement by smaller poses.  Flip Your Dog is a larger movement and combines a series a 4 sequential small yoga movements:

1. Downward Facing Dog

2. Psosas Stretch

3. Side Plank

4. Upward Facing Bow Pose

I am able to do these poses individually by themselves relatively easily. I really struggle with Flip Your Dog between the transitions of these moves. I can easily apply the concept of knowledge transfer when I combine these small moves in to the larger move of Flip Your Dog, but I still struggle with the flow of my balance in between the moves.
This has also caused an alteration of my procedural knowledge as our instructor takes multiple smaller yoga moves, and combines them in to a larger movement. I know each small move within declarative knowledge, but sometimes the instructor will piece together small moves in to a larger movement and thus changing my procedural knowledge for different larger movements.

Week 2 - Motivation to flip the dog

I've attended 4 Bodyflow classes in the past 2 weeks. I find myself enjoying the class more and more with each session. I really enjoy the change of pace between yoga, tai chi and pilates throughout the class.
The gym I attend provides yoga mats for members, but they are a little older and some are torn. I've noticed that several people in my class bring their on yoga mats that have carriers. I decided to purchase my own mat and carrier because I was getting tired of having to sanitize the gym mats. I bought my yoga mat at T.J. Maxx on sale and then I purchased this carrier on Amazon. I really like my new mat, it has a better grip than the mats provided by the gym. My hands and feet don't slide as much when I use my new yoga mat.

I've been practicing my breathing techniques and it's been a lot easier to stretch deeper and focus more throughout the class. After the first week of class and breathing exercises, I noticed I had more energy and was intrinsically motivated to go to class this past week. I really found myself relating the readings last week about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Initially, I was extrinsically motivated to attend Bodyflow class so I could write about my experience here which is a required assignment for this course that I want to complete successfully. But now, I find myself getting excited every time Tuesday and Thursday's Bodyflow class comes up because I am noticing my increased progress.

In Tuesday's class we learned a new move called "Flip the Dog." It begins in a downward dog position, and then you elevate one of your legs, and slowly rotate your body to flip over. I kept falling over every time I tried to flip my dog. I have decided that this is one of the really hard yoga positions that I will strive to achieve.

Here is a video of the yoga move "Flip the Dog":

Week 1 - Struggles in breathing and focusing

I’ve attended a yoga class before and while I liked it, a 60-minute yoga class was a bit much for my wondering mind and beginner breathing and stretching skills. My husband signed us up for a gym membership at a gym that offers a variety of fitness classes. They teach a 60-minute class called Bodyflow that incorporates a blend of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates. I figured this would be a great class for me with a variety of the 3 different workout techniques to keep me engaged.

My first week of Bodyflow class went well. I am pretty sore, but I think it will get better each week. The class began with Tai Chi, which was the part I enjoyed the most. A lot of the Tai Chi moves we did involved pressure on the legs (particularly the thighs) and arms. Most of the moves are completed while you are in a standing squatting position (like this picture below).

I was so surprised at how much my arms were burning from the slow movements side to side with my arms at a slow pace. The instructor told us to have long deep breaths as we moved from side to side and back and forth. I could definitely feel the breathing help me go deeper into each movement.

We then moved into the Yoga portion of the class. I remember struggling with synchronizing my breathing with the different Yoga stretches when I took a Yoga class a few years back. I also struggled again with my breathing in during the Yoga part of Bodyflow class. I didn’t get a chance to ask my Bodyflow instructor for some tips on breathing better for Yoga, so I looked online and found a video tutorial on breathing for beginners in Yoga. I watched 3 of the videos and plan to finish the rest of them for better clarification on breathing techniques. I felt that I made it through most of the Yoga moves pretty well, but I could definitely learn to work into the stretches deeper over the next 7 weeks.

The Pilates portion of the class is probably the most physically exhausting. The music tracks for this portion were a bit more upbeat compared to the Yoga and Tai Chi music tracks. For this class the instructor focused the Pilates moves on the abdomen area. One of the hardest ab moves involved us laying flat on our backs with our legs together sticking straight up in the air. We had to keep our legs together and lower them about 6 inches from the floor and then raise our legs back to the straight-up position. We did several repetitions of these.

After Pilates, the instructor led us through some light Yoga moves to lower our heart rates. I found the breathing for the lighter and slower Yoga moves easier than the first set of moves we did at the beginning of class.

The last 10 minutes of class winds down with Shavasana time. The instructor asked us to lie down on our backs with our legs and arms gently out to our sides. Gentle ocean waves and peaceful music played in the background while the instructor told us to focus on our breathing and clearing our minds. I really struggled to "clear my mind" and then I found myself wondering what that even meant. The instructor told us to breath in and out and on our breath out, to push the current thought in our minds out. As my mind was so busy running from though to thought, I began to focus on my breathing, and on every out breath I had, I really focused on pushing that thought away. At the end of the Shavasana time the instructor told our class that this was one of the hardest poses because it requires an individual to completely clear their mind and be 100% thoughtless and aware of your physical body. I was glad to know that this was one of the hardest poses because I really struggled to clear my mind. However, looking back on it, I think it gave me energy. I'm hoping to get better at clearing my mind during Shavasana time in class.