Hands-On Yoga Assists

Kiara Armstrong, ERYT-500, CMT, YACEP, has taught and provided hands-on assists in countless yoga settings, from auditorium-sized classes to one-on-one client sessions. In addition to teaching yoga since 2011, she's a massage therapist and educator. She has been creating and leading 200- and 300-hour yoga teacher trainings since 2016 and offers online trainings on the Rubber Band Method (R). She has also been the interim anatomy instructor at the massage institute in which she was trained. Armstrong was trained in trauma-informed yoga and taught it for several years. Having overcome complex posttraumatic stress disorder herself, she has utilized yoga for the reduction of stress for people suffering on the stress-to-trauma continuum. She is the creator of the Rubber Band Method (R), the safest approach to hands-on assisting.

Part I. Methodology Chapter 1. The Science of Safe Touch The Benefits of Safe Touch Touch and the Nervous System Chapter 2. Changing the Language: Adjustment Versus Assist Touch and Proprioception Yoga Adjustments Yoga Assists Chapter 3. Learn to Read the Tissues Rubber Band Theory Muscle Tissue and Fascia Chapter 4. The Rubber Band Method (R) Tenets of Assisting 1. Always Ask Permission 2. Never Assist a Misaligned Pose 3. Your Body Comes First 4. Have a Clear Purpose 5. Enter and Exit Slowly 6. Use Firm, Directional Pressure 7. Follow the Lines of the Pose 8. Do Not Assist on Skin 9. Always Assist Both Sides 10. Be Mindful When Assisting Joints Chapter 5. Respectful Assists Helpful Versus Hurtful Touch How to Be in a Student's Space Rubber Band Method (R) and Trauma Chapter 6. Rubber Band Method (R) in Action Step by Step: Bringing the Rubber Band Method (R) Into Class Suggestions for Learning Part II. Techniques Chapter 7. Rubber Band Method (R) Stances High-Squat Stance Warrior I Stance Low-Lunge Stance Low-Squat Stance Kneeling Stance Easy-Seat Stance Chapter 8. Feet Corpse Pose: Arch Palpation Corpse Pose: Leg Lift Locust Pose: Foot Anchor Chapter 9. Thigh and Hip Child's Pose: Hip Press Child's Pose: Sacral Press Child's Pose: Thigh Rotation Wide-Leg Forward Fold: Thigh Rotation Chapter 10. Spine Child's Pose: Spinal Lengthening Downward Dog: Front Press Easy-Seat Side Stretch: Hip Anchor Supine Twist: Spinal Lengthening Deer Pose: Spinal Lengthening Chapter 11. Neck and Shoulders Bound Angle or Corpse Pose: Chest Press Corpse Pose: Neck Traction Deer Pose: Reverse Shoulder Press