Yoga Teacher Training Kelsey Study Group & Study Guide - 2026-2027 | Yoga Certification Prep
Which is more mobile - the shoulder or the hip joint? The shoulder joint is more mobile. It's the orange in the saucer example. It's
because the ball is more shallow than in the hip making it less stable
The psoas attachment originates on the _______? Lumbar Spine
Tadasana Mountain pose. If for some reason, you can't remember this pose, just think of
someone having "jazz hands," standing on top of a mountain and saying "Ta-da.
What are the secondary curves of the spine? Cervical & Lumbar - Lordotic
Are they lordotic or kyphotic?
Tapah Remember - there is no one right answer - it's your interpretation of of this word.
Here's what Brett said in various classes: single pointed focus &
dedication, focusing attention - results in transformation, self discipline, accepting
the fact that challenges make you stronger, *seeing the opportunities to grow in our
lives. Please feel free to comment and add your won interpretations.
What is anatomical neutral? Tadasana (mountain pose) with palms out.
How do we breathe when we are stressed? Where are we short shallow breaths in the chest - vatta breathing. This is also how we breathe
breathing? when we're excited.
Which vertebra protects the heart and has the least range T6
of motion?
What is the number one way we can get people to relax? The breath
Which two curves of the spine are sympathetic? cervical & lumbar - they have a magical connection. By cueing the cervical spine, it
helps to protect the lumbar.
Manage
What is the axial skeleton? skull, mandible, hyoid, vertebral column (24), 12 pairs of ribs.
Just think of your spinal cord as an axis and it's everything that turns on that axis
(minus the appendicular skeleton
Fun with Sanskrit revolved, sometimes twisted or rotated (depending on the asana).
Parivritta If you can learn this word then you'll know when you see it in front of another asana
that it's the "revolved," "twisted," or "rotated" version of that pose.
Vinyasa to place your attention in a specialized way; linking of breath and movement
Fun with Sanskrit: One
Eka
, Yoga Teacher Training Kelsey Study Group & Study Guide - 2026-2027 | Yoga Certification Prep
When is binding not a good idea for a person? when it compromises their breath (ability to breathe) or find length in their spine. It
also might not be in your anatomical wheel house (length of bones/structure of your
individual body)
Fun with Sanskrit: plough. Just think about if your friend is out ploughing in the field and you want to
have lunch with her, you have to "hala" to her so she knows you're ready to go.
Hala
Just in case you aren't familiar with this word: "Hala" sounds a lot like "holler" which
means to yell or shout.
Why do we always ask for external rotation of the arms it creates more space to bypass the acromion processor
before lifting the arms above the head?
The heart is superficial or deep to the skin? Answer: deep
Superficial - closer to the surface
Deep- closer to the core
Manage
Fun with Sanskrit: boat
Nava Think of "naval" or the "navy" - they both have to do with ships
of boats.
Ê which are types
Fun with Sanskrit: two
Dwi I think of the word "duo," which means two things or people. You can also think of
"duet" which is two people, instruments, etc..
What is the vehicle upon which prana travels? The breath
The pelvic floor naturally _________ on an exhale. contracts
What two breathing cues do we always want to emphasize 1. Breathing through the nose 2. Even lengths of inhales and exhales
in the asana practice?
Fun with Sanskrit: child
Bala Some children "bala" all the time.
"Bala" sounds a lot like "ball" which means to cry
Which is more stable: shoulder or hip? hip
The hip joint is like the orange inside the cup example. More stable/less mobile
Fun with Sanskrit: one boat
Eka Nava I know this isn't a pose yet I thought of different ways for you to learn Sanskrit so
when you see the pose name - you'll know it without thinking twice.
Is a krama breath and full complete breath the same? If A krama breath has deliberate pauses while a full complete breath does not. A
not, then what makes them different? krama breath starts at the belly and goes up while it doesn't matter in a full
complete breath.
, Yoga Teacher Training Kelsey Study Group & Study Guide - 2026-2027 | Yoga Certification Prep
Fun with Sanskrit: camel op
Ustra Just think of the sound you would make when trying to get on a camel. You have to
"ustra" yourself onto the camel. "Ustra" sounds a lot like "boost" which means to
raise or lift by pushing up from below.
On a side note, I've ridden several camels (two humps are my favorite) and
thankfully the camel was smart enough to lower himself to the ground so I didn't
have to "boost" or "ustra" too much.
Fun with Sanskrit: bridge
Setu I think of a bridge gets a person "safely to" the other side.
What poses would you use for a more "balanced" (things bridge, Eagle, camel, dog, bow, supine twist, block between thighs, cow face pose,
we don't normally do in our day to day lives) class? dancer, fan
There is no "right" answer here. Just think of poses that include extension, AD
duction, and internal rotation. Warrior 3 has extension and internal rotation of the
back leg
Fun with Sanskrit: two revolved/twisted/rotated child/children à
Dwi Parivritta Bala
Asana seat/posture yet in most cases we just say "pose" in our translation.
What's a tendon? connects muscle to bone; has a little bit of a blood supply
Think of someone with a thick southern American accent saying: That muscle
"tendon" attached to the bone.
It's kind of like saying that the muscle "went and got itself" attached to the bone.
Fun with Sanskrit: tree þ
Vrksa I just think about this saying: That vriksa has some leaves-a.
What is pelvic neutral? the balance between the TWO SITS BONES, the PUBIC BONE, and the TAILBONE
Fun with Sanskrit: one camel plough þ
Eka Ustra Hala I don't care what anyone has told you: every person needs their own camel plough.
Fun with Sanskrit: Three
Tri
What part of the nose do you press in Nadi Shodhana cartilage (instead of edge of nostrils)
(alternate nostril breathing)?
Be sure to be press gently
Navasana Boat Pose
Which is more mobile - the shoulder or the hip joint? The shoulder joint is more mobile. It's the orange in the saucer example. It's
because the ball is more shallow than in the hip making it less stable
The psoas attachment originates on the _______? Lumbar Spine
Tadasana Mountain pose. If for some reason, you can't remember this pose, just think of
someone having "jazz hands," standing on top of a mountain and saying "Ta-da.
What are the secondary curves of the spine? Cervical & Lumbar - Lordotic
Are they lordotic or kyphotic?
Tapah Remember - there is no one right answer - it's your interpretation of of this word.
Here's what Brett said in various classes: single pointed focus &
dedication, focusing attention - results in transformation, self discipline, accepting
the fact that challenges make you stronger, *seeing the opportunities to grow in our
lives. Please feel free to comment and add your won interpretations.
What is anatomical neutral? Tadasana (mountain pose) with palms out.
How do we breathe when we are stressed? Where are we short shallow breaths in the chest - vatta breathing. This is also how we breathe
breathing? when we're excited.
Which vertebra protects the heart and has the least range T6
of motion?
What is the number one way we can get people to relax? The breath
Which two curves of the spine are sympathetic? cervical & lumbar - they have a magical connection. By cueing the cervical spine, it
helps to protect the lumbar.
Manage
What is the axial skeleton? skull, mandible, hyoid, vertebral column (24), 12 pairs of ribs.
Just think of your spinal cord as an axis and it's everything that turns on that axis
(minus the appendicular skeleton
Fun with Sanskrit revolved, sometimes twisted or rotated (depending on the asana).
Parivritta If you can learn this word then you'll know when you see it in front of another asana
that it's the "revolved," "twisted," or "rotated" version of that pose.
Vinyasa to place your attention in a specialized way; linking of breath and movement
Fun with Sanskrit: One
Eka
, Yoga Teacher Training Kelsey Study Group & Study Guide - 2026-2027 | Yoga Certification Prep
When is binding not a good idea for a person? when it compromises their breath (ability to breathe) or find length in their spine. It
also might not be in your anatomical wheel house (length of bones/structure of your
individual body)
Fun with Sanskrit: plough. Just think about if your friend is out ploughing in the field and you want to
have lunch with her, you have to "hala" to her so she knows you're ready to go.
Hala
Just in case you aren't familiar with this word: "Hala" sounds a lot like "holler" which
means to yell or shout.
Why do we always ask for external rotation of the arms it creates more space to bypass the acromion processor
before lifting the arms above the head?
The heart is superficial or deep to the skin? Answer: deep
Superficial - closer to the surface
Deep- closer to the core
Manage
Fun with Sanskrit: boat
Nava Think of "naval" or the "navy" - they both have to do with ships
of boats.
Ê which are types
Fun with Sanskrit: two
Dwi I think of the word "duo," which means two things or people. You can also think of
"duet" which is two people, instruments, etc..
What is the vehicle upon which prana travels? The breath
The pelvic floor naturally _________ on an exhale. contracts
What two breathing cues do we always want to emphasize 1. Breathing through the nose 2. Even lengths of inhales and exhales
in the asana practice?
Fun with Sanskrit: child
Bala Some children "bala" all the time.
"Bala" sounds a lot like "ball" which means to cry
Which is more stable: shoulder or hip? hip
The hip joint is like the orange inside the cup example. More stable/less mobile
Fun with Sanskrit: one boat
Eka Nava I know this isn't a pose yet I thought of different ways for you to learn Sanskrit so
when you see the pose name - you'll know it without thinking twice.
Is a krama breath and full complete breath the same? If A krama breath has deliberate pauses while a full complete breath does not. A
not, then what makes them different? krama breath starts at the belly and goes up while it doesn't matter in a full
complete breath.
, Yoga Teacher Training Kelsey Study Group & Study Guide - 2026-2027 | Yoga Certification Prep
Fun with Sanskrit: camel op
Ustra Just think of the sound you would make when trying to get on a camel. You have to
"ustra" yourself onto the camel. "Ustra" sounds a lot like "boost" which means to
raise or lift by pushing up from below.
On a side note, I've ridden several camels (two humps are my favorite) and
thankfully the camel was smart enough to lower himself to the ground so I didn't
have to "boost" or "ustra" too much.
Fun with Sanskrit: bridge
Setu I think of a bridge gets a person "safely to" the other side.
What poses would you use for a more "balanced" (things bridge, Eagle, camel, dog, bow, supine twist, block between thighs, cow face pose,
we don't normally do in our day to day lives) class? dancer, fan
There is no "right" answer here. Just think of poses that include extension, AD
duction, and internal rotation. Warrior 3 has extension and internal rotation of the
back leg
Fun with Sanskrit: two revolved/twisted/rotated child/children à
Dwi Parivritta Bala
Asana seat/posture yet in most cases we just say "pose" in our translation.
What's a tendon? connects muscle to bone; has a little bit of a blood supply
Think of someone with a thick southern American accent saying: That muscle
"tendon" attached to the bone.
It's kind of like saying that the muscle "went and got itself" attached to the bone.
Fun with Sanskrit: tree þ
Vrksa I just think about this saying: That vriksa has some leaves-a.
What is pelvic neutral? the balance between the TWO SITS BONES, the PUBIC BONE, and the TAILBONE
Fun with Sanskrit: one camel plough þ
Eka Ustra Hala I don't care what anyone has told you: every person needs their own camel plough.
Fun with Sanskrit: Three
Tri
What part of the nose do you press in Nadi Shodhana cartilage (instead of edge of nostrils)
(alternate nostril breathing)?
Be sure to be press gently
Navasana Boat Pose
