Hello everyone!
TL;DR I love ashtanga and want to spread it around, but I've never been to a class. I'm self-taught (books, videos). How do you design a class? What are the basic principles?
Background I started doing yoga sporadically 2-3 years ago. When I discovered ashtanga 1 year ago, I began practicing thoroughly. This discovery accompanied my way to a much healthier life and to a brand new body, one that can move in a new way and feels much more present and lovable.
The thing is: I've never been to a yoga class. But I wanted to take my practice further (and go back to India), so I decided to do a YTTC in India. I'd like to prepare myself for the "teacher training" part of the training.
My friends agreed to take "classes" with me. So far I've applied the principle "do no harm", but it's hard to design classes that fit every kind of mind and body. I would also like to make them "attractive", that kindle the will to try again. I've tried to get "varied" students: athletic or not, flexible or not, ones that want to find a way to meditate or a new fitness activity, etc.
Do you go for extended explanations (risking for it to be overwhelming maybe)?
How do you select the postures you're going to teach?
Do you start by showing and then explaining or do you do everything altogether?
What do you go for in beginner classes? How do you design a class anyways?
Bonus question: how would you explain the feeling that you get when you "engage the pelvic floor"?
Sorry for my poor English :S