A few days before the Teen Challenge Freedom Run, Tara sat down with Shirley Berthelet of Breathe Move Be yoga studio to talk about the event. A fun-focused event, proceeds from this run go towards the Prairie Hope Women’s Centre.
In this Q&A, we’re talking yoga and yoga for runners! More specifically, we’re learning more about how all you yoga instructors out there can up your game. Shirley Berthelet of Breathe Move Be is here to talk about two upcoming yoga training courses that will take your skills to another level.
And, for those of you who have experienced the many benefits of yoga and are interested in taking the first steps towards becoming an instructor, Breathe Move Be is a great place to start, which we’ll also talk to Shirley about.
So, let’s get right to our conversation!
Q&A with Shirley Berthelet
Tara: The training course you have coming up are for two different types of yoga—restorative yoga and chair yoga. What are some of the benefits of these types of yoga for runners and others?
Shirley: When we talk about yoga for runners and using yoga to enhance a runners experience on and off the path we refer to the fact that yoga should be a counterbalance to what the athlete is doing in the context of their training program. Taking time for a restorative focused yoga practice balances out the times during a runners training when there is a high focus on intensity, or directly following an event. Chair yoga is the most accessible form of yoga, available to everyone. Runners sometimes find it difficult to fit yoga into their schedule, chair yoga doesn’t require special clothing or equipment, and can be done even when individuals have a few moments in their workday, making it the ideal yoga for runners.
Tara: What motivated you to start teaching yoga? And what words of encouragement do you have for those who are interested in furthering their knowledge?
Shirley: My first encounter teaching yoga was when I was a Fitness Instructor for the City of Saskatoon. The City of Saskatoon offered a bursary program for their fitness instructors to take yoga training. Once I began teaching yoga, I was profoundly affected by the change in my participants from the beginning of a yoga class to the end. Yoga brings our minds and bodies together, and our experience when we take time to turn our attention inward and to notice our breath is that of being restored to balance.
Tara: What are some of the details of the course? For example, what would a typical day of training look like for participants?
Shirley: Both the restorative yoga and chair yoga training are available via webinar. Each training is two Tuesday evenings for two hours. The group comes together in a video conference and we discuss details about the style of yoga and then our lead instructor walks the students through various poses pertinent to the training. There is also an independent study piece, homework that the student will complete before receiving their certification.
The founders of Breathe Move Be—Shirley Berthelet and Leanne Parsons—are ready to take you on a journey towards yoga instructor certification.
Tara: Let’s talk a bit about the options for those people out there who don’t currently have any yoga instructor certification. What courses does Breathe Move Be offer to help people reach their goals in terms of basic certification?
Shirley:The Fitness Yoga Instructor (FYI) certification is an entry-level teacher training with a focus on equipping students to teach foundational yoga from a fitness perspective, and to teach with confidence to the athletic community through the use of applied anatomy. Our training groups are small and provide lots of opportunities for each trainee to become confident in their ability to articulate postures and to understand the nuances of sequencing yoga in a fitness environment.
Tara: Is there anything more you would like to add?
Shirley: One of the most important things I have done as a runner is to incorporate yoga into my schedule. Yoga for runners is an important piece of the fitness puzzle. It has helped me to remain focused during moments of intensity. It has taught me how to breathe more efficiently. When I take time to stretch and strengthen my muscles, my stride is longer. It has helped to heal and restore my body during injury. Yoga makes me a better runner and as a yoga instructor. One of my greatest pleasures is to be able to share this beautiful practice with other runners.
Shirley Berthelet – E-RYT 200; SPRA, YfR (Yoga for Runners)
I started my yoga journey more than 10 years ago. At the time I was an SPRA certified Fitness Instructor and long time fitness enthusiast. I was given an opportunity to take some yoga teacher training through the city of Saskatoon Fitness Training Bursary program. I was hooked after my first weekend teacher training workshop. Since then I have taken more than 1500 hours of teacher training including my 200 hr RYT through the Living Well Centers, and a Masters Teacher Training. Continuing education is essential as a yoga instructor within that education I have pursued workshops in Advance Asana, Kids Yoga, Yoga Nidra and a six-day Yoga for Runners intensive program offered by Christine Felstead. Aside from yoga I love to run and have enjoyed competing in a variety of races from 5k to half marathon distances and even one mini Triathlon. My most current passion is hiking! I teach a variety of classes from various perspectives, Gentle to Power Yoga, Chair Yoga & Yoga for Kids, and of course Yoga for Runners. One of my favorite ways to offer the practice is from a Christian Perspective for me personally it is the complete experience Mind, Body & Spirit. I truly believe the practice is a blessing to me and I love that I have been given the opportunity to share it with others.