Becoming a Yoga For BJJ Instructor During Covid?

Yoga For BJJ Instructor 

Hi I’m Sam Binet and this is my story about the course for the level 1 instructor for yoga for BJJ that I completed this summer. 

It pretty much starts like with everyone else on the course. At the end of last year, I was looking forward to the instructor course in March which was been held in London in person. 

Then the pandemic hit, lockdown came and suddenly I was out of work and being furloughed. Fortunately I was studying and practicing for my course and my head coach Darius Kumana suggested if I would be up to doing an online course from Zoom which I agreed with. I am so glad I did because Sarah got in contact with me to let me know that there would be an online course for yoga for BJJ and suddenly I had a purpose to get up early in the morning and to do something whilst been furloughed. 

So, with the course and the homework to follow I started to have a lot of fun with it. This was because of the videos of the class of the warmup and full classes, as well as variations with the break down videos, which made it easier to practice and learn. I found it very enjoyable and challenging at the same time. 

So now with the learning and practicing and having the opportunity to teach it online, I thought this was my best shot of giving back to the academy which I’ve been apart of for 20 years. And having something of the same quality to teach, just like Marco Nigliazzo my professor and Darius, who have been teaching all these years and I generally believe that. 

So now with the homework prepared – well as much as I thought, and the course about to start, I was confident that I was ready although a little nervous. The start was great. Sebastian taking us through the usual BJJ warm up, then explaining us his ideology and how the effectiveness yoga for BJJ is so important for academies to implement as part of their program for them. The relaxed atmosphere and fun that I felt, I was looking forward to what we had in store. And boom we started with Adam going through the program of what we were doing on with regarding to the warmup and instructing what we had to do. 

Then it started just like that. Going into breakout rooms where we had to teach one-another on what we had just learned, participating and having never met before which was pretty nerve wracking at first. But after a while I started to find my feet like everybody else. And with the relaxed mood I started to really enjoy myself and was looking forward to the next part of the course. 

So, the following weekend had started having the experience from the previous weekend and known what to expect, having done my homework I was confident that I could do a pretty good job in instructing the full class and the variations. As the day started, I was looking forward to it. 

But then coming back from the breakout rooms Sebastian and Adam threw the first curve ball of the weekend. They explained that the breakout room this time was to have to instruct with the video being turned off, teaching without participants seeing what I was instructing. This was challenging especially still trying to learn the craft as being a yoga teacher. But it was at least for me getting into the habit of instructing without babbling. 

Going into lunch time I felt very engaged and calm. But also, very clear on what I had to work on. Coming back from the break waiting for Sebastian and Adam’s instructions for the last part of the course was the toughest part for me. In the breakout rooms we had to teach with the video off and instruct without any yoga terminology. The participant who I was teaching had to do exactly what I was saying. So, in otherwise 

participant was only moving when they were told to, instead of just being in the flow of it and doing it by heart. This way they were forced to listen to what they were being instructed. And like I said, I personally

found this part the toughest. The atmosphere being calm and relaxed, I was reassured and encouraged without being judged. 

As the course finished and the graduation done, I felt that I really achieved something. Not because I had my name on a piece of paper to teach yoga but because of the way it was taught and the people who participated in it, for which I am very grateful for and convinced that yoga for BJJ is for everyone. Now having the opportunity at my academy to teach either online or offline, has been a labor of love for me. 

So, is it worth the time and effort to participate to the course? Yes. Will you gain a lot? Yes. Will you make friends? Definitely. And is the course of good quality and worth the money? Absolutely. Especially doing it from your own home. Considering that this was all done and achieved during the pandemic, I think you can agree it is pretty gratifying. And if I can do it, you can too! 

Yours sincerely, 

Oss and Namaste Sam Binet

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