Straight Forward Learning
Richelle is a teacher by nature and just loves being in front of a class. Even a 90-minute asana class isn’t enough to delve into the full richness of the traditions of yoga. Workshops offer the opportunity to expand and deepen your practice by examining:
Anatomy & Physiology & Alignment
Yoga Philosophy
Advancing Your Asana Practice
Energy Anatomy & Vibrational Practices
Somatic Awareness & Meditation Techniques
Keep reading to see what’s currently on the books. Don’t forget to check out the Retreats page to book a multi-day immersion. You can sign up for the mailing list using the form at the bottom of the page to be notified of her future engaging events.
Current Workshops
Portland, OR
Yoga Engineering Series: Mechanics of a Sustainable Practice | @ Yoga Refuge
How your bones are shaped defines how you move. A sustainable asana practice is only truly achieved when you understand how to work with your own bony structure. Richelle offers a deeper understanding of your internal engineering to find your own personal perfect alignments for more stability and fundamental strength. You can expect hands-on learning, lecture, and discussion, interspersed with exploratory movements and asana. Bring your copy of Richelle’s book and she’ll sign it for you!
The Spine | Jan 21, 2024 | $35 | $90 for whole series
How does your core really work? There's a lot of mixed messaging about how best to support your spine, but Richelle will start at the beginning: the bones. In this workshop you'll learn to access the deep strength and stability your spine is built for. Each level of the spine has inherent strengths and weaknesses. Once you understand these points, you’re better equipped to use your muscles more effectively for strong and graceful (less painful) movements over time. We’ll cover back bending energy, safety for forward folds, and the realities of rotations.
The Lower Extremity | Feb 25, 2024 | $35 | $90 for whole series
Everyone's thigh and leg bones are shaped differently, which means they'll move differently. How you stand (i.e. where you put your bones) will affect not only the weight-bearing joints of the lower extremity, but the posture of your spine and upper body as well. In this workshop, Richelle will help you understand the innate relationship between the hips, knees, and ankles to stand strong, tall, and supported by your roots. We’ll cover standing forms as well as “hip opening” seated postures.
The Upper Extremity | Mar 24, 2024 | $35 | $90 for whole series
Let’s face it, the shoulder and the wrist are some of the first places yoga practitioners are likely to overwork or even injure. In part, it’s because very few of us have a solid and accurate understanding of how the shoulder is engineered, so our alignments set us up for some high-risk posturing. So let’s figure it out together!! Richelle will show you all the parts of the upper extremity, and teach you how to move in your natural rhythm to ensure a healthier, stronger upper body. We’ll integrate the upper extremity with the spine/core in reaching and weight-bearing forms.
The Yoga Engineer’s Mechanics Series | @ The People’s Yoga SE Hawthorne
Wanna nerd out on the amazing engineering of the human body? Curious about how our structure informs how we move and defines our best alignment?
Richelle Ricard wrote The Yoga Engineer’s Manual (link: yogaengineer.com/the-book) to clarify for students and teachers how our structure defines our nature and impacts how we practice yoga asana. In this workshop series you’ll explore:
the design of the major joints
how they’re intended to move
the risks and limitations of those structures
tweaks to your alignment that will help you access sustainable strength and stability
You can expect hands-on learning, lecture, and discussion, interspersed with exploratory movements and asana. Bring your copy of Richelle’s book and she’ll sign it for you!
Mechanics of The Spine | Mar 17, 2024 | $35 | $90 for series
Discover why the curves of the spine are so important to our upright nature. Explore the range of motion that is designed into each level of the spine, and why it’s so important to play to our strengths and not exploit our weak points. This class will be a rich study of core stability.
Mechanics of The Lower Extremity | Apr 7, 2024 | $35 | $90 for series
Ever wonder why so many people request hip openers? In this module, we’ll talk about the shape of your bones and their influence on alignment on and off the mat. We’ll examine the relationship between the hip, knee, and ankle in order to find your best form in standing poses and beyond.
Mechanics of The Upper Extremity | May 19, 2024 | $35 | $90 for series
The shoulders and wrists are of particular interest in our yoga practice since we use them in ways not common to daily life. Let’s look closer at the connection between the neck and the shoulder, the rhythm of the arm and shoulder blade, and the way we place our hands on the Earth to bear weight.