My Yoga Story and Training - Gail Pickens-Barger, E-RYT - Yoga With Gaileee

My Yoga Story

Contact Info

My Success Story
I've had bunion surgery on my right foot and had a fourth degree sprain on my left foot, so I have some "foot" issues that I'm always concerned about. With the various balancing poses that you do in Yoga, I've become more confident on my "footing" and balance. I never thought I'd be able to do the "Tree and Eagle" poses, much less the "Dancer" pose (I can do them now!). Its been a work in progress, but I'm very pleased with the results!

So take a Yoga class....you never know what benefit it may have in store for you!

My Second Success Story
With the birth of my fourth child, I had the previous year taken the YogaFit Prenatal/Postnatal training. I incorporated the training from the class along with techniques that I've learning in Lamaze and Bradley Childbirth classes and taught a prenatal class while I was pregnant. It was a great bunch of ladies and we practiced yoga postures and techniques to help us with the aches and pains of pregnancy and poses to help us through our labors. I'm happy to say that with my labor, I was able to utilize my yoga poses on the Resist-a-ball, to open up my pelvis, and use various other poses while laboring in the bed, and during my walks down the hospital hallway. I was able to have a healthy baby, with an induced birth (pitocin), using my poses, walking, using the birth ball with out any pain relief. The yoga breathing helped the most in distracting the pain away (as we learned in the Bradley Childbirth classes, and which is very similar to what we use in yoga classes too).

Other Yoga benefits within my Family
On another interesting note, during this entire time that I was taking the college class, getting certified, etc., I told my 75 year old mom how I so enjoyed the Yoga. She started taking the Yoga classes offered at her local YMCA. Immediately her balance was better for her, her flexibility and range of motion in her arms increased, and whenever she took her class her blood pressure lowered (she takes medicine for her blood pressure). Balance and flexibility were some of her concerns and to get a bit lowering on her blood pressure was just a bonus. Now mom is a pretty active person. She swims laps twice a week at the YMCA and also tries to walk at least 45 minutes 3 times a week. Not only that but she bowls a mean 160 average! Now isn't it interesting that she noticed changes in her body when she added Yoga to the mix.

Click here to see success stories from my students.

About The YogaFit® Training Method:

"YOGAFIT® TRAINING SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE is dedicated to bringing the practice of yoga to all populations in a safe and user-friendly, fitness format. YogaFit® makes the physical and mental health benefits of traditional yoga accessible to people of all ages and walks of life.
[It's] non-competitive, non-judgmental, body/mind, fitness yoga.... rooted in exercise science and focused on safety.
Each YogaFit class includes a warm-up, the yoga workout, and a cool-down and addresses all five components of fitness: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and flexibility.
YogaFit® is approved by ACE®, AFAA®, and IHRSA® to train health and fitness professionals worldwide. YogaFit is also a recognized 200 hour program by the Yoga Alliance®."¹

¹YogaFit Training Systems Worldwide

My Blog at http://yogawithgaileee.blogspot.com/

My Yoga Story and Training

E-RYT Gaileee
Yoga Alliance ® E-RYT 200 (Once you have taught 1,000 hours & 2 years elaspse time, after receiving your RYT, you may apply for the E - Experienced designation.) Only E-RYT's may provide Continuing Education for Yoga Alliance CE credits.
RYT
Yoga Alliance ® RYT
200 YogaFit Training Completion

YogaFit® Yoga Alliance Approved 200 - Hour Teacher Training Program
Adaptive Yoga for MS

Adaptive Yoga for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - Continuing Education Training for my E-RYT. Karen O'Donnell Clarke from YogaHealsUs.com
Level 5
YogaFit® - Level 5 Teacher Training - Beth Shaw - Continuing Ed for my RYT.
Anatomy & Alignment
YogaFit® - Anatomy & Alignment - Barbara Nobles - Continuing Ed for my RYT.
Level 4 training

YogaFit® - Level 4 Training - Beth Shaw, Kathy DeKramer & Stephanie Adams

Level 3 training
YogaFit® - Level 3 Training - Kathy DeKramer & Sybill Nance
Level 2 training
YogaFit® - Level 2 Training - Mark Hearn, Kay Davis, Michelle Demus & Miranda Davis
Level 1 training
YogaFit® - Level 1 Training - Sandi Call & Amy Larkin
Seniors training
YogaFit® - Seniors Training - Rita Joseph
Prenatal / PostPartum training
YogaFit® - PreNatal/PostPartum Training - Sandi Call
YogaStrength Training
YogaFit® - YogaStrength Training - Amy Larkin
YogaFit Kids training
YogaFit® - YogaFit Kid's Training - Kathy DeKramer
YogaButt training
YogaFit® - YogaButt Training - Sandi Call
YogaFit Abs/Back training
YogaFit® - YogaFit Abs/Back Training - Kay Davis
Heartsaver AED
CPR/AED by American Heart Association Updated 12/2008 expires 12/2010
First Aid Basics
First Aid American Red Cross

My Story and Training::
Getting Started
I was practicing yoga poses during my first pregnancy, over 20 years ago. Since then my interest in Yoga restarted when I was taking fitness courses along with the computer courses at Victoria College. I had taken the Weight Training, Walking, Karate and Physical Fitness classes. The college wasn't offering any Yoga classes and through a survey, myself and others requested that Yoga be a fitness class offered at VC (there wasn't a facility in town that offered any Yoga classes that fit my schedule). The first time that Yoga was offered through the college I took it. As with any other fitness class at the college several things happened.

Assessment of my initial Abilities
In order for one to see if they are indeed making strides towards their fitness goals, you need to make assessments and measurements. At the beginning of the semester we measured weight, height, circumference measurements along the calves, thighs, hips, waist, chest and upper arms. A crunch test, along with a push-up assessment was done. Two fat body measurements were done-one with the pincher calipers and the other with an electronic fat body calculator. A Cardio endurance one mile walk (the Rockwell test) was also performed. Lastly a sit/stretch measurement was conducted. The assessments was a good portion of our grade. At the end of the semester all of these assessments were done to "measure" our fitness level, due to taking the Yoga class.

Results from first three months of Practice
Not only was I feeling better and well rested, from my initial assessment, I confess that I could only do ONE push-up. Through the learning of the different Yoga poses, practicing, etc., at the end of the course not only did I reduce my body fat percentage, lose inches (and increased inches in my arms/calves), but I increased my number of push-ups to 19 (with my age was finally conducted at "average" fitness) and also increased my flexibility in my sit/stretch measurement. Also I decreased my resting heart rate.

My first teaching Experience
One of the activities that we had to do was to present a Yoga class to the students. We paired up with 2-3 other individuals and selected the Yoga Mountain phase that we were to present to the class. After my 10 minute portion of the presentation the instructor had asked if she could use my Yoga sequences in her classes. (Sure!) She also recommended that I become certified and that I might like to teach YogaFit styled classes. (Perfect, so that I can schedule Yoga classes to fit my schedule!)
Acquiring Yoga Training
So that is what I did. After I finished my college course in Yoga, I took Level I, January 20/21, 2002. Since that time I finishing up the coursework through YogaFit’s Teacher Training programs for the Registered Yoga Teacher 200 Hour Training. I am the first student from YogaFit Training Systems to received my Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) by successfully completing all required YogaFit Trainings and Workshops for the Yoga Alliance Approved 200 Hour Teacher Training Program. I've been teaching since 2001, I have over 1300 teaching hours on the yoga mat. I'm currently working toward achieving my E-RYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher), which will allow me to teach others to teach Yoga. To the right are my trainings and teachers that I've had the pleasure to work with.
Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200) by Yoga Alliance ®
Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) by Yoga Alliance ®
200 Hour Registered Teacher Training by YogaFit®
(Teacher Training Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Kids, Prenatal, Seniors, YogaButt, YogaAbs/Back, YogaStrength, Anatomy & Alignment)
Yoga for Golfers™ by Katherine Roberts.
SilverSneakers YogaStretch
Resist-a-ball Training
PiYo Training
Certified CPR/AED (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation) by the American Heart Association
First Aid Training by American Red Cross
And Now....

What I do Now
I currently teach classes at my church, Wesley United Methodist Church in Nederland Texas, 3515 Helena Avenue, 77627. 6:30 p.m. On Monday & Thursday. ...
Summer plans adding Kiddos Yoga!