​​​​​​​Cheryl Fenner Brown C-IAYT​, E-RYT 500, YACEP

Injury Prevention in Yoga

OLLI, Spring 2026
Learn how to practice the physical poses of yoga (asana) safely and comfortably, balancing effort and ease. While there are various versions of each pose, correct alignment is crucial to prevent injury and maximize the physical benefits. This course will focus on different body areas and include common yoga pose variations that stretch, align, and strengthen. If moving and breathing together has always confounded you in classes, this course will help you cultivate the mindfulness to move in sync with your breath in the poses and during transitions.
Some prior yoga experience is recommended - you should be comfortable sitting cross-legged on the floor, bearing weight on your hands, and getting in and out of a low lunge. 

Each week, we will focus on a different part of the body through common yoga poses – from the feet to knees, hips, core, spine, and the shoulders. In addition to helpful warm-ups for each body area, you will learn to feel the correct alignment in your body, as well as common misalignments that can make poses difficult and potentially injurious. 
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​SUPPLIES REQUIRED:  Please wear comfortable clothing and have a yoga mat, two 4” yoga blocks, an 8’ yoga strap, a blanket, and a pillow. 
WEEK 1: Foot & Ankle Alignment
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Our first class will focus on the foundation of all standing poses, the alignment of the feet and ankles; we will explore poses such as Mountain, Tree, and other simple balance poses.  
WEEK 2: Knee Alignment
Thursday, February 5, 2026
In poses such as Warrior I, Warrior II, Triangle and Chair pose we will learn proper knee alignment.
WEEK 3-4: Hip Alignment​
Thursday, February 12 and 19, 2026
Explore healthy alignment of the pelvis in seated poses such as Staff, Seated Twists, and 'Head of the Knee' pose, as well as standing poses like Warrior I, Warrior II, and Triangle.
WEEK 5: Core Strength
Monday, February 26, 2026
A strong core is key to keeping your back safe; we will practice reclined and prone poses to strengthen the core, such as the Alternate Leg Lift series, Bridge, and Bird Dog.
WEEK 6-7: Spinal Alignment
Monday, March 5 and 12, 2026
The alignment and position of your torso and spine can make a pose feel easy or impossible. We will practice cues that will help you keep your spine long and strong in backbends, forward bends, side bends, and twists.
WEEK 8-10: Shoulder Alignment
Monday, March 19, 26, and April 2, 2026
Learn which upper-body muscles enable you to do Downward Facing Dog and Plank safely; adaptations for achy wrists will also be discussed. 

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Cheryl Fenner Brown, C-IAYT

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I began my yoga teaching journey in 2004 with a 740-hr training with Hatha teachers at Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California, followed by an 800-hr Integrative Yoga Therapy training at Kripalu in 2015. I am certified as an E-RYT 500 and continuing education provider through Yoga Alliance. In 2016, I was among the first teachers certified through the International Association of Yoga Therapists as a C-IAYT. I have taught over 9,300 hours of public classes and workshops and love teaching how posture, breath, and attention can completely transform how they feel in their bodies and about themselves. Students appreciate my deeply educational approach to yoga; I weave anatomy, philosophy, asana, mudra, chanting, pranayama, and yoga nidra together for a well-rounded experience delivered with compassion and humor. Encouraging each student to honor where they are in their bodies every time they step onto the mat enables profound self-awareness. I specialize in helping people in midlife (and beyond), those with structural injuries, and cancer patients thrive.