Yoga - touching teacher

My teacher always asks permission before she touches anyone.

Yes. Entirely normal and necessary

If it's a gym setting he will probably stop doing it soon as someone will complain to management.

I've seen that happen before. New instructor. They soon stop. I've always assumed anyway that someone has told them to stop.

One of the studios I go to makes you sign ts&cs including a disclaimer saying if you don’t want to be adjusted you will inform the teacher at the beginning of the lesson. Most teachers seem to check in the first 15 mins though.

Yes, very normal (and useful) in yoga.
Usually the teacher will ask for anyone who doesn’t want adjustments to let them know at the beginning of class though.

Yes, normal

I hope they still don't have an 'implied consent' approach ... no wonder yoga is rife with issues around sexual consent and sexual touching if people are indoctrinated to believe consent is implied by attending a studio!

Op hasn't specified but usually does Hiit or other gym type classes.

Yes. My Pilates instructor does this but she still always checks before doing so.
It did stop over COVID.

Yes, it's normal. It's useful especially if there's no mirror (for me anyway)

Didn't mean to scare you! That was a rare occurance in a very macho Ashtanga class. Any decent teacher will just give you a gentle prompt and honestly all things being equal, a physical correction can be really helpful.

Yes. I view it as a positive.

Gyms have strict rules about touching, so never any touching in a gym yoga class.

If you ever go to yoga-studio yoga class it'll be different, see above.

I've done yoga since I was 20. It's not a thing at any of the yoga classes I have been to (bar one or two). Sure, they are 'gym yoga' in the main - perhaps it's a gym rule 'no touching ' - but no, implied consent is not a thing.

I don't feel any need to 'have a quick word' thanks, lol

This really isn't in keeping with yoga philosophy, Ahimsa is non harm to others and yourself. The balance between effort and ease where you can maintain a steady and effortless breath.

Every female yoga teacher I have now will approach students in class and give gentle adjustments. None of them ask for explicit consent.

You're right that they should, but the OP has asked what's normal in yoga and I've answered her. If you go to a yoga class yourself, you might want to have a quick word with the instructor beforehand and say you'd prefer verbal corrections only.

I think they meant they have got better at either not sexually assaulting people (yay) or better at hiding that that's what they are doing (boo).

We all know yoga - male instructors - has had an appalling rep for a very long time for sexual assaults

About 20 years ago I left an Ashtanga class because the instructor was wrestling people into twists etc. This one guy was being grappled into a twist and he was holding his breath, eyes popping, clearly not okay. I think the teacher was trying to prove herself.

Then there were pervs too.

I think that's why everyone errs on the side of caution now.

implied consent - what nonsense

Perhaps at your yoga studios but I've only had this happen rarely and certainly wouldn't be impressed by an 'implied consent' argument.

Attending a yoga class does not equal agreeing to be touched.

There have been a couple of big scandals in the last 10 years about some more strenous adjustments being either too strong and therefore risking injuring someone, or actually being sexual assault so yoga teachers are much better at this now than they were 15 years ago.

Ummm, no yoga teachers weren't sexually assaulting people all over the place 15 years ago but have since got better at adjustments 🙄. You really can't lump in "bad adjustment" and "sexual assault" as though they're the same thing. Proper training and CPD will help prevent the former, but don't do anything to help the latter.

I have been known to mutter ‘OW’ when adjustments get a bit strenuous at which point they normally stop…
Normally?! Fuck that. Tell them to stop. I am a yoga teacher and I do not hurt my students, they don't need to tell me because I watch their reactions and pay attention to what I am doing, and ask them for feedback. Don't be shy about telling them they are hurting you.

Ooo I'd love that!

Adjustments are so normal in yoga that there's usually implied consent. So the teacher will give a gentle pull or push to correct form.

Most male yoga teachers have stopped touching people altogether, I've noticed. Or they will ask about consent up front, or have a system like a card you put by your mat to indicate whether you consent to corrections.

The key point is that these should be corrections. If I've consented to corrections, I haven't consented to being pushed into something painful, or to have a teacher just randomly pat my shoulder while she's making a point. I atlctually brushed a teacher's hand away while she was doing the latter in a recent class. She looked surprised but really she should've known better.

Yes quite normal. Although teachers should really ask first. I've even been to a class where the teacher massaged our temples during the relaxation bit. He asked first and it was lovely!

I have been known to mutter ‘OW’ when adjustments get a bit strenuous at which point they normally stop…