The Corporate Noon Class With No Mats
A sport yoga instructor is asked to teach a 25-minute lunchtime session for 14 employees in a conference room with carpet, no mats, three chairs, and a glass wall. Participants include a woman seven months postpartum, a man wearing a wrist brace after a fall, and one employee who says, 'I'm not flexible-I'll just watch.' The room is booked immediately after for a meeting, so setup and cleanup must take two minutes. The instructor has taught only studio classes and has not met the group. The company contact says, 'Just do something relaxing; no one wants a health questionnaire.' The instructor wants to include standing, chair-supported, and floor options but is unsure what is safe without mats or screening.
1. How do you handle the request to skip screening while still meeting your professional and safety obligations in a 25-minute corporate class?
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I would not skip screening, but I would make it proportionate. A 25-minute corporate class does not need a long questionnaire, but it does need a brief verbal screen and consent. I would say to the contact: 'I can keep it light, but I need two minutes to ask about injuries, pregnancy, recent surgery, and wrist or knee issues, and to tell people they can modify or opt out. That is standard risk management, not a medical exam.' In class, I would ask the group: 'Any injuries I should know about? You never have to explain; just work at your level.' I would not diagnose or promise therapeutic benefit. If someone discloses something beyond my scope, I would offer a safe option and suggest they check with their clinician.
2. Describe how you would set up the room and structure the session so that standing, chair, and floor options are all available, including for the postpartum participant and the participant with the wrist brace.
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Setup: chairs in a semicircle, one wall clear, carpet clear of cables; no floor weight-bearing because there are no mats. I would keep shoes on or offer bare feet only for standing balance. Structure: 0–3 min intro and screen; 3–8 min standing breath and gentle mobility; 8–15 min chair-supported work-seated spinal rotation, side bend, hip hinge, standing wall push; 15–20 min standing balance and strength-chair-supported single-leg, calf raise, wall sit; 20–25 min seated downshift and breath. Postpartum participant: offer seated and standing options, avoid long supine holds and forceful abdominal work; encourage her to breathe and stop if she feels pressure or leaking. Wrist brace: no hands on floor, no plank or downward dog; use forearms or chair, and avoid loading the wrist.
3. How would you work with the employee who says she'll just watch, and what would you say to the company contact afterward?
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For the employee who wants to watch: 'You are welcome to watch, and you are also welcome to do just the breathing with us. There is no performance here.' I would give her a chair at the edge and not pressure her. If she joins later, I would offer the seated option. That respects her autonomy and keeps the room low-pressure.
Afterward, I would tell the contact: 'The session went well. For future classes, a five-minute setup and mats would let us include more floor options; also, a brief verbal screen is something I will always do.' I would not blame the contact or the participants. I would document any incident, keep the tone collaborative, and follow up if someone reported pain.