Effective cueing is essential for guiding your students safely and confidently through their yoga practice. Here’s a summary to help you tune into the art of cueing:

1. Keep It Simple and Clear: Use straightforward, easy-to-understand language. Avoid slang and be concise.
2. Build Poses from the Ground Up: Start with the foundation of each pose and work your way up. Ensure feet and hands are properly placed before moving on to alignment of the spine, hips, and head.
3. Focus on Alignment: Emphasize key alignment points to ensure safety and correct posture. For example, in Downward Dog, cue to "press through your palms and lift your hips high."
4. Breathe: Incorporate breath cues to synchronize movement with breath. For instance, "Inhale, lift your arms; exhale, fold forward."
5. Visual and Verbal Cues: Combine verbal instructions with visual demonstrations when it seems like your audience is looking for it. Be sure that you're aware of your won alignment when you choose to show the pose while explaining it.
6. Speak to What You See: Adjust your cues based on the specific needs and movements of your students. Address common misalignments and provide individualized guidance.
7. Use Action Words: Use dynamic, action-oriented words like "reach," "extend," "press," and "lift" to convey movement and engagement.
8. Incorporate Bandhas and Energetic Engagement: Guide students to engage their bandhas (energy locks) and focus on the energetic aspects of their practice. For example, in Tadasana, cue students to "engage your mula bandha and draw energy up through your spine."
9. Adjust and Assist: Offer physical adjustments or assists where appropriate, always ask for consent and being mindful of students' comfort levels.
10. Offer Modifications: Provide options for different levels of familiarity and access. Suggest modifications and props to make poses accessible to everyone.
11. Stay Engaged: Move around the room to maintain a connection with all students, offering personalized guidance as needed.
12. Be Positive and Encouraging: Use positive reinforcement to build confidence. Highlight what students are doing well and gently guide them towards improvement. Be careful not to always single the same person out, as it is best to not show favoritism.

Once you incorporate these cueing techniques, you'll create a supportive and effective learning environment for your students, helping them to progress safely and confidently in their yoga journey.

 

Remember, your most important job is to keep everyone safe!

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Standard cueing:
 

1. Breath
2. Action
3. Body Part
4. Direction
5. Destination

Example: 1 - Inhale, 2- circle sweep, 3 - Your Arms, 4 - Up, palms touch, 5 - Upward Salute