Be as specific and simple as possible

Be able to speak to the pairs of opposites:

  • “lean forward” AND “ground your inner heels”
  • “arms up” AND “shoulders down” or “ground feet firmly”

Work towards using rights and lefts:

  • “step your left leg forward” instead of “step the other leg forward”
  • “engage your right leg” instead of “engage your back leg”

You can use landmarks of the room (front of the room, back) but don’t do it too much.

There’s a big difference between cueing what vs how.

Use the how cue to augment the what cue, and sometimes the why cue.

WHAT you are doing

“externally rotate your right thigh”

HOW do you do it

“lift your chest”

WHY you do it (sometimes)

“the change in gravity helps the bowels move freely which aids digestion”

Good pose starting verbs:

Prana

  • extend, reach
  • lengthen
  • firm, engage (the core)
  • strengthen, fire up (the core)
  • pull
  • push
  • draw
  • sweep (the foot to the sky)
  • float (the foot off the ground)
  • lift (the chest up and back)
  • get taller
  • bring
  • pull back, draw back
  • raise, elevate (the heart up)

Apana

  • round
  • ground, root
  • relax, soft/en
  • widen (the shoulder blades)
  • hinge (from the hips)
  • un/tuck (the toes)
  • hollow out (the armpits)
  • broaden (the back)
  • rotate, turn, spin (the left heel to the floor)
  • balance, distribute (the weight evenly between your feet)
  • sink deeper

Stay away from:

  • front / back (unless referring to the room)
  • “microbend” -> say “draw your heels towards one another” instead
  • “square your hips”