Question: Sometimes I think I overwhelm my students by giving too many cues per pose. I think all of them are important, but how should I choose which ones to use? What’s a good number to give per pose?
Answer: The goal of verbal cues is to provide your student with an easy-to-follow road map that allows them to move their body into the pose sequentially beginning with the part of the body which is touching the mat. Work from the foundation upwards and stay with this sequencing order as you emphasize the key points. Avoid giving more than five cues in any posture. I think this approach encourages the teacher to study the pose and conceptualize what is most important to assist the student in moving into the pose smoothly, safely and with the maximum benefit.
