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We’ve all been there, in the middle of a yoga class, when our teacher gives us a command that just doesn’t make sense. If the command is confusingly complex or anatomically impossible for your body, it can be distracting and not just detract from the quality of your practice. It can also make you feel overlooked. But how do you start a dialogue with your teacher about the command so that you both feel understood?
Why Yoga Tips Are Important
At the most basic level, whether you’re practicing Warrior 2, Crow Pose, or Chaturanga, the tips will help you move safely from the beginning of class all the way to Savasana.
But, of course, navigating a yoga practice with safety in mind isn’t the same for everyone. “I know that Iyengar poses were designed with 12-year-old male athletes in mind, and that’s not the case for most students,” says yoga teacher Kelly Jensen. “They come in all different shapes, sizes, and abilities, and when you’re instructing a 12-year-old, you lose sight of who is actually in front of you.”
But the right instruction in a yoga class teaches us more than where to place our limbs: it encourages us to become aware of and work with sensations in our body.
“Hints are important because they help students make the mind-body connection,” Jensen explains. “A good hint doesn’t lead a student to a particular emotion, experience, sensation, or expression of a pose. A hint grounds a student in their own experience.”
Prompts should also encourage students to approach their bodies with curiosity, adds yoga teacher Matthew Sanford, founder of Mind Body Solutions, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming trauma, loss and disability into hope and possibility by awakening the mind-body connection.
According to Sanford, “A good cue shouldn’t be delivered too forcefully or rudely. I always want the cue to create a sense of wonder and exploration. At the end of the day, what a teacher wants is for students to make yoga their own,” he says.
But as a yoga teacher, it’s not always easy to keep an eye on everyone in class and give meaningful physical cues to everyone there. “The problem is that many of us fall into patterns of cues because we repeat the cues we’ve been taught,” Jensen says. “But our responsibility as teachers is to look at those cues and our own habits to see where we can improve and create a more inclusive space.”
Ultimately, the responsibility for providing good instruction lies with the teacher. But if you feel like your teacher isn’t giving you instructions that are easy to understand, anatomically diverse, and encourage experimentation, don’t be afraid to start a dialogue after class. The only way to help your teacher understand that you’re struggling is to say something.
5 Ways to Ask for Yoga Tips
Remember, this is a conversation, not necessarily a confrontation: most teachers will appreciate some help in understanding your needs better.
1. Find a conversation starter
Yoga teachers often ask students to come to them after class with feedback or questions — think of this as a nice (but not required) invitation to start a conversation.
Katie Lynch of Healthy Happy Yoga always invites people in her classes: “I’m here for 10 minutes with any questions or comments you may have. Your feedback really helps me improve and I appreciate it. You can also take my business card and contact me by email.”
2. Choose the right time to have a conversation
As with any important conversation, timing is key. Pick a quiet time before or after class to call on your teacher. If your teacher is talking to another student or heading off to do something right after class, consider asking for their email address or messaging them privately on social media.
Depending on the studio you frequent and the style and size of the classes, you may be able to provide feedback in real time. For example, if the class isn’t a small, fast-paced Vinyasa, students are free to request a variation if step-through isn’t possible. Get a feel for the vibe and decide if it’s a polite option. Keep in mind that your teacher’s answers may be brief during class, but you can always follow up later with more information or options.
3. Approach your teacher with curiosity
Sanford recommends approaching your teacher with curiosity and listening to their response: “Instead of saying, ‘That didn’t work, I was offended,’ it can be helpful to have an open discussion with your teacher and find out what works for you,” says Sanford. After all, you want to know more about the practice you love.
It can be helpful to think about what you’ll say in advance in case you feel flustered or a little anxious when it’s time to ask. Yoga therapist Sarah Brankoski recommends this sample script that you can adapt as needed: “Hello! Thanks for the class today. [fill in the blank] It was especially helpful. Can I ask you a question about queuing? [fill in the blank] “It fits me well. Can you provide me with something else to practice at home or in class?”
4. Keep the conversation going
Establishing a connection and conversation with your teacher means you can continue to learn from each other: your questions broaden your teacher’s perceptions, and their responses enrich your practice.
Thanks to ongoing feedback from her students, Jensen has recently made great strides in instructing Star Pose. Initially, she instructed her students to point their toes away from each other. “That rarely produced the shape I wanted them to create,” she says. Through student feedback, she learned to instruct differently. “I realized it was much easier to say, ‘Point your toes toward the top corners of your mat.’ And voila!
5. Respect your needs
If you continue to feel ignored on the mat, even after asking for advice or having your teacher understand your situation, it may be time to find a different instructor or studio.
As you continue your search, don’t discount online yoga, especially if you live in an area where yoga businesses are few and far between. “Look for studios and teacher profiles that promote an inclusive environment and talk about the use of modifications and props,” says Jensen. “Trust your instincts when it comes to going to class; that’s one thing yoga asks of us. Choosing to keep searching for what works for you is part of the yoga practice itself.”
