Most Yoga Cueing Isn't Wrong. It's Just Incomplete.
When yoga teachers ask me how to improve their cueing, they usually expect me to give them better words.
A more creative cue.
A more anatomical cue.
A cue they've never heard before.
Sometimes that's helpful.
But more often than not, the problem isn't the cue itself.
It's everything that came before it.
We Treat Cueing Like a Script
One of the biggest misconceptions in yoga teacher training is that good cueing comes from memorization.
We collect cue after cue. We write them down. We highlight them.
We practice saying them out loud.
Then we walk into class hoping we'll remember the right one at the right time.
I've done exactly that.
The problem is that students aren't scripts.
Every class is different.
Every body is different.
Every moment is different.
“Great cueing isn’t about knowing more words.
It’s about knowing which words matter right now.”
Before I Say Anything...
These days, before I offer a cue, my mind goes somewhere very different.
I ask myself:
What am I seeing?
What is the student trying to accomplish?
Do they actually need me right now?
Will my cue make the experience clearer - or simply louder?
Those questions usually shape the cue far more than my vocabulary ever could.
More Words Don't Always Create More Clarity
This one can be uncomfortable. Especially for teachers who love learning.
I've taught classes where I explained everything.
Every muscle.
Every joint.
Every action.
By the end, I wasn't sure anyone knew what I actually wanted them to do.
Sometimes clarity comes from simplifying.
Not because students can't understand complexity.
Because movement happens faster than language.
The Best Cue Is the One That Changes Something
Every cue should have a purpose.
Not because it sounds clever. Not because another teacher said it.
Because it changes the student's experience.
If nothing changes...
The cue probably wasn't necessary.
That doesn't mean every cue works every time.
Teaching is still experimentation.
But intentional cueing always asks one question:
What outcome am I hoping to create?
“A cue should create clarity.
Not simply create more talking.”
Before You Teach Your Next Class
Challenge yourself to remove one unnecessary cue.
Not because silence is always better.
But because intentional silence gives students room to experience the pose for themselves.
Then notice something else.
Did your students become more confused?
Or did they become more present?
If You Remember One Thing…
The goal isn't to become the teacher with the most cues.
It's to become the teacher whose cues consistently help people move with greater understanding.
Those are two very different things.
Continue Learning
If this article resonated with you, here are a few places to continue your journey. Whether you're looking for practical teaching tools or ready to deepen your understanding through mentorship and continuing education, I'd love to support you.
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