How do you cue: Ardha Uttanasana (Standing forward bend / half forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana is a pose used to extend and warm the spine and legs and is a key asana in the Sun Salutations A & B sequences because of its loosening and warming qualities. However, you will find it used throughout most yoga flows.  You may notice tightness through the first few of your practice, but with each expansion into this pose, you will quickly feel its positive effects. So, How Do You Cue Ardha Uttanasan?

Ardha Uttanasana (Half standing forward bend/ half forward fold)
Cue type	Cue
Short & sweet	lookup and lengthen
Meet in the middle	rising half way up, gaze is out and up
All in the details	push up thru the fingertips, shoulders back, spine straight, chin out, gaze up

Image source: http://www.yogaoutlet.com/userfiles/image/Yoga_HalfStandingForwardFold_01_300x350.jpg

How do you cue: Uttanasana (Standing forward bend / forward fold)

Uttanasana is the second posture in both Surya Namaskar A and B, not to mention used heavily throughout most yoga sequence.  This posture is great for stretching the hamstrings and calves and strengthening the thighs and knees.  Yes, you read that right, it's not just a yin pose, but also a yang when the knees are bent slightly.  It is not imperative that the student bring their hands all the way to the mat although cueing them to do so will encourage them to at least try, but slight modifications can include bringing the fingertips to the floor or the hands to the ankles or shins.  So, How Do You Cue Uttanasana?  Here are some good ones that I have heard...

Uttanasana (Standing forward bend / forward fold)
Cue type	Cue
Short & sweet	Forward fold
Meet in the middle	Sweep palms to the mat, folding forward
All in the details	Bend at the hips bringing palms toward the mat, chest to thighs





Image source: http://yogaparaprincipiantesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Uttanasana.jpg


Namaste.  YWG

How do you cue: Tadasana

So this begins a new series called, "How Do You Cue".  As in yoga teacher training, and well, as I go thru any yoga class as a practitioner, I continuously learn and hear new ways to cue poses.  It can be the most subtle of cues in a pose that may trigger a movement that will get a student to really feel the sensation in a pose or reach their edge.  While there isn't always an exact or correct way to cue, the way a pose is cued can make all the difference for new and seasoned students.  So I thought it would be fun to start this series which will include three levels of cueing that either I use or have heard:

• Short & sweet
• Meet in the middle
• All in the details

I want to stress that I am not taking credit for any of these cues being purely of my invention. As with everything that is yoga, these evolve from teachers that preceded me.  It just intended to be a fun excursion into the endless possibilities of cueing poses.  Please feel free to comment or add your own flavors!

Namaste!  YWG

So...How do you cue: Tadasana

Tadasana (Mountain Pose, from standing at the top of the mat to begin Sun A)
Cue type	Cue
Short & sweet	arms up, look up
Meet in the middle	arms up, look up, brining  palms together
All in the details	sweep the arms out and up, palms together, gazing off the fingers

 

Image source: http://healinglifestyles.com/uploads/images/2011/August/2011-8-25-mountain-land.jpg