“I don’t teach that in my classes because my students can’t do it.”
I hear teachers say this all the time. But how do you actually know what people can and can’t do?
In this episode, I take a deeper look at the assumptions that can sit behind this belief—from our own experiences and limitations, to assumptions about older, newer, or deconditioned students, to things we’ve simply been told by other teachers.
We’ll also look at the fear that offering a challenging movement might somehow put our students at risk, and how our attachment to having students “do it right” can actually get in the way of teaching objectively.
Using High-to-low push-up as an example, you’ll discover why understanding anatomy changes the way you teach. When you understand what a movement is asking the body to do, you can observe what’s actually happening, offer modifications and useful cues, and help students develop the strength and skill they need to progress.
Because sometimes, when we decide a student “can’t do it,” we’re actually denying them the opportunity to discover what they can do.
And this is one of the reasons learning anatomy is so important for yoga teachers. It’s not about memorizing muscles and bones, it’s more about filling in the knowledge gaps so that you can trust what you teach.
You’ll hear more about this in the episode and here it is:
Download my free guide, 10 Key Steps to Learning Anatomy: