Yoga Teacher's Companion #17: The Most Important Cues for Practicing and Teaching Twists

The most common yoga cue for twists, "twist from the bottom-up" needs to be replaced. Since, well, the lower-back doesn't actually twist! Here are 6 BETTER cues that will help you and your students find depth and integrity in all twists.

:36 Why we don't "twist from the bottom up"

1:33 Yoga Twist Cue #1:

2:45 Yoga Twist Cue #2:

4:15 Yoga Twist Cue #3:

8:07 Yoga Twist Cue #4

9:59 Yoga Twist Cue #5

11:00 Yoga Twist Cue #6

13:16 Concept and Cue Review

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ABOUT JASON:
Jason Crandell is a natural teacher and author with more than 20 years of experience. Named “one of the teachers shaping the future of yoga,” by Yoga Journal, Jason has been an in-demand teacher at conferences around the world for more than a decade.

For the past 10 years, Jason has honed his approach by looking to peers outside of the yoga community, in the fields of physical therapy, orthopedics, traumatology, and sports medicine. These collaborative partnerships have enabled Jason to offer the most up-to-date to asana technique, cueing, injury management, and hands-on adjustments. Jason’s goal is to blend the timeless wisdom of yoga philosophy with evidence-based information to create yoga curriculum that helps modern practitioners grow and evolve.
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[jeremiahmcenerney]

Another beautiful post from mahatma Jason Crandall. Thank you!

[myhappyplacegratefulheart]

Jason. BEST spine twist discussion. I'm a doctor who had been practicing for 30 years with a physiology degree. I have followed you since your beginning at yoga journal and video with Natasha. You teach yoga with no fluff. Hope more and more yoga students and teachers find you.

[dpotengy]

#EVERYTIME I do TWISTS POSES, & I DO THEM EVERY SINGEL DAY, seating or laying down, I SENSE you saying:
"If she ends with TWIST she is my student.... Well... I wish.
God bless the GIFTED #PARANORMAL #PSYCHIC CHILD OF GOD IN ME.

* When I was practicing some of your YOGA VIDEOS, & TWIST POSE was been called by you, you always give the "wall clock" or anything as a REFERENCE POINT to the rotation.

[tomashowlin]

EXCELLENT. Jason, this is one of my favourite pieces of instructions you shared with me a while back. Thank you.

[sitaraalaknandashakti]

So happy to find you here on YouTube Jason! I so enjoy your videos via Glo and equally enjoy your sharing here as well, thank you!

[maryliwanagyoga]

My two favorite take aways here: Cueing the ribs to a part of the room and moving the hand further back to facilitate a deeper twist. I am going to use these tips in my private class today. These tips are concise and immediately applicable. I really enjoy teacher's companion. Thank you!

[dpotengy]

While I was practicing the TWISTS poses with you & rotating my spine the Ts 123 of my thoracic spine made de "noise" of OPENING & RELEASING what I was wondering during this whole past week.
Thank you.

[justyoga]

Just practicing during the discussion; great stuff to add to my classes and my own practice. Thank you!

[yogabygaynor]

Do helpful, as always. Thank you, Jason!

[aimeemarie]

Thank you for your videos! The things I've learned from you are quite helpful when I'm preparing for and teaching classes.

[mlee]

thank you for this informative video, I tried the walk-the-other-hand tip, it really helps open up more rotation!

[jenniferhojnacki]

Thank you; this has really helped with my teaching. Can you speak to how you instruct reclined twists using these principles? I understand your point that the lumbar spine does not twist, and the movement comes from the thoracic spine/ribs, but I can’t quite wrap my head around that when lying down. How do you cue that? Thank you!