The Transformative Power of Hands-On Adjustments in Yoga Classes

Using supportive touch while teaching can be one of the most powerful ways to add to the teaching experience you are providing. Hands-on adjustment can do much more than just correct alignment; it can significantly benefit nervous system regulation, provide sensory guidance, and create a supportive container for students on their personal journey on the mat.

Touch can be connecting, transformational, affirms a sense of being seen and supported, and can have profound effects for facilitating physiological and emotional well-being.

In the last few years I have noticed a movement away from hands-on adjustments in yoga classes. I believe this comes primarily from a lack of understanding of how to approach the body and the liability fear of potential physical injuries that can occur from improper adjustments.

Through gentle guidance, teachers can help students refine their alignment, creating safer and more conscious poses. Physical adjustment should never be about forcefully changing someone into an idealized shape. Every body is unique and beautiful. Each individuals biology and biography is profoundly diverse. This is where it is fundamental to deepen your own personal knowledge of the body and how to apply supportive touch in your classes. Done properly hands-on-adjustment can be safe, inclusive, and empowering for everyone.

Why We Should Incorporate Touch into our Classes

1) Nervous System Regulation

Our hands are our healers. A thoughtful adjustment can help release pent-up tension signalling to the nervous system that it is safe to relax and let go.

2) Enhancing Body Awareness

Hands-on adjustments serve as direct sensory feedback. Many students when beginning their yoga journey struggle with proprioception–the ability to sense where their bodies are in space.

3) Building Trust and Empathy

Supportive hands-on adjustments provide a non-verbal communication that says, "I am here, I see you, I’ve got you." This fosters a environment of trust and personal attention.

3)Sensitivity

Each of us has different anatomical skeletal structure (the way our bones fit) but we also have past trauma’s or injuries that we carry in the body. It is important before contact, to always ask for permission, being sensitive and respecting personal boundaries and comfort levels.