The Power and Complexity of Hands-On Assists in Yoga
Hands-on assists have long been a common tool in yoga teaching, helping students refine their alignment, deepen their practice, and create greater body awareness. But like many teaching techniques, there’s more complexity than meets the eye. When used with care and consent, assists can enhance a student’s experience, but if done improperly or without clear communication, they can lead to discomfort, emotional triggers, or even harm. This post explores the power of hands-on assists, their potential drawbacks, and the importance of trauma-informed teaching.
Benefits of Hands-On Assists
Proprioception and Sensory Input Hands-on assists help students build proprioception, or awareness of where their body is in space. This is especially valuable for newer students who are still developing the neural connections necessary for strong alignment. Through gentle touch, teachers can guide students into better posture, allowing them to feel the shape of the pose rather than relying solely on verbal cues.
Building Trust Through Touch When done with professionalism, care, and consent, hands-on assists can foster a sense of connection and trust between teacher and student. Like the benefits of a massage, assists can provide a sense of relaxation and support, helping students feel more at ease in their practice.
Supporting Safe Alignment Assists can help students avoid unsafe positions by gently guiding them into a more aligned and integrated posture. This not only prevents injuries but can also reveal the energetic dynamics of a pose, helping both the student and teacher feel subtle shifts in the body.
Facilitating a Deeper Practice Assists can facilitate deeper stretching and pose expression, not by forcing a student into a position but by offering support and resistance that allows them to engage more fully. This concept draws from traditions like Thai yoga massage, where the student is passive, and the teacher’s touch helps create a safer, more supported experience.
Challenges and Drawbacks of Hands-On Assists
Assumptions and Uniformity One of the biggest potential pitfalls of hands-on assists is the “one size fits all” mentality. Every body is different, and assists that work well for one person might not be appropriate for another. For example, in poses like Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose), a student may not have the shoulder mobility to clasp their hands behind their back, and pushing them into it could cause injury.
Risk of Physical Harm Physical assists, if done carelessly or too forcefully, can unintentionally cause harm. It’s essential to proceed slowly and listen to the student’s body. Even with good intentions, it’s possible to aggravate an existing injury or create discomfort, making it critical for teachers to always err on the side of caution.
External Aesthetic vs. Internal Experience In modern yoga culture, there can be an overemphasis on how poses should “look” rather than how they feel. Assists should always aim to deepen the internal experience of a pose, rather than focusing on achieving a specific aesthetic. When teachers focus too much on outward appearance, it can detract from the student’s exploration of their own body and energy within the pose.
Codependency and Over-Reliance Assists can sometimes lead students to become overly dependent on the teacher. Instead of exploring their own limits and abilities, students might wait for the teacher to help them into a pose, which can stifle personal growth. True learning comes from the student’s ability to find alignment and depth on their own.
Trauma-Informed Teaching and Consent
The importance of trauma-informed teaching cannot be overstated, particularly when it comes to hands-on assists. As a yoga teacher, it’s impossible to know every student’s personal history, trauma, or boundaries just by looking at them. This is why consent is crucial. There are several ways to obtain consent:
Consent Cards/Tools: Some studios use consent cards or chips that students can flip over to indicate whether or not they’re open to receiving hands-on assists that day. This offers students discretion and the ability to change their minds during class.
Verbal Consent: Teachers can ask for verbal consent before the class or before each assist. A simple question like, “Can I put my hands here to help guide you?” can open a dialogue and ensure the student feels safe.
Building Trust Over Time: In longer-term relationships, such as with private clients or students in a teacher training program, assists can be more effective because there’s more time to build trust and understanding. Teachers should always be mindful that consent is an ongoing conversation.
Different Types of Assists
There are many forms of assists, and each has its place in yoga teaching. Some of the most common include:
Verbal Assists: These involve no physical touch and can be highly effective in guiding students into alignment using descriptive language. In public classes, verbal assists are often preferred to hands-on adjustments, especially with new students or large groups.
Self-Assists: Encouraging students to use their own hands to adjust their bodies in the same way a teacher might. This can empower students to better understand their bodies and take responsibility for their alignment.
Stabilizing Assists: These involve supporting a student’s balance, acting like a physical prop, such as a wall.
Deepening Assists: Gentle pressure is applied to help the student experience a deeper sensation or stretch within a pose.
PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) Assists: This involves resistance stretching, where the teacher provides resistance while the student actively engages, helping to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
Rules for Safe and Effective Assists
Always Obtain Consent: Explicit and enthusiastic consent is non-negotiable when it comes to hands-on assists.
Approach with Reverence: Assists are a sacred act of service. Teachers should be mindful, present, and fully engaged while offering touch.
No “Petting”: Lightly touching or “petting” a student’s skin can feel unprofessional and is generally not appropriate. Touch should be intentional and purposeful.
Avoid Inappropriate Areas: The chest and groin areas, often referred to as the “sacred triangle,” should always be avoided in assists.
Use Bony Landmarks for Stability: When offering assists, teachers should focus on stable parts of the body like the hips, shoulders, and ankles to avoid injury.
Mind Your Own Alignment: Teachers must take care of their own bodies when offering assists, using strong, stable postures to prevent injury to themselves while helping students.
Final Thoughts
Hands-on assists can be a beautiful, transformative tool in yoga, but they require mindfulness, consent, and a deep understanding of each student’s individual needs. It’s important to balance the benefits of assists with the awareness that not all students may be comfortable with them. A skilled teacher can use assists to create deeper connection, build trust, and foster greater awareness in students—but great teaching does not depend on them.
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