Episode 144: SIDE PLANK HAND PLACEMENT:

STACKED OR SLIGHTLY FORWARD?

Two very well-trained yoga teachers can cue Side Plank differently, one stacking the hand directly under the shoulder and the other placing it slightly forward, and both have legitimate and very good reasoning for teaching the way they do. This episode explains the anatomy of the shoulder joint, unpacks what's actually happening in each version, examines the real tradeoffs of joint stacking as a teaching principle, and gives you five questions to ask when deciding which alignment to teach in your next class.

• Understanding the Shoulder Joint
• Why Stacking Joints Is Helpful
• Why The Hand Slightly Forward Teaches Something Different
• Five Questions To Consider While You're Sequencing

Now Available: Anatomy Refresh Mini Course

Build real, usable understanding of the shoulder and the other joints you cue every day, so you can make alignment decisions with confidence instead of defaulting to inherited rules.

Further Reading

Yoga Journal: Yoga Teachers, Here's How to Support Students With Injuries Without Giving Medical Advice

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