November 17, 2025 • 15 mins
We all want to create classes that feel safe, supportive, and empowering for every student who joins. But how confident are you that your sequences truly support different bodies, different types of injuries, and physical limitations in students' bodies?
In this episode, I'll explore the art of intentional sequencing, the kind that considers anatomy, the nervous system, and each student’s unique movement experience. Rather than chasing creativity or perfection, this conversation will invite you to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with why you teach.
Discover how to approach sequencing from a place of compassion and understanding, and how to reframe your role as a guide rather than a choreographer of poses. I'll also share journal prompts throughout the episode to help you identify your teaching blind spots, deepen your confidence, and strengthen your connection with your students.
This episode is intended to help you look at sequencing through a new lens, which honors the complexity of the human body and the diversity of the students in your classes.
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
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Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
We all want to create classes that feel safe,
supportive, and empowering forevery student who comes to
class, but how confident are youthat your sequences truly
support different bodies,different injuries, and student
limitations?
Let's explore the art ofintentional sequencing, the kind
(00:22):
that considers anatomy.
The nervous system and eachstudent's unique movement
experience rather than chasingcreativity or perfection, this
conversation will invite you toslow down, reflect and reconnect
with why you teach.
Get your journals ready becauseI'm gonna ask you a few
(00:42):
questions to reflect onthroughout this episode.
Questions to help you identifyblind spots in your teaching,
deepen your confidence, andstrengthen your connection with
your students.
This episode will help you lookat sequencing through a new
lens, one that honors thecomplexity of the human body and
(01:04):
the diversity of the students inyour classes.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
(01:27):
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
(01:49):
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
(02:10):
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
insights, plus all the real lifeknowledge you wish had been
(02:30):
included in your yoga teachertraining.
No matter how long you've beenteaching, you've probably
questioned yourself at somepoint and wondered how
confident.
Am I that my sequences trulysupport students with different
bodies, different injuries, Ordifferent limitations.
(02:51):
Now, before we go any further, Iwanna acknowledge something.
This isn't an easy question toanswer, honestly.
It can stir up feelings ofself-doubt, insecurity, or even
frustration because so many ofus were never really taught how
to think about sequencing inthis way.
When you first started teaching,you were taught to build your
(03:13):
classes around themes, aroundposes, or even energy levels.
Maybe you were told to make sureto include a peak pose, a
counter pose, and a cool down.
But very few of us were taughthow to look at a sequence
through the lens of humanvariation, Students with pain or
(03:34):
students with some physicallimitations.
So today I want this episode tobe a space for reflection,
curiosity, and growth, notjudgment, and definitely not
perfection.
Just an honest look at where youare and how you can begin to
expand the way you think aboutsequencing so that all of your
(03:58):
students feel supported.
Scene, take a deep breath withme, and if you're able to grab a
notebook or a journal, becauseI'm gonna ask some questions
throughout this episode that aremeant to help you explore your
own teaching a bit more deeply.
So let's start here.
When you plan a class, what'sthe first thing you think about?
(04:21):
Okay.
Is it the physical structure ofthe class?
Is it the energy that you wannacreate Or are you sequencing for
the students you expect to up toyour classes?
Now ask yourself this.
How often do you think about therange of bodies and abilities
that might be in your classes?
(04:43):
For many teachers, the truth isthat you plan with an average
body in mind.
Not intentionally, but becausethat's often how you were
taught.
You imagine a student who can domost poses, who doesn't have
pain and who moves in the waythat your teacher training
emphasized as safe or aligned.
(05:05):
But in reality, that averagebody doesn't exist.
Every student who steps ontotheir mat brings a different
history, And a different livedexperience with them.
So let's pause here for a momentand think about another
question.
if five different students inyour class had completely
(05:27):
different hip structures, spinalcurves, and injury histories,
would your current sequencesupport all five of them?
This question is meant to helpspark awareness within you
because when you start lookingat sequencing as a flexible,
adaptable framework, ratherthan.
(05:48):
Fixed plan.
That's where your real skill asa teacher begins to unfold.
Now let's talk a little bitabout what this actually means
When we craft a yoga sequence,we're not just putting together
movements, we're actuallydesigning experiences.
You are shaping how yourstudents', nervous systems will
(06:10):
respond, how their joints willload, how their breath will
flow, and ultimately how theywill feel when they leave their
mat.
If your sequences are too rigidor too focused on a single right
way to move, You canunintentionally leave some
students feeling defeated, butif your sequences are adaptable,
(06:35):
if they're layered.
If they offer a variety of entrypoints, they become empowering.
Your sequence now invitesstudents to explore rather than
perform.
Write this next question down soyou can come back to it and
journal your thoughts on it.
When you cue a pose, do yourwords leave room for variation,
(07:01):
or do your cues imply that thereis one correct way to move?
For example, instead of sayingsquare your hips to the front of
your mat, what would happen?
How do you think students wouldrespond if you said, notice how
your hips want to orient here.
Can you find a position thatfeels stable for your body?
(07:24):
The difference in languagechanges everything.
It takes the pressure off ofgetting it right and invites
exploration.
Here's another question for youto reflect on.
Do you feel confident modifyingyour sequence in real time?
If you notice multiple studentsstruggling with a pose, if the
(07:46):
answer is no, that's okay.
Most teachers weren't trainedfor that level of adaptability,
but this is where we begin tobridge the gap between teaching
yoga asana and teaching peopleyoga.
Being able to adjust a class onthe spot comes from
understanding the body, not in amemorized or academic way, but
(08:10):
in a relational way.
It is about recognizing howmovement, load and nervous
system response all worktogether.
When we understand anatomy,functionally sequencing becomes
less about memorizing poses andmore about understanding
movement patterns.
let's pause again for a momentand let me ask you this
(08:32):
question.
When you think about yourteaching.
Are your sequences based onposes or on patterns of
movement?
For example, rather thanthinking I'm teaching warrior
two, you could think I'mteaching hip external rotation
and shoulder abduction.
when you shift your thinking tothink like this, you can start
(08:55):
to offer multiple poses thatserve the same purpose, but look
different in different bodies.
Another important considerationis nervous system support.
We often talk about sequencingin physical terms, like stretch
or strengthen open internal orexternal rotation.
(09:16):
But what about regulation?
How does your class helpstudents up or down regulate
when they need to The intentionbehind restorative style classes
is to help students downregulate, but what do you do
when you notice a student isbecoming upregulated?
For students who are recoveringfrom pain or injury, their
(09:37):
nervous system is a huge part ofthe picture.
Pain is not just about.
Tissues, it's about perceivedsafety.
A well sequence class thatbalances challenge with
reassurance can help studentsbuild that sense of safety
through movement.
So I want you to reflect on thisnext question.
Do your classes give studentsmoments to feel grounded and
(10:02):
successful before moving intosomething a little bit more
challenging?
When you allow time for asuccess, you're helping them
build confidence in their bodiesAnd in their trust in you as
their teacher.
Now I wanna share a quick littlestory, about me early in my
teaching career.
(10:23):
I remember planning what Ithought was gonna be the perfect
flow.
It had creative transitions.
I had a fun playlist and posesthat.
I felt were balanced.
Then a student came up to meafter class and she said That
felt great for most of my body,but my shoulder flared up
(10:43):
halfway through and I couldn'tfigure out how to make it stop.
It was then that I realizedthat.
In my attempt to make a creativesequence, I hadn't considered
how repetitive loading orsustained positions might affect
someone with a shoulder issue.
It wasn't that my sequence waswrong, it was that it wasn't
(11:06):
inclusive enough for all bodies.
So here's your next journalquestion.
When you build your sequences,are you creating for complexity
or are you creating for clarity?
Who are you teaching?
Complexity often impresses otherteachers.
Clarity helps to transformstudents more often than not.
(11:30):
Students are not wowed by yourcreative sequencing.
Instead, they appreciate thatthey can tune into their own
bodies and create an embodiedpractice as opposed to worrying
about what you'll sequence next,because your sequences are
always so creative.
If you take anything from thisepisode, let it be this
(11:53):
sequencing for different bodies,injuries and limitations is not
about doing more.
It's about moving withintention.
It's about slowing down enoughto ask.
Who am I teaching and how can Isupport their unique experience
of movement?
And that support doesn't alwaysmean eliminating challenge.
(12:16):
Sometimes the most supportivething we can do is create an
environment where students canexplore something challenging
safely, where their nervoussystem knows it's okay to be
curious rather than cautious.
So as I wrap up.
I wanna leave you with a fewquestions for reflection.
Feel free to pause after eachone and write whatever answers
(12:40):
come to mind.
Number one, what does safety andmovement mean to me?
Number two, how can I createsequences that allow all
students to feel includedregardless of their physical
condition?
Number three.
Where might I be teaching fromhabit instead of intention?
(13:00):
And number four, what one smallshift could I make in my next
class to support a wider rangeof students?
Remember, this isn't aboutperfection.
You don't have to know everymuscle or every possible injury.
You just have to be willing tostay curious the moment you
(13:21):
shift from.
I have to know everything too.
I'm willing to learn and adapt.
Your students feel that.
They feel your presence, yourcare, and your humanity.
That's the kind of teacher whomakes a difference, not because
they teach the most advancedposes, but because they create
an environment where everystudent, regardless of their
(13:44):
body, their pain, their physicallimitations.
Feels seen, feels safe, andfeels like they're capable of
practicing in your classes.
I hope that this episode sparkssome reflection and gives you
permission to look at yoursequencing through a wider, more
compassionate lens.
(14:05):
If you wanna go deeper intounderstanding anatomy, injuries
and nervous system support foryour students, I'd love to help
you inside my mentorship foryoga teachers.
Until next time, keep teachingwith curiosity and kindness and
remember, confidence doesn'tcome from knowing it all.
It comes from caring enough tokeep learning.
(14:27):
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you're a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
(14:48):
bodies In real life, it's soimportant for us to have these
conversations so that youremember that students of all
shapes, sizes, alignment, andabilities come to your classes
and you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
(15:10):
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's it for now.
(15:31):
Bye.
We all want to create classes that feel safe,
supportive, and empowering forevery student who comes to
class, but how confident are youthat your sequences truly
support different bodies,different injuries, and student
limitations?
Let's explore the art ofintentional sequencing, the kind
(00:22):
that considers anatomy.
The nervous system and eachstudent's unique movement
experience rather than chasingcreativity or perfection, this
conversation will invite you toslow down, reflect and reconnect
with why you teach.
Get your journals ready becauseI'm gonna ask you a few
(00:42):
questions to reflect onthroughout this episode.
Questions to help you identifyblind spots in your teaching,
deepen your confidence, andstrengthen your connection with
your students.
This episode will help you lookat sequencing through a new
lens, one that honors thecomplexity of the human body and
(01:04):
the diversity of the students inyour classes.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
(01:27):
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
(01:49):
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
(02:10):
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
insights, plus all the real lifeknowledge you wish had been
(02:30):
included in your yoga teachertraining.
No matter how long you've beenteaching, you've probably
questioned yourself at somepoint and wondered how
confident.
Am I that my sequences trulysupport students with different
bodies, different injuries, Ordifferent limitations.
(02:51):
Now, before we go any further, Iwanna acknowledge something.
This isn't an easy question toanswer, honestly.
It can stir up feelings ofself-doubt, insecurity, or even
frustration because so many ofus were never really taught how
to think about sequencing inthis way.
When you first started teaching,you were taught to build your
(03:13):
classes around themes, aroundposes, or even energy levels.
Maybe you were told to make sureto include a peak pose, a
counter pose, and a cool down.
But very few of us were taughthow to look at a sequence
through the lens of humanvariation, Students with pain or
(03:34):
students with some physicallimitations.
So today I want this episode tobe a space for reflection,
curiosity, and growth, notjudgment, and definitely not
perfection.
Just an honest look at where youare and how you can begin to
expand the way you think aboutsequencing so that all of your
(03:58):
students feel supported.
Scene, take a deep breath withme, and if you're able to grab a
notebook or a journal, becauseI'm gonna ask some questions
throughout this episode that aremeant to help you explore your
own teaching a bit more deeply.
So let's start here.
When you plan a class, what'sthe first thing you think about?
(04:21):
Okay.
Is it the physical structure ofthe class?
Is it the energy that you wannacreate Or are you sequencing for
the students you expect to up toyour classes?
Now ask yourself this.
How often do you think about therange of bodies and abilities
that might be in your classes?
(04:43):
For many teachers, the truth isthat you plan with an average
body in mind.
Not intentionally, but becausethat's often how you were
taught.
You imagine a student who can domost poses, who doesn't have
pain and who moves in the waythat your teacher training
emphasized as safe or aligned.
(05:05):
But in reality, that averagebody doesn't exist.
Every student who steps ontotheir mat brings a different
history, And a different livedexperience with them.
So let's pause here for a momentand think about another
question.
if five different students inyour class had completely
(05:27):
different hip structures, spinalcurves, and injury histories,
would your current sequencesupport all five of them?
This question is meant to helpspark awareness within you
because when you start lookingat sequencing as a flexible,
adaptable framework, ratherthan.
(05:48):
Fixed plan.
That's where your real skill asa teacher begins to unfold.
Now let's talk a little bitabout what this actually means
When we craft a yoga sequence,we're not just putting together
movements, we're actuallydesigning experiences.
You are shaping how yourstudents', nervous systems will
(06:10):
respond, how their joints willload, how their breath will
flow, and ultimately how theywill feel when they leave their
mat.
If your sequences are too rigidor too focused on a single right
way to move, You canunintentionally leave some
students feeling defeated, butif your sequences are adaptable,
(06:35):
if they're layered.
If they offer a variety of entrypoints, they become empowering.
Your sequence now invitesstudents to explore rather than
perform.
Write this next question down soyou can come back to it and
journal your thoughts on it.
When you cue a pose, do yourwords leave room for variation,
(07:01):
or do your cues imply that thereis one correct way to move?
For example, instead of sayingsquare your hips to the front of
your mat, what would happen?
How do you think students wouldrespond if you said, notice how
your hips want to orient here.
Can you find a position thatfeels stable for your body?
(07:24):
The difference in languagechanges everything.
It takes the pressure off ofgetting it right and invites
exploration.
Here's another question for youto reflect on.
Do you feel confident modifyingyour sequence in real time?
If you notice multiple studentsstruggling with a pose, if the
(07:46):
answer is no, that's okay.
Most teachers weren't trainedfor that level of adaptability,
but this is where we begin tobridge the gap between teaching
yoga asana and teaching peopleyoga.
Being able to adjust a class onthe spot comes from
understanding the body, not in amemorized or academic way, but
(08:10):
in a relational way.
It is about recognizing howmovement, load and nervous
system response all worktogether.
When we understand anatomy,functionally sequencing becomes
less about memorizing poses andmore about understanding
movement patterns.
let's pause again for a momentand let me ask you this
(08:32):
question.
When you think about yourteaching.
Are your sequences based onposes or on patterns of
movement?
For example, rather thanthinking I'm teaching warrior
two, you could think I'mteaching hip external rotation
and shoulder abduction.
when you shift your thinking tothink like this, you can start
(08:55):
to offer multiple poses thatserve the same purpose, but look
different in different bodies.
Another important considerationis nervous system support.
We often talk about sequencingin physical terms, like stretch
or strengthen open internal orexternal rotation.
(09:16):
But what about regulation?
How does your class helpstudents up or down regulate
when they need to The intentionbehind restorative style classes
is to help students downregulate, but what do you do
when you notice a student isbecoming upregulated?
For students who are recoveringfrom pain or injury, their
(09:37):
nervous system is a huge part ofthe picture.
Pain is not just about.
Tissues, it's about perceivedsafety.
A well sequence class thatbalances challenge with
reassurance can help studentsbuild that sense of safety
through movement.
So I want you to reflect on thisnext question.
Do your classes give studentsmoments to feel grounded and
(10:02):
successful before moving intosomething a little bit more
challenging?
When you allow time for asuccess, you're helping them
build confidence in their bodiesAnd in their trust in you as
their teacher.
Now I wanna share a quick littlestory, about me early in my
teaching career.
(10:23):
I remember planning what Ithought was gonna be the perfect
flow.
It had creative transitions.
I had a fun playlist and posesthat.
I felt were balanced.
Then a student came up to meafter class and she said That
felt great for most of my body,but my shoulder flared up
(10:43):
halfway through and I couldn'tfigure out how to make it stop.
It was then that I realizedthat.
In my attempt to make a creativesequence, I hadn't considered
how repetitive loading orsustained positions might affect
someone with a shoulder issue.
It wasn't that my sequence waswrong, it was that it wasn't
(11:06):
inclusive enough for all bodies.
So here's your next journalquestion.
When you build your sequences,are you creating for complexity
or are you creating for clarity?
Who are you teaching?
Complexity often impresses otherteachers.
Clarity helps to transformstudents more often than not.
(11:30):
Students are not wowed by yourcreative sequencing.
Instead, they appreciate thatthey can tune into their own
bodies and create an embodiedpractice as opposed to worrying
about what you'll sequence next,because your sequences are
always so creative.
If you take anything from thisepisode, let it be this
(11:53):
sequencing for different bodies,injuries and limitations is not
about doing more.
It's about moving withintention.
It's about slowing down enoughto ask.
Who am I teaching and how can Isupport their unique experience
of movement?
And that support doesn't alwaysmean eliminating challenge.
(12:16):
Sometimes the most supportivething we can do is create an
environment where students canexplore something challenging
safely, where their nervoussystem knows it's okay to be
curious rather than cautious.
So as I wrap up.
I wanna leave you with a fewquestions for reflection.
Feel free to pause after eachone and write whatever answers
(12:40):
come to mind.
Number one, what does safety andmovement mean to me?
Number two, how can I createsequences that allow all
students to feel includedregardless of their physical
condition?
Number three.
Where might I be teaching fromhabit instead of intention?
(13:00):
And number four, what one smallshift could I make in my next
class to support a wider rangeof students?
Remember, this isn't aboutperfection.
You don't have to know everymuscle or every possible injury.
You just have to be willing tostay curious the moment you
(13:21):
shift from.
I have to know everything too.
I'm willing to learn and adapt.
Your students feel that.
They feel your presence, yourcare, and your humanity.
That's the kind of teacher whomakes a difference, not because
they teach the most advancedposes, but because they create
an environment where everystudent, regardless of their
(13:44):
body, their pain, their physicallimitations.
Feels seen, feels safe, andfeels like they're capable of
practicing in your classes.
I hope that this episode sparkssome reflection and gives you
permission to look at yoursequencing through a wider, more
compassionate lens.
(14:05):
If you wanna go deeper intounderstanding anatomy, injuries
and nervous system support foryour students, I'd love to help
you inside my mentorship foryoga teachers.
Until next time, keep teachingwith curiosity and kindness and
remember, confidence doesn'tcome from knowing it all.
It comes from caring enough tokeep learning.
(14:27):
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you're a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
(14:48):
bodies In real life, it's soimportant for us to have these
conversations so that youremember that students of all
shapes, sizes, alignment, andabilities come to your classes
and you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
(15:10):
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's it for now.
(15:31):
Bye.
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