14 Modifications For Common Yoga Poses That You’ve Probably Never Seen Before

Like most yoga teachers, I like to be ready with a comprehensive tool belt of pose variations to offer during class. I have always been interested in making my classes accessible to anyone, and I had always thought that was what I was doing. But when I was living and teaching in New York City, I had an experience that stumped me.

In any given studio class, there are usually a few people who need a modified practice. But there was one class in which everyone had their own specific needs. At the time, I had thought I had the best modifications in town. But those students were not shy about letting me know “That doesn’t work for me.”

This challenged me as a teacher. A lot. Each day, I would think, how can I learn to better help my students? I learned so much from my students, who became very dear to me, and their ability to ask for what they needed. This encouraged me to dig deeper and ultimately enroll in a yoga therapy program I had my heart set on for quite some time.

In this program, I learned so many tools to teach yoga in a way that meets the needs of each individual. Following are some of the modifications that I was able to eventually share with the students in that class. They made all the difference.