Hi everyone!
I am currently in a 200-hour yoga teacher training program & during my practice teaching; I realized I have one or two peers with visible joint hypermobility (elbows locking back, knees overextending, etc.).
While it’s subtle; I worry about unintentionally encouraging unsafe alignment / overextension — especially since they often appear "more flexible" than the average student.
I’ve heard that hypermobile students can sometimes develop joint instability or pain over time if alignment cues aren't adjusted. But most of the general teaching scripts we follow during YTT focus on deepening stretches rather than stabilizing joints. I'm unsure how to adapt instructions without singling people out or altering the flow too much. Checked https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-sequences/yoga-and-hyper-mobility-Selenium Online Training guide related to this and found it quite informative.
Has anyone here tackled this while training or teaching? Are there specific cueing strategies, props, or anatomical insights that help protect hypermobile students especially in group classes? I'd love any advice on how to start developing trauma-aware, joint-safe cueing habits early on.
Thank you !!