By Carmen Curtis

 

Are You Accidentally Injuring Your Most Flexible Students?

(Here’s Why Yoga and Aerial Yoga Teachers Must Understand Hypermobility)

 

It might look like they’re the best in class.

They fold. They bend. They float into poses with ease.

But here’s the truth:

That ultra-flexible student in your class might be one injury away from quitting yoga forever.

Because if you don’t understand hypermobility — or how teaching yoga for hypermobility differs — you might be teaching in a way that’s doing more harm than good.

 

 

What Is Hypermobility (and Why Every Teacher Should Care)?

 

Hypermobility is when joints move beyond the normal range of motion. It’s more common than most teachers realize — and it presents differently for everyone.

Some students might only have hypermobility in their knees or shoulders. Others might be globally hypermobile — from their fingers to their spine.

What makes this a big deal?

Hypermobile joints often lack the stability needed to safely support repetitive movement or deep stretching. Without the right guidance, students with hypermobility may:

• Overstretch already unstable joints
• Skip key muscle engagement
• Reinforce dysfunctional movement patterns
• Experience chronic pain or long-term injury

 

And the kicker? They often get praised — for how “deep” their poses look — even though those poses are compromising their long-term joint health.

 

 

Teachers, It’s Time to Stop Teaching One-Size-Fits-All Yoga

 

In every class you teach, there are likely multiple students with hypermobility — whether they know it or not.

As a teacher, it is your responsibility to:

• Identify the signs of hypermobility
• Modify poses to reduce joint strain
• Teach muscular engagement and resistance
• Educate students about how their body moves — and what to look out for
• Acknowledge the emotional and physical challenge of resisting “full expression” in a world that praises flexibility

 

It’s not about calling anyone out — it’s about supporting your students with empathy, precision, and education — and properly teaching yoga for hypermobility.

 

 

What to Look For in a Hypermobile Student

 

Here are a few visual cues:

• Elbows, knees, or shoulders that “lock” or bend backward
• Deep flexibility with little muscular effort
• A tendency to “hang” in joints or collapse in passive shapes
• Difficulty finding strength or stability in basic postures

 

But the most important thing? Have the conversation.

Invite curiosity. Ask about their experience. Let them know that yoga isn’t just about stretching — and it definitely isn’t about how far you can go.

 

 

Teaching Yoga and Aerial Yoga for Hypermobility Is Not Optional

 

Every yoga teacher should be trained in how to teach hypermobile students.

It’s not advanced knowledge — it’s foundational. That’s why I integrate hypermobility education into every level of my teacher training, including:

• ✅ 200-hour AIReal Yoga + Yoga Teacher Training, where we cover how to assess and modify every major pose for hypermobility
• ✅ 50-hour AIReal Yoga Training, with a focus on stabilizing muscles and helping teachers cue proper resistance and engagement
• ✅ Pose-by-pose guidance on how to support students with hypermobility in individual joints and across the body

 

Why?

Because in many of my classes, over half the students show signs of hypermobility.

And if you’re not trained to see it — you might miss your opportunity to truly help.

 

 

5 Essentials Every Teacher Should Know When Working with Hypermobile Students

 

1. Flexibility ≠ Safety
Deep range doesn’t mean correct alignment. Always cue resistance, strength, and engagement — especially in end-range poses.

2. Modify Every Pose
Know how to offer modifications for each joint affected. From subtle prop use to entirely different pose options — one cue does not fit all.

3. Educate the Student
Let them know their experience might feel harder, not easier. This creates understanding, relieves frustration, and builds trust.

4. Resist the “Full Expression” Mentality
Encourage functional alignment, not performance. Remind students: doing less might actually be doing more for their bodies.

5. Look Around the Room
Teaching yoga isn’t about perfecting your demo. It’s about seeing your students. See who’s collapsing. See who’s hanging. Support them with personalized cues.

 

 

Empathy + Education = Empowered Teaching

 

As teachers, we are not just instructors — we are guides on a deeply personal journey.

That means:

• Looking at your students with compassionate eyes
• Asking better questions
• Offering better options
• Speaking honestly about what yoga really is — a practice for sustainable movement and long-term wellness

 

 

Want to Learn How to Teach for Hypermobility?

 

If you’re already a teacher — or in training — and you haven’t learned how to work with hypermobility yet, now is the time.

Whether it’s your next class or your next training, you’ll meet students who need this knowledge — and you can be the teacher who helps them finally feel seen, safe, and supported.

Join us inside the AIReal Yoga 200-hour or 50-hour Teacher Trainings and become the kind of teacher who teaches beyond the pose — who teaches for real people, in real bodies.

 

Because the most “advanced” yoga teacher isn’t the most flexible.
It’s the one who knows how to help everyone move — safely, smartly, and sustainably.