Exercise Modifications & Progressions Flashcards

A student with tight hamstrings cannot reach the floor in Uttanasana (standing forward fold). Which prop modification is most appropriate?

Answer: Place hands on yoga blocks to maintain a flat back

Blocks under the hands allow the student to maintain spinal length and proper alignment without overstretching the hamstrings.

When progressing a student from Warrior I to Warrior II, which alignment cue changes between the two poses?

Answer: The back foot rotates from roughly parallel to perpendicular to the mat

In Warrior II the back foot opens to roughly 90 degrees (perpendicular), while in Warrior I it angles inward at about 45 degrees.

A prenatal student in her second trimester wants to practice core strengthening. Which modification is most important to implement?

Answer: Avoid all supine positions and replace with seated or standing core work

Supine core exercises (flat on back) after the first trimester can compress the vena cava; seated and standing variations are safer alternatives.

Which cue best helps a beginner student progress from a low lunge (Anjaneyasana) toward Crescent Lunge (high lunge)?

Answer: Lift the back knee off the floor and press through the back heel

Lifting the back knee activates the back leg and transitions the pose from a supported low lunge to the more demanding high crescent lunge.

For a student with a wrist injury, which modification allows continued practice of Cat-Cow without loading the wrists?

Answer: Both A and C are appropriate wrist-friendly modifications

Both fists/forearms and a standing variation against a wall distribute or eliminate wrist load while preserving the spinal articulation of Cat-Cow.

A student consistently collapses the inner arch of the front foot in Warrior II. Which cue addresses this most directly?

Answer: Press the base of the big toe and inner heel actively into the mat

Actively pressing the big toe mound and inner heel grounds the foot and re-engages the arch-supporting muscles.

Which progression most logically builds toward Bird-Dog (Dandayamana Bharmanasana) for a student who struggles with core stability?

Answer: Table Top balance → single arm reach → single leg reach → opposite arm/leg Bird-Dog

Starting in Table Top and adding one limb at a time progressively challenges core stability before coordinating opposing limbs simultaneously.