When practice teaching, it's tempting to just read directly from your manual. But it's not possible to have your head in a book while learning to watch and respond to your client.
Check out the video above demonstrating a few basic ways to practice cueing. Eryn shows two ways to put down your manual.
Remember, it’s not about being perfect, especially while you’re learning something new. The point is to begin to get the words out, to see your client in order to train your eye to see form, and to memorize the exercises. Over time you will learn to edit your verbal cues, but in the beginning, the more you cue the better.
Glance at the exercise briefly in your manual, then put the manual down. State the name of the exercise you’re going to teach next. Think about how the exercise felt in your body; how gravity challenged or helped you; how the equipment felt; how the machine moved; etc. Close your eyes if necessary. Try to provide a similar experience for your client.
Talking through the exercises in your own words will greatly boost your teaching. Cue your practice client through 1-2 repetitions just reading the cues in your manual. Then put your manual down and cue the client several more times in your own words. Tell your practice client to keep moving while you cue. Say anything you can get out. Just keep cuing exercise essence, goals, target muscles, and principles.
Do a quick review of all the photos for the exercise. The goal is to cue your client from picture to picture, describing verbally what happens between each click of the camera. First look at the start position and describe it. Look at your practice client and see that they are in the start position. Then look at the next picture and cue the client into it. Stop and look at your client to ensure your practice client is applying the necessary principles. And so forth. Continue until you’re back to the start position.
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