4 Essential Shoulder Openers Every Yoga Teacher Should Teach (Updated Techniques & Cues)

Want to teach shoulder openers with clearer cues, better biomechanics, and more functional strength? In this video, I break down 4 essential shoulder openers every yoga teacher should teach—and show you updated, modern techniques that make each pose more effective, efficient, and safer for your students.

These shoulder openers—Eagle Arms, Cow Face Pose, Fingers Interlaced Behind the Back, and Half Downward Dog—are classics for a reason. But the way we teach them matters. You’ll learn how to refine alignment, add active engagement, improve proprioception, and help students build stability while they increase range of motion.

Whether you’re improving your own practice or updating your teaching toolkit, these details will make your shoulder-opening sequences stronger, smarter, and more sustainable.

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⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
01:01 – Eagle Arms Version 1 (Garudasana Pose)
03:27 – Eagle Arms Version 2 (Garudasana Pose)
04:42 – How to Teach Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana Pose)
07:13 – Fingers Interlaced Behind the Back (3 Key Variations)
12:14 – Half Downward-Facing Dog (Technique + Safety)


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Jason Crandell is a natural teacher and author with more than 20 years of experience. Named “one of the teachers shaping the future of yoga,” by Yoga Journal, Jason has been an in-demand teacher at conferences around the world for more than two decades.

For the past 10 years, Jason has honed his approach by looking to peers outside of the yoga community, in the fields of physical therapy, orthopedics, and sports medicine. These collaborative partnerships have enabled Jason to offer the most up-to-date to asana technique, cueing, injury management, and hands-on adjustments. Jason’s goal is to blend the timeless wisdom of yoga philosophy with evidence-based information to create yoga curriculum that helps modern practitioners grow and evolve.


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