Mid-flow, a guest is collapsing through her lower back in a lunge. Your hands move before you think — a light touch to the hip, the correction every teacher you have ever had would make. She freezes. You have just touched a paying guest, in a swimsuit, alone on a deck, without asking. Nothing bad happened. It still should not have happened that way.
Hands-on adjustment is optional, not standard
Physical adjustment is a teaching tool, not a requirement. Many excellent instructors have stopped using it entirely, and their teaching did not suffer. On a yacht — where guests are strangers, often minimally dressed, often alone with you, and where the power dynamic runs entirely one way — the case for restraint is stronger still.
The rule: hands-on adjustment requires explicit consent, every single time.
- Consent given on Monday is not consent on Tuesday.
- "Is it okay if I adjust you?" is a question, asked before every touch, with a real chance to say no.
- Silence is not consent. Neither is a guest who does not want to seem difficult.
- If you have any doubt at all, cue verbally instead. A good verbal cue does the same job with none of the risk.
Better than touching
| Instead of | Do this |
|---|---|
| A hand on the back to correct posture | "Lift through the chest, ribs down" |
| Pressing hips down in Downward Dog | Demonstrate; offer to bend the knees |
| Deepening a stretch with pressure | Never. Do not push anyone deeper into anything |
| Physically repositioning a limb | Mirror it yourself; use your own body as the reference |
Pushing a guest further into a stretch is how yoga injuries happen. It is not helpful, and you cannot feel their end range.
Professional boundaries
- Be visible. Where possible, train guests in open spaces, not behind a closed door.
- Keep the conversation professional and guest-led. You are not their therapist and you are not their friend for the week.
- Dress and language: crew standard, always, even at 06:30 on the foredeck.
- Do not accept invitations that blur the line — drinks, private dinners, "come and join us".
- Beware the flattery. Guests are charming, and the closeness of a training relationship is intimate in a way that is easy to misread on both sides.
Onboard Notes
- Open every class with the standing line: "I will cue verbally. If you would like hands-on adjustment, tell me — and you can change your mind at any time."
- Write your consent approach down and agree it with the chief stew, so the boat knows what you do and why.
- If a session ever feels uncomfortable, end it politely and tell the chief stew. You never need a reason beyond your own instinct.
- Preparatory study only. Nothing here qualifies you to instruct. Leading guests requires an accredited qualification and professional indemnity insurance.