30/10/2026
The list of the scariest assists that haunt us. Why do we find them scary? Read the caption under each slide.
Do not trust everything you see online
Why it haunts us
Applying external force (and in the air?!) to a split doesn’t automatically create more usable hip mobility. It doesn’t improve the student’s ability to control the range. It doesn’t even serve the purpose of increasing passive tension in the adductors, because the person hanging on the wall probably creates unnecessary tension to hold the position in the air.
Why it haunts us
Forcing someone into a deeper backbend over a chair here doesn’t create an active spinal extension. Instead, external pressure concentrates the movement and compressive load in the already mobile lumbar spine, without encouraging controlled extension throughout the rest of the spine.
Why it haunts us
We’d really avoid using your head to support someone else’s body weight during spinal traction. It’s a pretty risky and unpredictable setup, with a lot of room for loss of balance or sudden shifts in load, which could injure both the student and the assistant. There are much safer ways to create traction that give you far more control.
Why it haunts us
An assist involving extensive body contact and externally imposed positioning needs a clear purpose, explicit consent, and a manageable amount of force. More physical contact doesn’t necessarily mean more effective feedback or better alignment, and it can easily feel uncomfortable for the student.
Why it haunts us
This assist tends to push the backbend mainly through the lumbar spine, which is often the very compensation we’re trying to address! Pushing someone deeper into an already mobile area can increase compression and reinforce the same movement pattern. We’d rather teach the student to distribute extension more evenly along the whole spine.
Why it haunts us
Props and external assistance can be incredibly useful, but each should have a specific function. When several are combined without a clear biomechanical objective, it becomes difficult to determine what’s actually helping and what’s just adding complexity. And the neck pressing. Just don’t.
Why it hau
