9.3 Cueing: Kinesthetic, Auditory, and Visual

Choosing the Cue That Works

Cueing is not a speech. It is the smallest useful message that helps the client move better on the next repetition. NASM names three major cueing channels for the CPT exam: visual, auditory (verbal), and kinesthetic (tactile). Skilled trainers combine them, but the exam often asks which type is being used or which cue best fixes a compensation.

Visual cueing gives the client something to see. The trainer may demonstrate a lunge, show the start and finish position, use a mirror, point to knee tracking, or use video when appropriate. Visual cues are strong when the client is learning a new exercise or cannot picture the pattern from words alone.

Auditory (verbal) cueing uses words, rhythm, counting, tempo, or sound. It should be brief and connected to the current task: 'ribs down,' 'knees over the second toe,' 'exhale as you press,' 'three seconds down.' Long technical explanations are better saved for rest periods.

Kinesthetic (tactile) cueing uses touch or physical guidance so the client feels a position or muscle action — tapping the glutes before a bridge, or placing a hand near the upper back while cueing scapular retraction. The trainer must ask permission, explain the purpose, use the least contact needed, cue over clothing, and avoid sensitive areas.

Internal vs. External Cues, Timing, and the Overcueing Trap

A second distinction the exam tests is internal versus external attentional focus. An internal cue points attention to a body part or muscle action ('squeeze your glutes,' 'extend your hips'). An external cue points attention to the result or environment ('push the floor away,' 'stand tall and drive the bar to the ceiling,' 'spread the floor with your feet').

Motor-learning research and NASM coaching guidance suggest external cues often produce smoother, more automatic movement for many clients, especially for skill and power tasks, while internal cues help when a client cannot find or activate a target muscle. The best cue is simply the one that changes the movement safely.

Cueing must match the observed error. If a client's knees cave during a squat, 'drive the knees out gently' or 'keep knees in line with the toes' fits better than 'chest up' unless trunk position is the limiter. Do not confuse motivation with cueing — 'push harder' increases effort but does not teach movement. On the exam, the correct cue usually names a body position, target action, tempo, breathing pattern, or specific correction.

Timing matters. Cue before the rep if setup is wrong; cue during the rep if the client can safely correct in motion; stop and reset if the error creates risk or the client cannot process a cue while moving. A trainer should not keep stacking cues while the client is stuck under heavy load.

Cueing also includes listening. Ask what the client feels and whether a cue made sense; active listening separates a comprehension issue from a strength, mobility, confidence, or fatigue issue. For hands-on cueing, professionalism is testable: ask permission first, offer an alternative such as a dowel, mirror, wall, or self-touch cue, and respect a decline.

A common exam trap is overcorrection. A beginner squatting may need only stance, knee tracking, and controlled depth at first. If the trainer gives ten cues at once — pelvis, foot arches, gaze, wrists, breathing, tempo, bar path — performance worsens. Prioritize the one issue most tied to safety and exercise purpose. Remember the cueing chain: show it, say it, let the client try it, then adjust only what matters most. That keeps instruction clear and client-centered.

Matching the Cue to the Compensation

The most testable cueing skill is selecting a cue that directly addresses the observed compensation rather than a generic instruction. Map the common faults from the overhead-squat assessment and resistance lifts to their cues. ' An anterior pelvic tilt with low-back arch on an overhead press is answered by 'ribs down' and a glute brace. ' A heel rise in a squat may need an ankle-mobility cue or a stance change rather than a verbal cue at all — sometimes the right response is a setup or regression, not a sentence.

Finally, cueing should fade as the client learns. Early in skill acquisition a client may need frequent visual demonstration and verbal feedback every rep; as the pattern becomes automatic, the trainer reduces cueing so the client owns the movement. Constant cueing of an experienced client can create dependence and interrupt rhythm. The professional standard is enough information to move safely and well, delivered in the channel the client responds to best, then stepped back as competence grows. On the exam, when two cues both seem reasonable, choose the one that names the specific compensation the scenario described.