How to Start Teaching Yoga Classes

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500

How to start teaching Yoga is a complex subject when you consider that you will need proper training and guidance along the way. Yoga has long been used to help connect the mind and body. Using ancient holistic techniques, Yoga can help people in many ways through the process of philosophy, asana, pranayama, and levels of meditation. Since yoga can be a vital health tool, many people are interested in learning how to teach this practice. This is why you want to be the best teacher you can be. Commitment is an essential part of the life and journey of a Yoga teacher.

How To Teach Yoga

Learning how to start teaching Yoga classes can be fun and lead to a healthy way of life. By becoming a teacher, you can practice yoga while simultaneously training others to reach their potential. Before renting a studio space, there are a few tips for making Yoga a deeper part of your lifestyle. There are many different ways to start teaching Yoga, but some can be more expensive than others. By deciding what type of Yoga you wish to teach, you can narrow your training to fit the needs of your specific practice. Teacher training can be held in remote locations that require travel, or it can be done online. Knowing how much you’re willing and capable of spending or traveling is the first step to any business.

The Art of Yoga Instruction

The right instructor is often more important than the training location. International training sessions can help you understand yoga’s overall atmosphere and culture, but the class instruction is crucial. When choosing the right type of instruction, class size does matter. Many Yoga teacher training sessions have an hourly requirement that must be fulfilled before completion. A smaller class can make sessions easier in the long run. Depending on the type of training and instruction, classes can range from an intimate setting where only a handful of people train together to thirty or forty people per class.

Training Certification

Some schools provide a certificate of participation. I went to one that gave me no certificate before I became certified. Not all training programs are certified. Even programs that are certified can have vastly different requirements. Suppose a teacher program is certified by a competent school. In that case, the framework consists of a minimum of 200 hours of study and provides you with information about how to continue your education as you continue to teach.

About End All Education Solutions

If you think 200 training hours is the end-all solution, you might consider teaching something else. Anything worth doing will require time to master. Certain credentials may or may not be necessary depending on whether you want to start your own business, work at a health club, or work for a studio. Many yoga studios require certification before hiring. Regardless of certification, training usually consists of a few different components. Some of the most basic training include philosophy, pranayama, meditation, asana, hands-on adjustments, and sequencing in their practice.

Online Yoga Practices

Training to become a Yoga teacher can be done through certain online programs. While hands-on training can provide an up-close atmosphere, a virtual setting can be beneficial. This is especially true if you wish to teach online. Taking an online Yoga teacher training course can better understand how classes are taught virtually. There are unique abilities and logistics to work with while you start teaching Yoga online. Knowing how to properly position oneself in space can be tricky if it is not done in person. By studying the structure of online classes, the business aspect of teaching can be learned in conjunction with accurate poses. Online classes are especially beneficial for the climate we live in today. Whether class participants are in a remote area, cannot drive, or are impacted by illness, online yoga instruction can be a successful career for many.

In the Beginning

Where do I start teaching Yoga classes? Yoga can be practiced in a variety of settings. While Yoga studios may be the most obvious choice, they may not be hiring or aren’t located in your area. Starting a business will likely require a license and your own set of marketing skills. Luckily, there are several different ways to start teaching Yoga, which is a complex subject, when you consider that you will need proper foundational training and guidance from a mentor as you grow. Many gyms offer Yoga classes. While they may have their training or certification requirements, they can often hire instructors they’ve recently taught. Other possible teaching locations include community health centers and individualized home training. This can be especially valuable for those who cannot drive into town or live in a remote area.

What Not Do

Professional Yoga teachers take their craft very seriously and, as a result, strongly believe in doing things disciplined. Their teaching may have been strict, or it is part of their personality. However, in some cases, their rigidity can become a detriment to students’ overall experience during the class. Rather than let this happen, more and more teachers are taking a closer look at how they conduct their classes. Some teachers record their classes on video and release them on the Internet. By doing so, they can develop larger followings and discover some aspects of their classes that may need to evolve. If you find yourself facing this dilemma, here are some additional things that should not be done when teaching your yoga classes.

Expressing Beliefs and Opinions

When students walk into your Yoga class, they expect to find a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. As a result, class is not the proper place to start expressing your beliefs or opinions on politics, religion, or any other topics. You and your students will have an enjoyable session by focusing on the task.

Letting Students Do What They Want

The best Yoga teachers look at their students not only as students but also as their children. As a result, it’s important to keep a reasonable level of discipline active within the class. Guidelines of conduct and common sense can prevent a lot of troublesome behavior. By letting students do as they wish during class, such as talking with one another throughout the session or deciding which poses they want to do, control of the class will fall by the wayside. Instead, capture your students’ attention and provide them structure, which will keep everyone focused.

Do Away With Boundaries

When you start teaching Yoga, and in the future, you must set boundaries. While many Yoga students will come to look at their teacher as someone to rely on and even think of as a confidant, failing to establish and maintain boundaries can become a problem for everyone. Not only does it let the student discuss intimate details of their life, but it also puts the teacher in an uncomfortable position. By refusing to let this happen and instead referring students to professionals for help, if necessary, you can maintain your professional distance while still being there for your students.

Make Class Complicated

While trying to bring new ideas to a class, many teachers make learning difficult for their students. As an alternative, looking at the best teachers and realizing how simple and effective their classes are can bring a bit of wisdom and authenticity to any class. By keeping the class simple and easy to understand, you, the teacher, and your students will enjoy the class.

Five More Ideas About Instructing Yoga Students

For those who teach yoga classes, it is an opportunity to get paid to do something they love and pass on their knowledge to others seeking physical and mental fitness. However, teachers often attempt to do too much too soon to help their students. As a result, mistakes are often made that can derail the plans of even the most well-intentioned Yoga teacher. To make sure you avoid these mistakes, here are five things you should try not to do when teaching yoga.

Believing in a One-Size-Fits-All Alignment

A mistake made by beginning teachers, the idea of a one-size-fits-all alignment usually leads to trouble. Because human bodies are diverse and complex, teachers who think every alignment should look only one way do their students a disservice. A Yoga class can be much more enjoyable for teachers and students by remembering slight exceptions to every alignment.

It’s Okay Not to Have an Answer

As a teacher, you’ll get asked many questions about yoga. However, while you’ll probably have good answers to most questions, realize it’s fine to say, “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure” now and then. In fact, by saying this and then making it a point to get the correct information as soon as possible, you’ll gain even more respect from your students.

Don’t Teach What You’ve Just Learned.

Since yoga is a process involving a lifetime of learning and understanding, it’s a good idea not to be in a hurry to teach students something you learned in a workshop the previous weekend. While you may be able to show them new techniques, you probably haven’t had time to fully comprehend what you learned and think about how it can best be applied to your class. By giving yourself two or three weeks, you’ll be able to provide much more insight to your students.

Every Class Doesn’t have to be Different.

Rather than try to develop a different theme for each class, choose a month-long theme or simply adopt a standard blueprint for your class, which allows you to add or subtract things as you see fit. By adopting this approach, you’ll avoid burnout and be under far less stress.

Don’t Teach Every Class.

In their enthusiasm for teaching Yoga, many teachers attempt to teach classes as often as possible. Instead, be willing to turn down an opportunity to teach now and then. If you do, you’ll be able to stay focused on your current classes, enabling you to expand your teaching at a much more relaxed pace. In addition, your students will notice the level of enthusiasm stays high, allowing them to get more out of the experience.

Conclusion

Suppose you follow these recommendations for your class. In that case, chances are not only will the learning experience be fantastic for your students, but you’ll also discover even more passion for teaching. Teaching Yoga is a lifelong career. Due to the way it is practiced, there is always room to grow. Like the practice itself, teaching can also be an extended journey. To become a Yoga instructor, it is important to understand why you want to teach. After knowing “why,” the right training and teaching environment can then be found.

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