10 Tips for Teaching Yoga Sessions - Aura Wellness Center

10 Tips for Teaching Yoga Sessions

teaching yoga classesBy Faye Martins

It can be difficult to know where to start when teaching Yoga sessions. However, there are a few tips that can help. First, it’s important to choose the right type of yoga for the class for your group. There are many different types of Yoga, so it’s important to find one that is appropriate for the student’s level of experience. Second, it’s important to create a safe and comfortable environment for the students. This means choosing a location that is free from distractions and has enough space for everyone to move around comfortably.

 

More Priorities

Third, it’s important to give clear instructions and demonstrations. This will help the students understand what they need to do and how they need to do it. Fourth, it’s important to provide feedback and encouragement throughout the class. This will help the students stay motivated and on track. Lastly, it’s important to end the class on a positive note. This will leave the students feeling good about themselves and their practice.

 

New to Teaching

If you are new to teaching yoga sessions, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, it is important to be well-prepared for each class. This means having a clear understanding of the poses and being able to demonstrate them yourself. It is also helpful to create a lesson plan ahead of time so that you know what you will be teaching in each class. Additionally, it is important to be aware of your students’ level of experience and adjust your class accordingly. Finally, always be willing to answer any questions that your students may have. Below are 10 tips to help you get started.

 

Focus

What do you want your class to be about? What kind of atmosphere do you want to create? To be an effective yoga teacher, it is important that you find your focus. This means being aware of your own breath and movements, as well as those of your students. By remaining focused, you will be able to better guide your students through their practice. It is also important to be aware of the energy in the room and to adjust your teaching accordingly.

 

To Play or Not to Play Music

Choose your music carefully. It should be calming and supportive, without being distracting. There are pros and cons to playing music during Yoga classes. Some people find that music helps them relax and get into the flow of the class. Others find that it’s distracting and prefer to practice in silence. If you’re considering playing music during your class, it’s important to pick tunes that won’t be too jarring or disruptive. Soft, instrumental music is usually a good choice. You should also make sure that the volume is low enough so that people can focus on their own thoughts.

 

Student Experience Levels

One important thing to consider when planning your Yoga classes is the experience level of your students. You don’t want to make the class too challenging for beginners, but you also don’t want to bore more experienced students. A good way to gauge the level of your students is to ask them about their previous experience with Yoga. You can also have them fill out a questionnaire before the first class. This will help you tailor the class to the needs of your students.

 

Your Voice

When teaching Yoga classes, it’s important to make sure your voice is clear and soothing. This will help your students relax and feel comfortable. It’s also important to be aware of your students’ level of experience. Beginners will need more guidance than experienced yogis. Make sure to give clear instructions and demonstrations. And finally, be prepared to answer any questions your students may have.

 

Use Props

Props, such as blocks, straps, and blankets, can be very helpful when teaching yoga sessions. They can help beginners feel more comfortable and supported while they are learning the poses. They can also be used to modify the poses for people who have injuries or other limitations. If you use props, make sure to explain how to use them and why you are using them.

 

Give Verbal Cues

As a Yoga instructor, it’s important to give your students verbal cues and instructions throughout the class. This will help them stay focused and ensure that they’re doing the poses correctly. It’s also important to be aware of everyone’s level of ability and to modify the poses accordingly. Remember to focus on the breath and allow the students to find their own inner peace.

 

Encourage Students

It’s important to encourage students to listen to their bodies and go at their own pace when teaching Yoga classes. This will help them to avoid injury and stay safe while practicing. It’s also important to give students modifications for poses so that they can adjust according to their level of ability. Lastly, be sure to give students time to rest in between poses and during the class so that they can re-energize and rejuvenate.

 

Offer Modifications

When you’re teaching a Yoga class, it’s important to offer modifications for different levels of ability. This way, everyone in the class can get the most out of it. For example, if you’re doing a pose that requires a lot of flexibility, you can offer a modification for people who aren’t as flexible. Or, if you’re doing a pose that requires a lot of strength, you can offer a modification for people who are newer to Yoga or don’t have as much upper body strength. By offering modifications, you’ll make sure that everyone in the class is able to participate and gets the most out of the class.

 

Remind Students

When teaching a Yoga class, it’s important to remind students to breathe deeply, relax, and have fun. This will help them get the most out of the class and prevent injuries. It’s also important to give clear instructions and demonstrations so that students can follow along easily. Be sure to monitor students throughout the class to make sure they are doing the poses correctly.

 

Give Clear Instructions

It’s important to give clear instructions when teaching Yoga classes. This way, students will be able to follow along and get the most out of the class. Be sure to explain each pose clearly and demonstrate it if necessary. Give students time to try each pose before moving on to the next one. Finally, don’t forget to offer modifications for each pose so that everyone can participate regardless of their level of experience.

https://youtu.be/0-LMMzMPkOQ

 

Closing the Class

When you’re teaching a Yoga class, it’s important to finish strong. You want to leave your students feeling refreshed and invigorated, not exhausted. So how do you do that? First, make sure you end with a relaxation pose. This will help your students unwind and release any tension they may be holding in their bodies. Second, close with a short meditation. This will help your students focus on their breath and clear their minds. Lastly, finish with a positive affirmation or intention. This will leave your students feeling inspired and motivated.

 

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Teaching Yoga Students – Class Safety Tips

By Faye Martins and Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When you are teaching Yoga sessions, there are three main priorities: safety, comfort, and progress. Safety is always the most important priority. You want your students to feel safe in your class so they can relax and focus on their practice. Comfort is also important. If your students are uncomfortable, they will not be able to fully enjoy the class. Progress is the third priority. You want your students to be able to see and feel their progress in your class so they can continue to come back and improve their practice.

 

Before Teaching Yoga Sessions

As a Yoga instructor, you are to ensure the safety of your students. Make sure you know the level of fitness and experience of your students before starting class. If you have new students, be sure to go over the basic safety rules with them. Pay attention to your students during class and be aware of any injuries or pain. If possible, have someone assisting you in class so that you can keep an eye on everyone.

 

Student Needs

It’s important to know your students’ medical profiles before class. This way, you can modify the poses and intensity of the class accordingly. If someone has a history of back problems, for example, you can give them modifications to help prevent further injury. It’s also important to be aware of any allergies or injuries that your students may have. This way, you can make sure that the class is safe and enjoyable for everyone involved. Lastly, when teaching Yoga sessions, late entries skip warm-ups and put themselves at risk, while you don’t know anything about their health profile.

 

Pregnant Students

When you’re teaching Yoga sessions, how would you know if a student was pregnant? Would you prefer to guess? Let’s say you have a pregnant student, who walked in late. You don’t know anything about it, because she’s new, pregnant, late to class, and the front desk forgot to have her fill out a form. It’s important to make sure pregnant students are in a prenatal class. As you know, prenatal classes are designed specifically for pregnant women and are designed for their safety. In a typical Yoga class, there are poses and positions that aren’t safe for pregnant women. In a prenatal class, however, all of the poses and positions will be modified for the pregnant students. Ultimately, teachers just want to make sure students are safe.

 

Warm Ups

As with any type of physical activity, you want to make sure that your students are properly warmed up before they begin their asana (posture) practice. A good warm-up will help to prevent injuries and will also help your students to get the most out of their practice. There are a variety of ways to warm up, but some simple exercises that you can have your students do include Sun Salutations, arm swings, waist circles, and more. If you teach a sequence like the Sun or Moon Salutation, have students start slowly. If you really want to keep it safe, slow sequences do the job.

 

Why Do Teachers Walk-Around?

There are several reasons why teachers should walk around the Yoga studio during class. First, it allows them to see how students are doing and correct any alignment issues. Second, it helps students feel supported and encourages them to stay focused. Third, it creates a sense of community and makes the class more enjoyable for everyone. Lastly, when you are out of position to see students, that’s the time to stand up, look around, and/or walk around the room.

 

Risk of Injuries

Yoga is a safe activity, however, movement and lack of movement has risks. When teaching Yoga classes, it’s important for teachers and managers to be aware of the risks of injuries and liability cost. Yoga students can sometimes get injured if they are not supervised or if they push themselves too hard. As a teacher, you can help prevent injuries by being clear in your instructions and watching your students at all times. You should also make sure that students are warm enough and that they drink plenty of fluids. If someone does get injured in your class, any accident should be reported to management. This is why it’s important for teachers and facilities to have safety procedures, liability insurance, and to make sure that your students sign waivers before taking your class.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Teaching Yoga Sessions by Example: Compassion

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed.

Why is compassion such an important aspect of teaching Yoga sessions? During the course of your Yoga teaching training program, you are probably immersed in a great deal of information about correct alignment principles during the practice of the postures, the intricacies of human anatomy, and learning the classical Sanskrit names of the asanas. What you may not be so closely connected to is the profound importance of compassion and teaching the finer aspects of how to incorporate the teachings of Yoga into your students’ daily lives “off the mat.”

 

Depth of Practice

As your own personal Yoga practice begins to deepen, you will find that the transformative richness of the practice lies not only in the beneficial effects of the physical postures and breathing techniques but also in the integration of the principles of a Yogic way of living into daily life. When you experience the power of Yoga to transform your own life from the inside out, you will naturally want to share this wisdom and experience with your own students.

Creating Calm

One way to share the benefits of regular Yoga practice with your students is to embody the peace, lightness, and vibrancy that are cultivated in your own body and mind with your students during the course of your classes. Imagine, for example, that a new student is struggling to simply touch her toes in Standing Forward Fold, and the teacher approaches her and impatiently insists that she hurriedly touches her toes, because the class is ready to move on to the next posture!

 

Patience is a Virtue

There are an unending amount of negative scenarios that we could all come up with that would exemplify negative, demoralizing, and critical behavior on the part of a Yoga teacher. Clearly, this kind of behavior would not be conducive to cultivating the positive inner qualities of Yoga that are spoken of so highly in the ancient Yogic texts, such as Narada’s Bhakti Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. Some of these highly esteemed inner qualities that are nurtured by regular practice are patience, courage, and compassion. Teaching Yoga sessions requires patience at all times.

 

Roots of Compassion

The word “compassion” has many different meanings that can essentially be encapsulated by terms such as mercy, charity, sensitivity, love, and tenderness. Take a moment to imagine again that the aforementioned impatient Yoga instructor took a deep breath and remembered to be compassionate with her struggling, beginning student, as she attempted to touch her toes in Standing Forward Fold. Teaching Yoga classes tests our character. Instead of impatiently insisting that the student touch her toes, regardless of the degree of flexibility in her hamstrings, imagine that the teacher took a deep breath and approached her student in a compassionate, gentle manner.

 

Power of Encouraging Words

In this instance, the Yoga teacher through a soft touch and a quiet encouraging word might exemplify a compassionate, gentle manner or two to her student to simple breath deeply, exhale fully, and allow her body to soften and relax into the forward fold. In this way, instead of creating more tension and stiffness in the back of the legs in reaction to her teacher’s impatience, the student will be able to release tension and move more deeply into the posture than she would otherwise be able to do.

 

Teaching Yoga Classes – Beyond the Mat

In this way, the next time this particular student is faced with a challenging situation, she will remember to breathe deeply and treat herself with patience and compassion, which truly reflects the beauty and alchemical potential of regular Yoga practice. When the lessons of Yoga “on the mat” begin to be woven into our daily lives “off the mat,” the potential of Yoga to truly uplift and inspire us becomes quite apparent. As a certified Yoga teacher, you will have the opportunity to effect long-lasting positive change in your community, one student at a time.

 

© Copyright – Virginia Iversen / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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7 thoughts on “10 Tips for Teaching Yoga Sessions”

  1. Hello sir,

    This is Very impressive yoga blog, articles, and videos as well. So thank you very much for sharing this precious information about teaching yoga classes to the public.

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