As yoga schools and classes pop up all around the world, it seems like almost half the serious practitioners at some point decide to become a yoga teacher. At yoga studios, teacher training programs are popular with students and some studios are developing certification programs.
Universities have the benefit of providing a large variety of locations in which Yoga classes can be taught. Most college campuses have a gymnasium, and these frequently include a large empty room or basketball court that could serve as an ideal location. Smaller classes can be held in classrooms with desks that can move, or they can be held in the common areas of dorms.
When taking your yoga certification course, you might not expect so many people to be stressed out. If you’ve been practicing yoga techniques for years, you might not feel the level of anxiety that you see in others. Regardless of how you handle daily problems, some people are walking an emotional tight rope, while they are barely managing to maintain their sanity.
Teaching Yoga requires a certain level of commitment, both to yourself and the students who are learning from you. Just as life is always…
Maintaining a personal practice ensures that you stay current in all aspects of Yoga that interest you most. It guarantees that your Yoga classes will remain fluid and interesting, avoiding monotony. Many students prefer a varied routine for each class, where they are learning new poses or working on different areas of the body.
The foundation of Yoga rests upon acceptance of one’s self as well as others. Yoga instructors have an obligation to students to model…
As the simple gift of ease and spaciousness increases with each inhalation and exhalation during their practice of this flowing version of Extend Child’s Pose, you can gently invite your students to release any negative emotions, thinking patterns or beliefs that may be holding them back in their lives. In this way, their Yoga practice will begin to mirror the release of the brilliantly colored fall leaves as they drift to the soft earth below. When you offer your students Yoga classes that are informed by the rich wisdom of the seasons, they will quite naturally align and be supported by the rhythms of the natural world around them.
Clearly, a balanced practice of Yoga postures, breathing exercises and contemplative techniques lends itself quite easily to improving one’s physical capabilities and mental outlook on life. By weaving some of the timeless wisdom of Yoga into your classes, you will further support your students in applying the wisdom of the ancient scriptures to their practice and to their lives off the mat. Furthermore, if you teach your Yoga classes in a disciplined manner, with a higher goal in mind, your students will pick up on how you approach your own professional role as their teacher, and they will quite naturally apply the same dedication to their own practice.
Some students may even feel fear when they step onto the mat because they are afraid they will not be able to meet their own high expectations of themselves or the perceived high expectations of their teacher or the class at large. For instance, in some Yoga teacher training classes, there is a strong emphasis put on being able to drop back into Upward Facing Bow from a standing position. However, dropping back into this challenging backbend may not be appropriate for all teacher trainees, during every class.
The therapeutic benefits of Yoga can be magnificent, but over-extension of the muscles can occur if the poses are performed incorrectly or held for a time period longer than a student can handle. Many yoga students are able to recognize easily when they are having a problem, but it is important for yoga teachers to understand the signs that accompany a potential injury, as there are quite a few new students who may not have the ability to recognize a problem or who wish to push themselves as much as possible in order to keep up with the crowd.