You’ve completed your yoga teacher training and learned about philosophy, anatomy, and asana—but now, you’re faced with the big question: “How do I lead my first class?” You are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed or unsure. I hear from many new teachers who find themselves in this same position. It takes time to become a confident yoga teacher. The first step is to face the challenge of teaching your first few classes.

It’s almost that time again for yoga and fitness instructors—the New Year’s resolution rush! Every January, I’m happy to see all the new faces, but sometimes my regular students are not as excited. The committed students want a more in-depth practice, while the beginners need the basics. It is a tough situation to manage, and it also arises at other times during the year when venues run ads and promotions. In this post, I will share how I prepare my students for times of influx and ideas for a beginner yoga lesson plan, and I’ll also explain how to adapt the plan for different levels of students.

Explore the benefits of Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog) in this detailed guide. Learn variations, modifications, and essential cues to make this vital yoga pose accessible and beneficial for all skill levels. Enhance your practice with expert tips.

All of us who teach yoga want our classes to build, but sometimes the venue we work with isn’t effectively promoting our offerings. If we are paying rent for space at a studio or business, then the promotion is all our responsibility. Regardless, consistently marketing our classes in the community is the key to long-term success. It is common for a new time slot to take 6 months or even a year to build a consistent clientele. Marketing to everyone you know about your yoga is not effective, and may even annoy your friends. So before taking any action with marketing and advertising, it’s best to create a basic profile of your best clients. In other words, what do you know about your most consistent students?

One of the most common complaints from new yoga students is wrist pain and soreness. Many have not done weight-bearing exercises on their hands before, and it takes time to build up strength. It is important to address wrist pain early to avoid it becoming worse and to prevent long-term issues. In this article, I’ll cover why yoga wrist pain occurs, how to prevent it, and modifications to common poses that place less pressure on the wrists. Those experiencing wrist pain can still practice yoga if they adapt their practice for awhile, allowing their hands and wrists to heal.

You’ve planned the perfect class and are about to begin when a new student arrives with a hip replacement. This scenario happens more often than in the past. Surgery outcomes have greatly improved over the years, and so younger people are now electing to have the procedure. We aim to be inclusive while also being mindful of safety. Incorporating this younger cohort into our regular classes is doable, as long as our class isn’t a fast moving power flow and/or includes a lot of poses requiring deep ROM (range of motion) in the hips.