Yoga Class Planning
If only our students knew how much work we put into planning classes, they’d understand the value they are getting when they come to class! The amount of time spent planning a yoga class varies from person to person, depending on the style of yoga they teach, their personality, and how long they’ve been teaching yoga. Whatever your style of planning, here are some resources to help you rock it.
Anatomy of a Yoga Class Plan
A yoga class plan might be as simple as an outline of a few poses or a complex multi-page document detailing every possible aspect of the class. The follow is a list of components that a yoga teacher might include in their plan
Yoga Class Themes
Yoga class themes are like a thread that creates form and structure for the class. This article lays out some of the most common approaches to using themes to make your yoga classes stand out.
Yoga Class Sequences
Looking at other people’s yoga class sequences is a great way to get inspiration for creating your own. If you’re looking for ideas, please peruse these yoga class sequences.
Inspiration For Yoga Class Themes
A yoga class theme can be anything that helps narrow the focus for your yoga class and enriches the experience of your students. It could be a teaching point, alignment cue, poem or song, positive emotion, or a lesson from yoga philosophy. A theme will be most potent if it is something that YOU are excited about. Instead of choosing an abstract theme, something concrete that includes something for your students to practice during class will make your theme relevant.
When you’re feeling less inspired, look at the class plans of others to widen your perspective and boost your creativity. Part of my vision for this website is that it be a place to come to for inspiration, ideas, and information. Yoga Teacher Resource has compiled a list of 100 yoga class themes that we give to all new subscribers to our newsletter. If you’d like a copy, please fill out the form below.
Yoga Class Planning Articles
All Articles on Yoga Class Planning by Date
How to Sequence a 20 Minute Demo Class
Mado shares her top 5 tips for sequencing a 20 minute demo class to audition for a teaching position.
How to Run a Registered Yoga Series
Series classes deepen your relationship with your students, helps them commit to their practice, and provides financial stability for you as the teacher. Nyk Danu, a certified yoga therapist and business mentor, shares her insights on creating a sustainable yoga teaching business through a registered series. Listen in to hear practical advice on setting up your series, handling logistics like space rental and insurance, and filling your series classes. Nyk also touches on considerations for yoga studio owners thinking about transitioning to a registered series. If you value teacher-student connections, consistency in practice, and control over your teaching environment, this episode is for you!
Teaching Mixed Abilities in Yoga Classes
Yoga is for everyone, but when people of varied physical abilities show up in the same class it can be difficult to meet all their needs at the same time. In this episode, Mado and Libby offer a framework for understanding why your students might struggle with a particular asana and how to offer variations that provide a similar experience to people with different physical abilities.
The Art and Science of Teaching Yoga Online – Part 2
Transitioning from in-person classes to online can shake up every aspect of your teaching. When Lily Dwyer Begg dove headfirst into this process, she found greater clarity in her voice and a blossoming creative potential in her teaching. In this episode, Lily shares advice for the art of teaching yoga online including demonstration, verbal cues, class planning, and how to substitute direct touch. She also reveals some of the challenges and opportunities that arose when she stopped teaching at studios and started running her own platform.
CLASS PLANNING PLAYLIST
What does it take to plan an excellent yoga class? How much planning is too much? This playlist will get you started with everything class planning and sequencing.
WORKSHOPS PLAYLIST
Learn all the ins and outs of teaching in a workshop format, like how to keep students engaged or how to boost attendance.
Are Cues Gender Specific?
Are cues gender specific? A podcast listener called in to ask if she should cue men differently around the hips and hamstrings. In addition to answering the specific question, Mado’s answer touches on how yoga teachers can best navigate the rapidly changing landscape of sex and gender.
Micro Studios and Minimum Viable Offers
Are your ideas for teaching realistic? Idealistic visions will eventually run into real world circumstances. In this On-Air Coaching Call, we evaluate Nev’s original vision of a micro studio and brainstorm ways to begin with a minimum viable offer.
How to Teach Better Workshops
Facilitation skills are essential for a memorable workshop. No matter how well you know your topic, your workshop will flop if you don’t understand how to keep your students engaged. Learn the different ways workshop presenters often go wrong and how to avoid these pitfalls to teach better workshops.
How to Boost Workshop Attendance
Curious about how to boost attendance at your workshop? In this episode I offer simple strategies to help you create workshops without the worry of needing to cancel due to low attendance.