Here you will find articles, newsletters and web links for yoga teachers. The YogaUK.com website was founded in 1999 by Andrea Newman to support and connect heart-centred yoga teachers who work hard to serve their local communities. All yoga teachers are welcome, from anywhere in the world.
Teaching yoga to beginners
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β Teaching yoga to beginners I love welcoming beginners into my classes. I find it brings me back to teaching the fundamentals of yoga practice, which benefits the whole group, myself included. A first ever yoga class is a step that is full of potential as well as vulnerability. It is a very special moment that we are honoured to witness and greet. One of my students - Iβll call him John - is a man in his 60s and a total beginner. John is stiff in his body, but committed to getting more flexible. Heβs motivated and intrigued by the more flexible students he sees in class with him, many of whom are older than he is. He recognises that it will take time and practice to get where they are. Watching him navigate the practices is inspiring to see. β
Why beginners come to yoga Timing often plays a crucial role in why someone starts yoga. Many come because they feel a need - perhaps to manage stress, stay flexible as they age, or address a mental health challenge. For John, as he approaches retirement, heβs realising how stiff and unfit heβs become. Heβs heard about yoga, and thought heβd give it a try. β β How beginners arrive Beginners to yoga usually arrive with an open mind, and with some reservations. They always arrive not quite knowing what to expect. It can be daunting to walk into a room of strangers, about to try something you've never done before. There may be a fear of humiliation or looking stupid. Beginners who appear nervous are courageous people, shown by the fact that they've turned up and walked through the door despite their nerves. Finding that courage is a great starting point. β Those who stick with yoga, are often the ones who recognise early on that yoga is a process that requires time and consistency. β Why beginners stay When people find that yoga helps them in some way, they keep coming back. Even after addressing the initial issue they arrived with, they often continue as a way of maintaining their overall well-being. Most beginners feel some benefits quickly, like better sleep or experiencing deep relaxation for the first time. These small initial successes are often what keep them coming back for more in the early days. β Yoga practices can be more powerful than they seem, so I always tell new students this and encourage them to take it easy and build up slowly. At the same time, reinforcing that yoga is non-competitive, and talking about the concept of ahimsa, can give beginners a sense of relief and empowerment. New students will want to come back to a space where they are accepted and celebrated as they are, with compassion and without criticism or judgement. β Adapting lesson plans for beginners In mixed-ability classes, I will adjust lesson plans to accommodate the different levels of experience in the group. However in more specialised classes, or part way through a progressive course of lessons, it may not be easy, or even possible, to adapt for a total beginner. For example if you teach vinyasa flow-type classes, or chair yoga for less mobile people, it may not always be possible to accommodate a beginner who falls outside the normal range for your class. And adapting too much may not meet the needs of the existing students. β If our aim as yoga teachers is to help others, then suggesting a different style or teacher more suitable to the needs of a beginner might be the best way to help them on their journey and avoid putting a beginner off yoga entirely. Teaching beginner-only classes Teaching a course of lessons exclusively for beginners can be a great way to introduce people to yoga. Nervous beginners often feel more comfortable signing up to a class knowing that everyone else there is a beginner too. β These classes can be challenging to teach as expectations and start-points will vary widely and you have to do some corralling to set up the guidelines for how to approach the practice and how to behave in a yoga space. But they can also be very rewarding as you watch students become more familiar with the practices and more centred in themselves. Offering a beginnersβ course of classes can be really good marketing strategy for finding new yoga students. It's an excellent way to ease people into yoga and many will confidently go on to general classes afterwards. β The beginnerβs mindset One of my favourite books is Zen Mind, Beginnerβs Mind by Shunryu Suzuki which highlights the importance of staying open to learning. The more experience and knowledge we gain, the more crucial it is to keep a beginnerβs mindset. β β βIf your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.ββ β Conclusion Meeting beginner yoga students where they are and giving them clear information about what to expect, and how to approach yoga practice, creates a safe and supportive space that keeps them coming back. Putting ourselves into the role of beginner now and again reminds us what that experience is like. Encouraging a beginnerβs mindset helps us as teachers to stay humble and curious which allows us to grow. It helps students to feel comfortable, non-competitive and to stay open to learning. Iβm happy to say that John is continuing his practice and has now bought his own mat and block. He is still curious and quietly asking questions, at his own pace. β β Community news Talking points New community members are very welcome to join our Q&A meetings. We talk about all sorts of topics relating to yoga teaching, including class management issues, lesson planning, students with particular needs, thoughts around different types of venues, setting fees, marketing, philosophy, aspects of anatomy. It's also fine simply to come along and listen in to the conversations. The next three Zoom Q&A meetings are: Friday 18th October 2.30-3.30pm Saturday 9th November 10-11am Friday 13th December 1-2pm Log in to the community hub for further dates, to say you're coming, to get email reminders, or to access the Zoom links - link from your Dashboard at yogauk.com. Back pain workshop This workshop on Saturday 26th October is free of charge to community members - log in to the community hub and look in the 'Events' space to say you're coming and access the Zoom link. βWorkshop details hereβ β Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to any yoga teacher friends or colleagues who might be interested in any of the content. They can sign up to receive newsletters to their own inbox at www.yogauk.com β
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Yoga Teaching and Learning
Here you will find articles, newsletters and web links for yoga teachers. The YogaUK.com website was founded in 1999 by Andrea Newman to support and connect heart-centred yoga teachers who work hard to serve their local communities. All yoga teachers are welcome, from anywhere in the world.
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