Blogpost: Level up Your Yoga Teaching Skills

Are you a dedicated yoga teacher who truly cares about your craft and wants to level up even more? Perhaps you’ve been teaching for quite a while now, and you’ve already gained some confidence, but now you feel stuck, like you’ve plateaued? Don’t worry — that’s totally normal and can happen when developing any skill. Here are some tangible steps you can take to get unstuck and make it to the next level on your yoga teaching journey.

Take out a large piece of paper and write down all your strengths and weaknesses as a yoga teacher. Ask yourself: What am I particularly good at? What do my students seem to like most about my classes? Perhaps you’re excellent at creating interesting and enjoyable sequences, or you excel at ensuring everyone enters and exits poses correctly. Maybe your strong suit is making people feel confident due to your encouraging tone.

Here are some qualities to consider during your reflection:

Sequencing (creating well-structured routines for the asana portion of the class)

Cueing (clear instructions)

Adjustments (verbal and/or physical corrections to ensure everyone is doing the poses correctly)

General knowledge about yoga (e.g., knowing the correct names and benefits of the poses and pranayama exercises you’re teaching)

Your energy while teaching the class (Are you 100% present, focused, and encouraging your students?)

You can also ask your students for their feedback, but remember to use it as a tool for self-improvement and not as a means to put yourself down. It’s okay if not everyone likes your class; not everyone will. Seek feedback from those who believe in you and have your best interests at heart.

Tip: A practical way to assess your strengths and weaknesses as a yoga teacher is to record yourself teaching one class and then review it as if you were a student. Keep a notepad nearby your mat to take notes whenever you notice areas for improvement.

Now that you’ve identified your strengths and weaknesses, take a moment to congratulate yourself for all the amazing work you’re already doing. You’ve come a long way.

Next, focus on the areas you’d like to improve. Break down each point further to make working on them as concrete as possible. For example, if you want to enhance your cueing abilities, list the steps you can take to do so, such as: 1) reread the chapter on cueing in your yoga teacher training book, 2) take notes, 3) write down cues for ten poses you frequently teach, including instructions for entering, deepening, and exiting them safely, and so on.

Do this for every point on your list, and allocate some time each week to work on your teaching practice.

Additionally, always remember to keep practicing yoga yourself. Continue your sadhana (self-practice) and attend classes with teachers you admire.

Another effective way to level up as a yoga teacher is to keep things interesting by challenging yourself outside your comfort zone. This is especially important if you’ve been feeling stuck in a routine and couldn’t pinpoint what to work on.

Continue your education by reading books, blog posts, and listening to podcasts on various yoga topics. If possible, consider investing in further training. Create a list of advanced trainings that pique your interest (e.g., trauma-informed yoga, aerial yoga, etc.) that you can revisit when you have the time and resources for additional online or in-person training.

Lastly, the fastest way to improve is to step out of your comfort zone. What’s that idea in the back of your mind that you sometimes think about starting “once you’re ready”? Maybe a YouTube channel with guided asana classes or a podcast with guided meditations? Start now and learn as you go. A year from now, you’ll look back at your progress and be so, so glad you were brave enough to start!