10 Things Yoga Instructors Love

Yoga is a centuries-old spiritual discipline that focuses on helping people attain harmony between the body and the mind. This mind and body practice combines breathing techniques and physical postures to promote physical flexibility and endurance in the body and tranquility in the mind. And in the past decade, yoga has become increasingly sought out by many. In fact, according to a study done in 2017 by The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Self, that year one in seven adults had practiced yoga.

If you’re considering becoming a yoga instructor, it’s essential to have a proper plan in check. You’ll need to create a budget, obtain adequate funding, find the right location, promote your business, and constantly keep in touch with your existing clients. Though somewhat challenging and time-consuming, the steps you need to take to start your business are pretty straight to the point.

But there’s one more thing you shouldn’t neglect before starting your business-owning adventure: find out what other yoga instructors love. This can mean anything from material items (such as a specific type of yoga cushion), activities (such as favoring certain breathing techniques over others), or results (such as placing a stronger emphasis on emotional rather than physical results). So, on that note, let’s take a look at…

Being of service to clients

As a yoga instructor, your job consists of helping clients achieve physical and emotional balance in their lives. Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that your classes solve their day-to-day problems. That is out of your hands. But it does mean that you can teach your clients better ways of dealing with those issues at the moment and help them create different patterns of behaviors when it comes to reacting to them. 

As an instructor, you can show your clients the transformative and uplifting powers of yoga while teaching them how to implement the restorative powers of yoga in their daily lives. And the best part? The lessons you teach them are meant for the long haul.

For example, next time they find themselves in an argument, they can use different deep breathing techniques that you’ve taught them to relieve some stress and analyze things from a less emotional mental place. Similarly, if some of your clients have been dealing with depression and anxiety or neck and back pain, yoga classes have the potential to help them out. And this ability to serve others is what fuels all good yoga instructors.

Seeing clients enjoy yoga

If you ever ask a yoga instructor what they love about their job, they will probably tell you how they love seeing their clients enjoy their classes. If you’ve been an instructor for a while, you have more than likely witnessed this yourself. However, if you’re not yet an instructor, be ready to love your job even more once you see how your clients get enjoyment from what you teach them. And sure, enjoyment is not the sole purpose for your classes. But, at the end of the day, yoga is a recreational activity.

Regardless of its practical uses, it’s something that people do in an attempt to escape the daily grind for a few hours every week. So it needs to be enjoyable and entertaining. If you ever ask a yoga instructor what they love about their job, they will probably tell you how they love seeing their clients enjoy their classes. If you’ve been an instructor for a while, you have more than likely witnessed this yourself.

However, if you’re not yet an instructor, be ready to love your job even more once you see how your clients get enjoyment from what you teach them. And sure, enjoyment is not the sole purpose for your classes. But, at the end of the day, yoga is a recreational activity. Regardless of its practical uses, it’s something that people do in an attempt to escape the daily grind for a few hours every week. So it needs to be enjoyable and entertaining. And that enjoyment can cause good results. Because, as we all know, if you work on something you like, it doesn’t feel like work at all.

Connecting with clients

 If you’re still wondering if this is the right path for you, ask yourself how important it is for you to connect with others and to have an impact on their lives.  

Every good yoga instructor needs to know how to properly communicate with their clients during their classes and turn their lessons into pleasurable experiences.

As successful professionals in this field will tell you, a good teacher commands the class’s attention. They can work the room and uplift their students with gestures as small as a smile, a glance, or a subtle touch. This indescribable ability to make their students feel comfortable and tranquil is one feature that makes yoga instructors love their job. 

Great yoga teachers make their clients feel comfortable and seen regardless of how big or small a class is. And in a world where most of us feel invisible, being seen by someone is a great feeling.

Transferring their passion onto others

Have you ever had a conversation with someone genuinely passionate about a subject or field that you have nothing to do with? You may have no idea what they’re talking about, or you may not even care to learn more about it on any other day. But at that moment, as they speak to you about it, their passion is so contagious that it makes you want to learn more and understand what made that person so passionate about this specific topic or field.

As it turns out, instructors love ‘infecting’ others with their love for yoga. So much so that this is what keeps them going – the ability to teach others just how great yoga can be for many. As a student, you will see the differences between an instructor who is genuinely passionate about yoga and an instructor who chose this field for other reasons. When a teacher loves what they do, they will transfer that feeling onto their students, as well. 

Teaching

This goes without saying, but if you choose to become a yoga instructor, passion for teaching is vital. And here’s the thing – not all instructors love to teach. Some may just have a passion for yoga, while others may have simply chosen this field for its financial benefits. But successful professionals love being able to pass on their knowledge to others. 

To start a career in this field, you must enjoy teaching, improving your methods and classes, and inspiring your students. After all, that’s what your job is going to entail. And don’t be afraid to explain the medical or psychological benefits of specific breathing techniques or physical postures. The more passion you have for teaching yoga, the more you will want to teach others what you have learned about this discipline.

What about materials?

Any good yoga instructor will know the difference between good quality materials, and low-quality ones. The right tools always made a great difference – not just for yoga teachers. Therefore, another thing yoga teachers love is having access to proper materials, from mats and bolsters to wearable weights and yoga towels. But which ones are the best?

Mats

If you know anything about yoga, you will know that the right mat can make a tremendous difference. Though each instructor may have a different preference, it’s safe to say that many love mats that are made of jute. This breathable material offers a firm grip, has a natural texture, and is weather-resistant, meaning it’s ideal for those warm days when a class in the sun is the way to go. And the best thing about jute mats? They are highly biodegradable, meaning that once you’re done with it, you can sleep peacefully at night knowing your old mat didn’t end up in a landfill, polluting the planet.

Wearable weights

Though not everyone is familiar with them, yoga wearable weights are an excellent tool for challenging your body during yoga. Many instructors enjoy using them, as they enhance the typical benefits of a yoga class and increase muscle flexibility. In addition, yoga teachers can provide their students with new tools in their training and help them improve their cardiovascular health and muscle awareness by adding this type of strength training component.

Yoga towels

For someone who is not too familiar with the ins and outs of yoga, buying a yoga towel may not seem like the wisest decision. After all, it’s just a towel, right? Well, not really. 

Many instructors will tell you that a good yoga towel can make a big difference. A great teacher in this field will always appreciate the value of a good yoga towel since it helps increase your grip and prevents you from slipping on the mat. In other words, it provides you with an anti-slip surface, ensuring a solid grip on the mat.

But its practicality goes beyond the towel’s no-slip capabilities. It can also be used to wipe the sweat off your face during a challenging workout, making it a valuable and versatile accessory that yoga instructors love. Not to mention, if you have to borrow a yoga mat from the studio one day, the towel provides an extra layer of safety between your skin and the bacteria harbored by the communal mat. Yoga instructors love them since they are quick to wash and even quicker to dry.

Bolsters

Widely used in prenatal yoga classes, bolsters are great tools for instructors to have on hand. They can be acquired in different shapes and sizes, based on need and level of skill. Instructors enjoy using bolsters to help clients reach more profound relaxation and perform stretches for more extended periods. Similar to body pillows, these props are anatomically supportive and help soften postures, helping the person using them feel more relaxed. Similar to wearable weights, not everyone may be familiar with them, as not all instructors provide them in their classes. Regardless, as many instructors will tell you, the benefits of using yoga bolsters cannot be denied.

In Conclusion

If becoming a yoga instructor is your dream, it’s crucial to build a proper business plan that can help you tackle all types of issues you are bound to encounter. And while you’re working on that plan, don’t forget to take a look at your competition and learn from them. After all, the ones who have been doing this for longer than you are bound to know a lot more. How do they connect with their clients and make pass their passion onto their students? How do they show others that they enjoy teaching, and how often do they update their teaching styles? What about tools? Observe the kind of mats and towels they use, as well as how they implement wearable weights and bolsters in their classes. 

But more importantly, see how they manage their business

Do they use a personalized operating system for wellness professionals, such as Persona? If not, you can already be a step ahead of them, by downloading Persona today. Designed to help business owners like yourself, Persona helps you run your business as smoothly as possible. The app, which is 100% free, always, helps you with payment collection, client scheduling, and expense management, while doing your taxes for you, tracking your deductible expenses, and helping you save money in the process. And the best part, besides the fact that it’s all FDIC Insurance Eligible, is that there are no monthly fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance requirements. Persona can be downloaded on both IoS and Android, for free.