Be A Better Teacher Trainer: Say Less

When we are faculty, we think our job is to tell students what we know.

This is a recipe for disaster.

A studio owner recently spoke to me about the problem with this very issues: “One of our faculty – he’s so smart and experienced. But a student asks a question that’s off-topic, and suddenly everyone is going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole. The students don’t cover the material that they are supposed to, and they just get confused.”

That faculty member was undoubtedly trying to do a good (answer questions, give details, and share his knowledge). But in fact, he was making what I call, “The Great Mistake.”

The Great Mistake is when we focus on what we say to students, rather than focusing on what the students can actually do. It’s understandable that we would make this mistake. After all, in public yoga classes, our job is to be a “sage on the stage,” holding space and directing the show.

However, in teacher training, your skill often lies in what you don’t say.

Students know far less about your topic of expertise than you; if you inundate them with too much information, they will experience “cognitive overload” and fail to learn.

Here are five tips to keep you on task, and maximize your students’ ability to learn.

1. Know your learning objectives

Learning objective describe specific and measurable learning outcomes. What do you want students to be able to DO at the end of your time with them? Your learning objectives are your north star. Keep the end in mind in order to stay on track and avoid extraneous information.

2. Change your role from sage on the stage to “guide on the side”

Rather than see yourself as the expert, instead re-position your role to one of being a coach. Your work – rather than being about relaying the content that you are teaching, should be refocused on the skills your students can demonstrate. This shift in perspective will help to re-orient you to put the learner at the center. It will also take the pressure of you! With this shift, you don’t have to prove that you are a knowledgeable expert; your focus can remain on the students’ ability to perform.

3. Defer non-relevant topics

Rabbit holes are so tempting! Students will often come up with juicy questions that are not be part of the learning objectives or the flow of the content that you are teaching. Validate the student’s interest, but be relentless about postponing conversations that don’t serve your immediate learning objectives.

  • “Great question, we’re actually going to cover that shortly, so hold tight.”
  • “That’s an excellent conversation to have, and we’ll get there when we discuss ethics next week.”

If the topic is too far afield – or only pertains to that student’s personal interest rather than the class discussion at large – then don’t be shy about holding the boundaries of the class:

  • “That’s an interesting question, but beyond the scope of what we can really discuss today. But I’d be happy to chat with you about that one on one or share some resources with you that you can check out on your own!”

4. Use a question box

One great way to manage questions is to use a question box. A question box in any repository where students can anonymously drop any questions that may have come up for them. Not only is this a great way to defer irrelevant conversations, it also gives students a safe and anonymous place to ask about topics that may seem unclear and can give you a sense if students are understanding the material.

5. Hold questions

If you are trying to manage time effectively during a lecture, then ask students to write down and hold their questions til the end of the session. This will help you get through the material. Often, students find that their question is answered later during the lecture, and that they no longer need to ask the question anyway. You could save space to answer questions yourself at the end of the lecture, put students into group to discuss the “muddiest point” with their peers, or collect all the questions, determine the common themes, and circle back when there is more time.

As a trainer, silence can be golden. Remember, at the end of the day, the success of your training isn’t about what you tell your students; it’s what they can do that counts.

How To Support Emotional Yoga Students

Four tips for yoga teachers on supporting emotional yoga students.

Yoga is a practice where we can invite students to arrive authentically in their bodies, minds, and feelings. For some practitioners, there aren’t many safe spaces to connect to their feelings. When they arrive on the mat and begin to experience their sensations – maybe for the first time in years – yoga students can become emotional as unexpressed feelings rise to the surface. For me, many times the first few moments I arrive on my mat will bring me to tears, as I become more present to whatever is going on. Even if I’m not particularly sad, sometimes simply being present is poignant enough to cause me to cry. We don’t need to be happy to practice yoga.

Our issues are in our tissues.

Bernie Clark

Most often, feelings will arise when students are moving into a quieter space and are softening to what is arising. Through any feeling may be disconcerting, the most obvious emotional expression is sadness and tears. Here are some tips to create a safe space for supporting emotional yoga students.

1. Acknowledge The Process

If students are not used to feeling emotions (or if they’ve been conditioned to suppress them publicly), they may feel ashamed and embarrassed by their feelings. What an enormous kindness to create a space where feeling their emotions is normal, and in fact, healthy! Create an inclusive space by acknowledging the process to the whole class. For example, you may say, “When we do hip openers, it can be common for strong feelings to come up as we start to unwind deep, habitual patterns of tension in the body” or “It’s normal to start to sense feelings and sensations; give yourself space to let anything that comes up to arise, stay with your breath, and notice that the feelings will shift and change.” Simply acknowledging that feelings may arise will help create space where students can feel that they are “normal.”

2. Acknowledge Your Students

This one requires a little finesse. Often, emotional yoga students will try to hide the fact that they feel emotional (ie: crying) in class because they feel embarrassed. While I will never intentionally single anyone out or draw unwanted attention to them, at the same time there are ways to sensitively acknowledge students who may be having lots of feelings.

Simply placing a tissue box near a student is a way of saying, “It’s okay, I see you, and it’s okay to need a kleenex.”

If you do hands on assists, then giving students a stabilizing press when they’re in child’s pose can be a way of making non-verbal contact.

3. Lots Of Emotions

If a student is having an emotional moment, it may not feel safe to lie with their front body exposed in savasana or to be in motion in asana. If I notice a student is struggling, I will invite that student to come into child’s pose or a prone position where they can feel “hidden” and have some privacy. You can address the class generally, “hey everyone, child’s pose is an option here!” (giving your student a graceful way to take the pose without anyone really the wiser), or you could suggest the option to the student privately in a low tone of voice.

4. Manage Your Class

If a student is visibly or audibly upset, other members of the class will become distracted and be concerned about them. If a student is obviously struggling, you cannot ignore it. At that point, you have to consider protecting the emotional safety of the whole group. Frankly, this level of emotionality is very rare in a public class. However, if a yoga student is obviously emotional, I ask the student to come into child’s pose and focus on their breath. In this situation, I am more interested in using yoga tools to calm the student down than processing feelings. In my experience, coming into child’s pose is usually enough to support students to transition out of a more intense experience.

If this does not resolve the situation, then put the rest of the class into a resting pose, and find out what is necessary to support the student. I treat this kind of situation in the same way I would treat a student who injured themselves physically in class. It must be addressed before the rest of the group will feel easeful about moving forward. If you have desk staff, you may consider asking the student if they wish to take some privacy outside of the class, and leave them in someone’s care.

The most common displays of emotion that come up are tears and sadness. Displays of anger are never appropriate in a group class setting. If a student is behaving in a manner that threatens the emotional or physical safety of another student, then the student must change their behavior, leave the class, or the class must be stopped.

5. Know Your Limits

We are yoga teachers; not therapists or counsellors. While it is within the scope of our practice to create a safe and supportive space for students to experience their feelings, it is not our purview to diagnose, treat, or manage extreme emotional distress. If you have a student who needs additional support, consider referring them to a professional with those skills.

How To Practice and Teach Stepping Forward From Downward Facing Dog

When To Use

We often incorporate this transition casually into our sequences, but it is not easy! It’s harder to step forward from downward facing dog than it is to step back into a lunge from the front of your mat. The stepping forward action is really only appropriate for:

  • vinyasa classes
  • flow classes
  • power classes

So if you’re teaching a hatha or more gentle class, there’s no need to use this transition. It puts a lot of weight on the wrists, requires core strength and hip flexibility, and can feel needlessly discouraging.

Benefits of the Transition

However, if you are working in a flow/power style, this transition gives you lots of flexibility to create fun transitions from downward facing dog into your standing poses.

This transition is also an excellent preparation/education for arm balances (such as tittibhasana) and inversions because it

  • trains the hands/wrists to grip the floor
  • cultivates the student’s connection to the strength and lift of the back leg
  • trains the core and pelvis to lift UP, and
  • trains scapular protraction moving apart, which helps create upper core lift and shoulder stability.

Why It’s Hard

This transition will be difficult for you if you have short arms and long legs. Sorry, my friendly T-Rex’s, but your bodily proportions will make a difference. This transition will also be challenging if you have limited hip flexion (ability to draw your knee into your belly. Limitations in hip flexion may be caused by compression at the front of the hip, either due to the shape of the joint, or simply having more material (belly, thighs) to work around.

So there are some very good reasons why you may struggle with this transition while your bendy friend next to you makes it look like a breeze. It’s not equally easy for everyone.

That said, there are a few ways that will help to maximize your own personal capacity to work this transition gracefully.

In a nutshell, stepping your foot forward with fairy-like lightness requires that you create enough space between your chest and the floor to clear your foot.

Here are five tips to get you closer.

1. Use your back leg to lift your pelvis

It’s easy to forget about the back leg. After all, it’s way back there. Out of sight, out of mind. However, you need the back leg to work in order to get the necessary lift in the pelvis. Lift your back heel way up, roll onto your big toe, and lift your back thigh as high as possible. These actions will help you to get the pelvis high enough to clear space under your body.

2. Use your arms to lift your chest

To create space between your chest and the floor, you must spread your shoulderblades apart. Think cat pose. Widen and lift the upper back as much as possible. If you try to step forward without lifting your sternum up into your back towards the sky, you simply won’t have the lift through your chest to bring a foot forward.

3. Adapt for your hips

Not all hips are the same. Try this. Lay on your back and draw your knee into your chest. How far can it come in? Try taking your knee wider to the side. Can you get it further into your chest/ribs then?

Find your personal sweet spot for bringing the knee into your chest. This may mean that when you step forward, you will take your knee a little wider to the side in order to get more height through the thigh.

Also, take a note: if you relax the front of your hip, can you draw the knee in further? Sometimes the engagement of the hip flexors can actually impede the ability to get the thigh close to the body. If this is true for you, then when you step forward, see if you can downtrain the hip flexors a little bit, keep them more relaxed, and scoop up more from the abdominals. It’s not the easiest thing to do (because you need the flexors to turn on a bit to make this move), but worth playing with.

4. Yep. Core.

The core is important here insofar as it helps to lift your pelvis and your chest up. Also, the hip flexors (which some say are part of the core) will be working to draw the thigh up to your chest. So yes, some abdominal work is required. But they are part of the larger picture of making a “cat back” and getting your hips as high as possible.

5. Hands and Triceps

Use your hands rooting down to help you get more lift up through the chest. Press through your palms and straighten your arms. Remember, you need every precious millimeter of space between your chest and the floor for this transition, so don’t lose any of it by bending your elbows. Engage your triceps to fully extend your elbows and find maximal length through your arms. To feel what it’s like to have truly long arms, try your transitions with blocks under your hands for a few practices. Then see if you can incorporate that feeling into the transition moving forward.

Here’s a video with some visual explanations.

This transition may never be easy, but it can become more easeful over time. Happy playing! And remember, do this transition slowly for best results; momentum doesn’t count 😉

Yoga for Knee Pain

At some point, most of us will experience knee pain. The knee joint is essential in propulsion and weight bearing and experiences a lot of wear and tear over a lifetime. My knees first started getting angry at me from over twisting the joint in ashtanga yoga, then got angry when I started wearing a heel lift (that was a mistake!), and again flared up when I did too much jumping at a dynamic yoga retreat. Oops. Our knees – sweet little modified hinge joints that they are – are subject to forces both from our hips and from our feet. When things go astray in the ankle/calf or the hip, the knee can suffer.

View of knee from top

In addition to an acute impact injury, knee pain can be caused by a wide range of factors:

  • wear and tear over time and wearing down of connective tissue (arthritis, inflammation)
  • bursitis (inflammation of bursa through friction or pressure)
  • meniscus injury (small cartilaginous discs in the knee that are injured often through twisting at the joint)
  • ligament tear (you have 4 major knee ligaments, including the ACL, which may be torn or severed through impact and abrupt twisting)
  • patella pain (the knee cap is pulled “off-track” from it’s happy place)
  • tendonitis (the quadriceps tendon that holds and slides the patella against the front of the joint is inflamed and irritated)
  • hypermobility, where the connective tissue around the knee is too loose and permits structures to move inappropriately
  • IT band tightness (the connective tissue band that runs along the outside of the thigh to the shin becomes overly tight, causing pain or rubbing the femur bone)

To manage your knee pain, you must first go see your doctor or your physiotherapist to understand why your knee hurts. Clearly, yoga will not be helpful for your if you have an undiagnosed ACL tear. Also, someone who is hypermobile will need different physical medicine than someone who is chronically tight. However, if you are a relatively healthy practitioner looking to maximize the good effects of your yoga practice for your knee, then here are five tips for practice to protect this essential joint.

1. Don’t do crazy poses

Yoga has lots of nutsy hip opening poses like lotus or hero’s pose, where you bend the knee and then rotate your hip. While hip opening is one of yoga’s benefits, sometimes practitioners will over-enthusiastically transmit that hip twisting into the knee. That’s a no-no. The knee – although it’s a modified hinge joint and can twist – generally likes to be treated like a pure hinge joint. When you’re practicing positions like hero’s pose, pigeon pose, or lotus pose, make sure to treat the knee like a pure hinge joint. Pretend you can’t twist it. That will help you keep the forces aligned through the joint effectively.

2. Stabilize

Purvottanasana (stretch of east)

The muscles surrounding the knee stabilize the knee. Strengthening your hamstrings and quadriceps can help your knee to function better. Poses like purvottanasana (stretch of the east), bridge, and locust can help strengthen the hamstrings and glutes, while poses like chair, utthita hasta padantusasana A (without holding the leg up) and standing warriors can help strengthen the quadriceps. (A caveat here: strength training exercises such as squats and bridging may be more effective for you than yoga. I love yoga, but it’s not a universal panacea.)

3. Mobilize

Cobbler’s pose, baddha konasana

Overly tight quadriceps, hamstrings, and IT bands can also cause problem. Issues can also arise from tight calves and tight hips (the tension transmits through the connective tissue and affects your knee). Yoga is an excellent practice for supporting mobility. Try these:

Glute/hamstring opening:

Outer hip stretches (IT band, piriformis):

Inner thigh/groin stretch

  • happy baby
  • lizard pose
  • wide legged forward fold
  • cobbler’s pose
  • janu sirsasana

Hip flexor/quadricep stretches

  • high lunge
  • low lunge
  • saddle
  • thigh stretch

4. Avoid unsupported hyperextension

Check out the front leg hyperextension! Back out and engage the muscles around the joint.

If you are hypermobile (can extend your joints beyond straight), it’s very easy to “sit” in your joints without engaging your muscles. Rather than fully extend your joints, keep a slight bend so that you must engage the muscles around the joint rather than rely on ligamentous stability. Watch in in poses such as the following straight legged poses:

  • triangle
  • pyramid
  • standing forward folds
  • warrior 3 (standing leg)

5. Avoid pain, unless directed

There are different kinds of pain. The discomfort that you encounter when you stretch your overly-tight IT band is intense and teeth-gnashy. This, however, is good pain and is useful for your functionality. However, the sharp pain that you encounter in your inner knee when you squish your meniscus is bad pain. If you are encountering pain and you don’t know what it is, then you need to go see your physiotherapist or doctor and find out what is going on. Once you are empowered with this information, you can more effectively use your yoga practice as a tool for improving your strength and flexibility. Until then, listen to what your knee is saying and avoid movements that create or increase discomfort or pain levels.

We love our knees, and want to be practicing with them for a long time!

Happy practicing!

Studio Owners! How To Keep Your Yoga Teachers Happy

Teachers are the life blood of your yoga business. But they’re also one of your biggest expenses. So how do you keep yoga teachers happy? Check out these five strategies for keep the face of your business happy.

1. Be transparent about your costs

Look, the yoga business is not wildly profitable. Competition and costs make running a studio challenging. However, do your teachers know this? Chances are, if your teachers think you are raking in $25 per student head in their class, they’re going to get a little bent out of joint if you can’t give them a raise. A little information about real studio costs and teacher pay rates can go a long way. Let teachers in on the realities of running a studio (for instance, that you’re not earning $25 a head for a drop in, but more like $11). Honesty helps get everyone on the same team.

2. Be transparent about their prospects

In most careers, employees (or contractors) have a sense of their career path. Because of the nature of the business, yoga studios tend to be much more shady. Usually there is no clear pathway forward teachers earning a raise, but nebulous ideas about “generating community” and “abundance.” Be straight with your teachers about their prospects and give them tangible that they can strive for. “When you hit at least 18 people per class, Sharon, that’s our sweet spot.” Or, “We only have a few workshop spots this season, but we can talk about next year.” Find out what their goals are, and let them know what needs to happen in order for them to move forward.

3. Give them perks

Most yoga teachers love continuing education. Even if you can’t give them a high hourly rate, an easy way to create some love is to give your teachers discounts on visiting teachers and trainings. Your teachers get more training, your workshops have more people, your visitors feel popular, and you create some good vibes at your studio. Now, I know that your margins are tight, but do what you can. Give your teachers heavily discounted or (preferably) free classes at your studio. Nothing raises studio morale and community like when having teachers practice in class with their students.

4. Listen

It’s easy to get frustrated when teachers seem to complain. But listen carefully. Teachers are on the front lines of your business and interact very closely with your students and your studio space. They are your best eyes and ears. Studio not clean? Walls look dirty? Mats starting to smell? If you make it clear that you love an open dialogue, your teachers can give you valuable information that you might otherwise miss. Rather than taking feedback personally, treat your teachers like your own team of secret shoppers who can give you valuable intelligence on your business. Giving them a voice and helping them to feel valued will also go a long way to create good lines of communication and positive feelings.

5. Treat them like people, not commodities

A cornerstone of teacher happiness (indeed, any employee’s happiness) is feeling valued. Take a little time to connect with teachers one on one. Attend their classes – not to give feedback, but to simply show them that you value them as a teacher. When you do give feedback, make sure to lead with the positive and emphasize what you think they are doing well. Be proactive about acknowledging key teachers for their contributions. It’s very easy as a studio owner or manager to be focused on the business or – when you’re interacting with teachers – to focus on what needs to fixed and improved; make a special and proactive effort to share the positive stuff, too. A little personalized acknowledgment can go a very long way.

Is Teaching Yoga A Good Career?

I get this question a lot from students who are considering doing a teacher training, or from graduates who are wondering if they should quit their corporate day job. They wonder, “Can I really have a yoga career?”

Here’s the thing: it depends what you mean by “good.”

Here’s what’s good about being a yoga teacher:

  • heartfelt connection to a community
  • sharing what you love
  • you must practice in order to be a good teacher (so it keeps you on track with your own wellness)
  • you are engaging in a rich and elevating philosophy of life and living
  • it’s a life if continual learning, self-examination, and growth

Here’s what sucks about being a yoga teacher:

  • you don’t get paid a lot (see this article for info on how you’re paid)
  • you have to scrap to get more money (see here on how to ask those questions)
  • you usually have to run around town to different studios in order to make ends meet
  • if you want to only teach yoga classes, you’ll probably need to teach between 20-30 classes per week to make a living. I did this for two months one time and then decided never to do that again.
  • to resist burn out, you’ll need to create different streams of income that aren’t only pay-per-hour

Here’s my personal advice: if you want a yoga career – if this is your passion and it’s all you want to do – then you must do it. You will be sad if you don’t, because your dharma is calling you. And if your passion changes in five years, at that point then you must allow yourself to be resilient and flexible enough and allow yourself to be moved in a new direction.

If you love yoga, but you also love having financial security, then blend your yoga with a more traditional way of earning income. Yoga is so forgiving that way! A “yoga career” can look like anything! I know amazing teachers who teach twenty-four classes a week and I know amazing teachers who only teach three. I’ve usually taught anywhere from 5-8 classes per week, combined with a more managerial/educational leadership role in the yoga biz. The combination approach has worked for me and allows me to use different parts of myself in my work, which I like.

Let yoga SERVE your life. Don’t let yoga BECOME your life.

Yoga is a tool to your own personal development, health, and well-being. A yoga career can take so many different shapes. Listen to your heart, listen to the needs of your whole self, and listen to your energy. Stay aligned with joy. And the right relationship with your teaching and your career will naturally arise.

How To Run A Yoga Studio

Six ways to stay in the black

Surviving as a yoga studio is hard. I know: I’ve been behind the scenes at Yoga Works in New York City and YYoga in Vancouver, Canada. Both of these entities are what we would call “corporately owned yoga:” they have multiple locations managed from a central business and central corporate structure.

You’d think that with pass prices going up, yoga studios would see a greater margin for profit. However, that’s often untrue. Rent, staff costs, teacher costs, laundry expenses, equipment costs, and cleaning can start to eat into your profits. Here are six tips for beating the curve.

1. Cut costs

I know, I know…obvious right? However, those small costs can cause a slow hemorrhage that drags you under. You may find that your students grumble when they don’t have the nice shampoo, but they’re really there for the yoga, right? If you’re opening a studio, consider that including amenities like showers (which will require shampoo, conditioner, water, cleaning and laundry) may not be your best investment and will require you to fork over more money in maintenance. Many times, students prefer to pay less for their monthly nut even if that means showering at home. If you do have luxury add ons (or say you’re a hot studio, and a shower feels like a must have), then keep it simple and charge appropriately.

2. Charge more

Again, obvious. But let’s say that you’re renting mats. Are you really charging what it takes to source them, clean them, and dry them? Figure out your true costs. Even if you’re trying to keep the yoga fees low, charge appropriately for add on services.

3. Focus on what you do well

If you’re a mom and pop shop, the reason that students will choose you over a corporate studio or gym is because of the feeling of your studio (like more yoga-ish and authentic) and the intimacy of your community. Don’t compete where you can’t win (amenities, number of classes, bells and whistles). Do what you CAN do really really well. Have community events, encourage teachers to connect with students, and focus on the roots of yoga. Differentiate yourself by doing what a gym or corporate studio can’t: focus on individuals and create an authentic, yoga-delish space.

4. Get lean

At most corporate studios, staff – not teachers – signed in students. However, unless you’re doing a booming business, most smaller studios do well to have (trustworthy) teachers take on this task. It reduces your costs and provides an additional touchpoint for the teachers with the students for community. (However, I’m going to leave the sticky question of whether teachers are independent contractors or employees in your company for you to figure out.) If you do have staff, my experience is that they are very busy during sign in, and then are often under utilized in down time. For a smaller studio, it may be cheaper to have one full-time manager than to have five rotating staff members. When your manager is not signing in classes, they can manage payroll, social media, retail (if you have it), and everything else that goes along with running a studio. (And if this person is you, then you must take the bonus point very much to heart.)

5. Diversify your products

You need a high priced product that can boost your revenue. Teacher training (which nets you at least 3K per student) is a product that helps keep many studios afloat. Invest in creating a branded, customized training, schedule it smartly, market it well, and you’ll have a cornerstone for your revenue for years to come. Not only does it flush out your revenue, it builds and reinforces your community. You run a training, the students start posting on social media and create your buzz for you. You hire your graduates, which then incentivizes students to take your course. Create a passive stream of income by putting some simple courses or classes online. This will never be your meat and potatoes (there are too many people doing it already), but it will help expand your brand and give your students a way to stay connected when they can’t be at your studio in person. Be smart and be lean, but get a toehold in the marketplace.

6. Schedule smartly

Set up your schedule smartly. When can your people come? Close the studio when no one needs to be there. Most studios run early morning classes, lunch time classes, and evening classes. But if your demographic is a bunch of stay at home parents, they may love coming in just after they dump the kiddies at school (9:30 AM). If you have a bunch of 9-5’ers, you may want to tuck in a 50-minute lunch time class (not one that is too sweaty!) so they can squeeze in some yoga over their break. Find out what your community needs and go from there.

Bonus: Don’t do everything

Yes, I mean, don’t try to be everything to everyone, but more specifically, I mean, don’t YOU try to do everything. In a smaller studio, owners almost always start out by doing everything themselves. They teach, they manage, they’re the staff and the cleaning crew (see #4). You must practice some serious self-care and learn to delegate if you want to stay in for the long run. Remember why you started your studio (because you love yoga!). You didn’t start it to become a frenzied, overworked person who never actually gets to take a yoga class. Set up clear boundaries: take a day off, delegate smartly, protect your energy, and let things slide occasionally.

Then take a good look at your students’ happy faces after Savasana. That’s almost as good as kombucha.

Five Things To Do Once You Finish Teacher Training

So you’ve just finished your 200 hour yoga teacher training. Now what?

Here are five things that you should do to get your yoga teaching engine running.

1. Keep practicing

One of the biggest mistakes that new yoga teachers make once they graduate is to focus on teaching to the exclusion of practicing. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard yoga teachers lament that they didn’t have time to practice. However, your yoga practice is the backbone and inspiration for your teaching. Make it a priority to keep your practice as a sacred part of your schedule. In the long run, your commitment to your personal practice will sustain you. It will also keep you from a cardinal yoga teaching mistake: demonstrating while you teach to get a mini-practice in.

2. Practice teach

Practice teach wherever you can. The large corporate studios for which I’ve worked (Yoga Works and YYoga) won’t even look at you until you have 1-2 years of teaching experience under your belt – and for good reason! It takes awhile for all the content goodness of your 200 hour to seep into your bones. After I graduated from my 200 and 500 hour training, I volunteered at Yoga Works in New York City to get my teaching chops up. Worry less about pay (though here are some tips on that particular subject) and more about getting your skills honed. Here are few options:

  • your local community centres
  • your friends
  • your family
  • at your office, or your friends’ offices
  • smaller yoga studios: by donation classes
  • volunteer organizations

3. Get insurance

Yoga insurance costs about $200 a year. You’ll need it before you teach at most studios. However, go ahead and get it right up front. I’ve never had to lean on my liability insurance, but you are definitely better safe than sorry. And you don’t want to wait to get it if you get a job offer, right? Make sure your insurance covers you for at least 2 million, and that it is valid where you plan on teaching. For example, if you decide to teach in Mexico, you want to make sure that your insurance is good there.

4. Clarify your mission

Why do you want to teach yoga? What does yoga give you that you want to share? As you practice and teach, you will start to develop what studio managers call your “teaching voice.” This vague terms is a combination of factors: your tone, your physical presence, and your teaching style. What kind of class experience do you create? Are you passionate about alignment, or do you want students to focus on their breath? Are you energetic and personality driven, or do you fade into the woodwork to give students space for their own experience? Your particularly mission (WHY) you teach will begin to help you shape your teaching voice, which will help you identify yourself more clearly in the market place.

5. Plant seeds

So you know you want to teach at the funky studio down the street? Well then it’s time for you to become part of that community! Attend classes, find out who’s running the show, and make friends with the regulars. Be honest with management about your intentions: “I’d love to teach here. What do you look for in your teachers?” Get to know the decision makers. At some point, you’ll be ready to audition.

Bonus: Patience

The Yoga Sutra say that practice is “consistent, devoted, and for a long time.” Your teaching is no different. See the big picture: your yoga teaching may become a wonderful companion activity that lasts for your entire life, ripe for exploration and evolution. There’s no rush. Enjoy the transition. And the journey.

How To Sequence to Tittibhasana (Insect Pose)

Tittibhasana (insect pose) is very fun pose to try, requiring deep hip flexion, hamstring opening, and a keen sense of balance. Part of the pose requires training the connection between the upper arm and the thigh; by connecting these parts of the body, you can create buoyancy and stability. Candidly, access into this pose (and many of these tighter arm balances) is dictated in part by the structure of the hip joint. Students who have a good deal of hip flexion and longer arms will find it easier to access.

Peak pose: Tittibhasana

Component parts:

  • Hamstring opening
  • Hip flexion
  • Midline (adductor connection, squeezing inner thighs in)
  • Core
  • Hand and wrist education

Here’s the flow sequence I taught. For the sake of simplicity, I am not outlining the transitions. Because it was a flow class, most transitions occurred through vinyasa. I frequently used the “mountain climber” transition from 3-legged dog, where you round forward and draw the knee to the chest or outer upper arm. This action helps to train core, hip flexion, adductor midline, and continued engagement and lift of back leg – all essential in many arm balances.  Linked poses are indicated with “-“.

Use good sequencing sense.

Sequence

  • Sukhasana
  • Surya A x 5
    • taught students to walk to front of mat in small steps, heels down first and palms flat, to begin to train hip lift and open hamstrings
  • Low lunge-half splits flow (to start opening hamstrings)
  • Parsvakonasana with hand to inside of leg (get shoulder inside knee and hug in)
  • Uttanasana, working to get chest to inside of thighs
  • Garudasana – nesting eagle – crescent – lizard (do R/L)
    • Lizard: back leg lifted (trains hip flexion and shoulder/thigh connection, as well as teaches back leg to stay engaged with the back hip lifted).

  • Transition to downward dog by clamping front knee on upper arm and – keeping back thigh lifted – bending front knee to lift up front foot from floor (beginning of eka pada koundinyasana B). You can add a mini chaturanga here.
  • Humble warrior 2 – parsvakonasana with hand inside of leg, trying to bring forearm to the floor – prasarita padottasanana A (R/L)
  • Malasana with twist (to get shoulder/thigh connection) (R/L)
  • Bakasana
  • Crescent – low lunge – hanumanasana with foot reaching slightly diagonally to front corner of mat (to stretch adductor line) (R/L)
  • Flow to low lunge position for eka pada koundinyasana B  (R/L)

  • Peak: Bhujapidasana (with blocks under hands)

  • Tittibhasana (with blocks under hands, big strap loop around feet)
    • Non-weight bearing modification: navasana (boat) with legs working to straight (can bring arms inside legs to approximate tittibhasana)
  • Cool down:
    • baddha konasana (adductor and outer hip stretch)
    • parivrtta janu sirsasana (open side body, stretch adductors) – baby wild thing (stand on bent knee, take arm over head, nice side body stretch and front body opening)
    • reclined twist
    • ananda balasana (happy baby)
    • savasana

Want more? Check out my continuing education courses in Yoga Sequencing and Teaching here.

How To Create A Successful Yoga Career: Six tips for staying focused on your goals

This is part 3 of a three-part series. To read part one of the series on goal-setting, click here. To read part two on Taking Action, click here.

Goal setting is a critical part of achieving what you want in your personal and professional life. Taking steps to accomplish your goals is incredibly powerful and cultivates a sense of personal responsibility, pride, and confidence.

But what happens when you map out a clear goal, take consistent action, yet the results don’t show up in the time frame you planned?

It happens, and it’s frustrating.  

But it also allows an opportunity to reflect and make shifts in the present. Often we focus so much on building for the future we neglect the opportunities are right in front of us. Too much focus on the future also breeds stress and negative thinking. Achieving your goals requires flexibility when things don’t go as planned as well as being open to reassessing your goals.

Eckart Tolle summed it up perfectly when he said:

“Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.”

Tips For Staying Focused

  1. Realize the present is all you have right now.  The past is history, and the future is entirely unknown. You have today. Now. Don’t squander it.  
  2. Remember life is unpredictable and you can’t control everything that may happen in the future no matter how much you plan and prepare. Don’t waste valuable time and energy focusing on what might happen.
  3. Be open to not knowing and discovering new opportunities. Some of the best opportunities present themselves after a big disappointment. Sometimes it takes hardship to shake you up and realize your strength and capabilities.
  4. Focusing too much on the future is stressful. Although some stress can help to motivate you, the importance of not living in the present can be detrimental to your emotional and physical well-being.  Trying to over plan and control the future just prevents you from living in the present.  
  5. Pay attention to your thoughts. Our thoughts are often so clear and specific they feel like facts – although they haven’t even happened yet. When you notice yourself projecting or worrying about the future, realize they are just thoughts and not reality.  Once you are aware of your thoughts, you can redirect your attention.
  6. Flexibility is crucial. Often the most significant results happen by not achieving precisely what was planned and being flexible enough to spot the win.

I would love to talk to you about your goals!  If you’re interested, click here and schedule a complimentary 20-minute coaching session.

How To Create A Successful Yoga Career: Taking Action (Part 2)

This is part 2 of a three-part series. If you missed part one of the series on goal-
setting, click here to read the article.

You have identified a goal. Fabulous!  However, now the “real” work begins. It’s one thing to have a goal but quite another to commit to consistently doing what it takes to get there.  It’s challenging to propel yourself into action – but even more so to stick to your plan.

Why is that?

The biggest obstacle is your mind.  Your mind is incredibly powerful and can work hard for or against you.  The stories you tell yourself and what you believe about yourself can make or break your plan of action.

If you buy into thoughts like:

  • I don’t have enough time…
  • I can’t do it…
  • I have to wait until “x” happens to get started…

Then the game is over before you’ve even stepped onto the playing field!

It’s evident that type of mindset will result in either complete inertia or quitting before reaching your goal.  Also, once you get started, if you don’t take consistent action, you’re not going to make real progress. Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Here’s the truth:  it’s the daily actions you take that will change what you believe about and for yourself.  The key to success is not only creating an action plan but, more importantly, sticking to it.  Commit to the process of taking daily actions instead of worrying about attaining the end goal.

Here are 8 tips for taking consistent action towards career success:

  1. Make time for yourself and your career.  Take a close look at your priorities and don’t be afraid to say “no” to people and things that don’t align with your career and personal goals.  Be willing to reduce or give-up your involvement in activities and projects that aren’t a high priority.
  2. Think creatively.  If you keep hitting the same brick wall, consider other alternatives.  Many roads lead to success so you may have to take an unfamiliar detour.
  3. Be willing and open to learning and trying new things.  Thinking you know it all and resisting help and advice is not productive. Be open to listening and learning from knowledgeable people and resources.  If something doesn’t work for you or sit right, you don’t have to continue.
  4. Review your progress regularly and be accountable for your results. If you are busy spinning your wheels and making little to no progress, it’s time to re-evaluate and re-organize.
  5. Don’t compare yourself and your progress to other people.  There’s a reason for the saying, “compare and despair.” Stay focused on your goals and actions.
  6. Be consistent in taking action.  There will be days you “don’t feel like it” and want to procrastinate.  Don’t fall into that trap; it’s usually a slippery slope!
  7. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Nothing great ever happens inside your comfort zone.  If you think back to your most impactful accomplishments, you will find tolerating discomfort and pushing through fears was part of the process.
  8. Enlist the help of a mentor or coach.  If you are stuck, confused or overwhelmed, a coach can help you see a way through it and regain control.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

If you would like to discuss your career goals and progress with a coach – I would love to hear from you. Just click here to schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery session.

Next Steps:
What actions are you committed to taking to achieve your goals right now? Remember to be as specific as possible; “I’ll have a conversation with my manager by Friday” versus “I’ll talk to my manager.”

Take tuned for the next instalment!

Yoga Teachers: Should I Create a Teacher Training?

Being a yoga teacher is hard. It’s time to think beyond the class to class grind and create a business strategy that helps you not just survive – but thrive financially. While creating a signature educational program can be a keystone of a successful business strategy, not everyone feels the call the be an educator in this way.

So if you want to make a change in how you’re running your business, you need to ask: Should I create a teacher training program?

There are so many great ways to be a yoga teacher and leader that don’t include a teacher training, such as:

  • creating community through classes,
  • creating a vibrant outreach program,
  • running a retreat centre or specialized yoga travel,
  • offering corporate yoga,
  • offering specialized yoga,
  • yoga privates,
  • offering amazing workshops.

OR, you may wish to be an educator, but you feel your niche will be specializing in continuing education programs, online classes, or online mentorship.

So now’s the time to pause and honestly reflect: what is your mission – as a yoga teacher and as an entrepreneur? Once you have clarified your true purpose, we can consider, how do you get above the daily grind and create a business model that really works.

Check out this great worksheet to clarify your mission as a yoga teacher. Jump in!

If the answer is YES, then it’s time to stop waiting and start doing. Check out how I can help you make it happen.

Creating Career Success: How To Deliberately Design Your Goals (Part 1)

This is part 1 of a three-part series.

You want to take your career to the next level and move beyond that survival mindset.  You’re ready to feel like you’re proactively creating versus scrambling and reacting. But, what do you want? Take a few minutes to really think about what YOU desire. Maybe you want to create teacher trainings or impactful retreats. Maybe you’re ready to get out of a survival mindset and stop scrambling. It’s time to think bigger about your career path and be deliberate about taking steps to get there.

It can feel scary to actually dream about and declare what you want.  What if you fail? Where do you even start? It often feels overwhelming to even THINK about your career dreams and goals.

Let’s start at the beginning:

The first step to achieving career success and happiness is being able to clearly articulate where you want to go. Most people don’t walk around thinking about what they really want and creating a plan to get there. If you want to achieve your goals, you actually do need to do the thinking and planning about what you truly want. Otherwise, your life is lived by default. Thinking and writing out your goals is the first step to making them happen. Your dreams and goals are your internal picture of the future. Everyone has them yet many are unconscious and based on personal history versus deliberately created.

Here are five tips for designing your goals and creating a career plan:

  1. Your goals should be a stretch for you but achievable.  Many times we go from one extreme to the other when setting goals.  If you think too small, you probably won’t be excited to go for those dreams. On the other hand, if you design goals that aren’t realistic, most likely you will feel like it’s too much and set yourself up to fail.  
  2. Put aside the “should’s” and other people’s opinions.  Often we set goals based on something we think we “should” do but either aren’t ready to do or it’s not truly what YOU want. Don’t set your goals based on someone else’s opinions or desires. Either of these scenarios will result in you having no real connection to the goal or why you’re even putting in the effort to achieve it.  
  3. Focus on the positive versus limiting yourself a negative mindset.  You don’t want to create goals based on what you don’t want.  It is easier to envision change from a mindset of positivity of what already exists. This calls for you to be imaginative and push aside the limitations you may have created based on where you are right now.
  4. Watch out for the mediocrity mindset. Settling for mediocrity is tempting. It’s easier and more comfortable to sit in “it’s not great but it’s not terrible”. We tolerate, justify and have a list of reasons why it’s OK to not reach for our greatest potential. I promise you weren’t put on this earth to be mediocre or live an “it’s just OK” life. Challenge the human tendency to just settle!
  5. Share your goals with people in your life and who will be supportive. Steer clear of talking about your dreams with those who are prone to focus on the negative. Having positive people in your corner helps with accountability and support. Also the more you talk about your goals, the more likely you are to stay connected to them and follow through.

Action Step:

Take some time to think about what you really want and why. Take the time to research and investigate what you would need to do to get there. Let go of the negative and limiting internal chatter that may tell you it’s not realistic, too hard or you’re not good enough. Focus on deliberately designing goals that reflect what success looks like for YOU.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of this blog series, Taking Action!

Check out the new yoga conference coming to Germany!

This week I caught up with Anastasia Shevchenko, founder of the Berlin Yoga Conference which is coming to Germany this May 24-26, 2019. Anyone have a hankering for Europe in the spring?
Anastasia Shevchenko is the founder and the managing director behind the Berlin Yoga Conference and is a freelance yoga teacher. She is a proponent of authentic yoga experience for self-healing and self-transformation. Her special interest lies in the creation of bridges between yoga, philosophy, science, art, and spirituality. Anastasia’s newest passion is to teach yoga teachers how to best apply themselves in this industry.
As a gesture of appreciation, Ana is offering our community a 10% discount on tickets! Promo code: Rachel-yoga

1. Tell us about this conference – why did you create it?

I put together the Berlin Yoga Conference coming May 24-26 2019 because I wanted to create a transformation space for people to experience yoga in an authentic and life-changing way, no matter what level of practice or personal background. This is why all yoga methods are celebrated, without emphasizing any specific one over others, and there is a strong focus on modern yoga philosophy and its connection to the sciences, although the yoga tradition is respected and put into a proper perspective.

Moreover, I wanted to create conditions for socializing, making friends, networking, and just meeting and connecting to people, with or without any specific goals in mind, enjoying the cultural and musical programs together, the communal food breaks, learning and getting inspired from each other, joining and enriching this expanding international yoga community. This basically covers the motto for the Berlin Yoga Conference: Breath – Learn – Connect.

2. What can visitors expect?

I don’t like the word “expectation”, because it almost always involves some kind of faulty precognition, which then makes it more difficult to experience the true present moment in all of its richness. Of course when one is looking at the website and making a decision whether to come or not, one naturally makes some kind of guesses about what the event is going to be about and if it is worth coming or not!
All I can say that at this point is that I’m trying my best to create and communicate a set of circumstances that are behind the project: the vision, the goals, the venue, the presenting teachers, the program, but how it will all play out at the Berlin Yoga Conference in May 2019 is ultimately a mystery, and I would like to leave room for this mystery to unfold and for true magic to happen. I’m absolutely sure that everyone who comes to the event will experience what they ought to experience, depending where they are on their yoga path and what lessons they need to learn about themselves and others.

3. How is this conference different from other events?

Since the Berlin Yoga Conference will happen for the first time in May 2019, it’s hard for me to speak about how it is “different” from other events – since it hasn’t happened yet. However, we did run already two pop up events in the frames of the conference in May, and they were very special events, according to the energy in the room and the subsequent positive feedback that we’ve got. First, each event featured high-quality programming that was very well though-out in terms of the flow and the fit, as well as in terms of the person leading the sessions. Second, these events came across as were touching, moving, and inspirational, across various yoga methods and formats (yoga workshop, meditation sitting, panel discussion, healing session, performance, and communal meals). Third, the community bonding element always did it’s job: people were gently motivated to leave their protective shells behind, and to naturally open up to others, without being forced or persuaded to do so in a “open your heart” kind of way. For me personally, this last point is very important.

4. What makes this conference unique?

To me, it is this sacred transformational community space that I’m set out to create (and that I have created at the Pop up events previously). Coming from a personal background of migration (Ukraine -> Canada -> Germany), living between cultures, languages, and different value systems (Socialist vs. Capitalist), having cured myself from scoliosis and a broken and paralyzed arm, my yoga path was characterized by self-healing, self-empowerment, and subsequent self-transformation. Now, I’m ready to share what I learned, and also to create a space for others to share what they have learned, in a safe, inclusive, diverse, open-minded, well-organized, well-though out (with attention to detail), and friendly kind of environment.
I think of course that the person behind the project has a very strong influence on setting the intention, values, and culture for the project, but I see my task primarily as that of being a hostess, a “holder of space”, a reader of faces and energies, and this is why I decided against teaching at my own event, so that I can dedicate myself entirely to others.

5. What do you think the future of yoga is looking like in Europe?

Wow, that’s a truly great question that I haven’t been asked by anyone yet, and I really appreciate it! I’m so blessed (or cursed, depending on the day) to work on this project and to learn about the yoga industry on the local, national, and international levels. Because I constantly try to connect and collaborate with people, I get a pretty good sense for where the yoga community is at these days: what are the challenges and what are the really cool and inspiring developments. So to answer your question, here’s what I think based on my experiences so far:
  • I see a tendency towards working with the pool of local teachers that are not “international” yoga stars, because the local teachers have much value to offer and are more pleasant to work with, while the “yoga stars” command fees that are too high for the European market. Sure you will still have a couple of very well-established teachers giving workshops here and there, but these will be the people who will have to adopt to the new circumstances and humble down.
  • I think that the Instagram Influencer days are almost over and that the concept is outliving itself and is becoming boring. People are tuning out of the same old pictures of handstands on the beach or arm balances on the top of a mountain, with some quote pasted on top of it and sponsored yoga clothing. On top of that, the new algorithms are making it progressively more difficult to reach people “organically”, and the companies are cutting down their “influencer” budgets.
  • I’m guessing there will be more and more yoga methods and styles created, with all kind of fusions and cross-disciplinary connections (yoga and dance, music, Eastern philosophy and various healing modalities, fitness directions, etc), because of the need of the teachers to, on the one hand, create a unique offer and occupy a niche in the market, and on the other hand – to express themselves creatively and according to their personal background, talents, and skills.
  • I am positive that because there are just too many (and constantly growing in numbers) yoga teachers out there, there will be many more products and services geared towards them and they would quite naturally have to find others ways of supporting themselves by maybe creating their own yoga brands, products, and services as well. There will be an expansion of yoga entrepreneurship and more funds available to this cause, since it is a booming industry, and all-in-all, that’s creating a positive change for the world, in many ways!

6. How can we find out more?

  • For information about the project, the presenters, and the programming, the best is to access the website.
  • To really get updates, news, and exclusive discounts, the best way is still the Newsletter
  • For cool features on the presenters and the programming: Facebook & Instagram
  • And for any questions and offers to work together, always per e-mail: info@berlinyogaconference.org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWMP_wXmsM&

Eight good reasons to get uncomfortable

  • You want to host your first yoga retreat, but are paralyzed by self-doubt.  
  • You know it’s time to try broadcasting live on Facebook…but can’t work up the nerve to do it.
  • You know you’re not “just” a yoga teacher and have a mission to help people connect with their purpose and live healthier lives, but standing in those shoes feels overwhelming.

What if you don’t succeed?  It IS easier to stick to what you “know.” But, time goes by and you’re doing the same thing day after day, wondering why you aren’t further along in your career.  What happened?

You’re stuck in your comfort zone!  

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe and secure, but too much of it leads to stagnation.  Typically, everything you want is just on the other side of your comfort zone. There is growth and success in the unfamiliar.

It’s time to get comfortable being uncomfortable!

However, this is easier said than done.  As children, we’re natural risk-takers.  But, as adults, we hold ourselves back and tend to try fewer new things.  We are afraid of failure! It’s helpful to connect to the benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone. You are more likely to push through fear if you’re aware of the rewards on the other side.  

Here are eight benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone:

1.Boost Your Confidence

Pushing past your boundaries and taking on the unknown builds self-confidence – even if you aren’t 100% successful the first time.  Every time you accomplish something you didn’t think you were capable of it boosts your self-esteem. Stop thinking about what you could do and start acting!

2.Increase Your Creativity

When you do the same thing day after day, it becomes more challenging to dream and create. New situations require using your creativity to find solutions.  You may even be surprised at how creative you become when faced with a new challenge.

3.Experience Growth

Every time you get out of your comfort zone there is an opportunity to grow.  You can’t evolve and expand if you stick to your regular routines and what’s familiar.  Trying new things will help you learn and navigate life.

4.Opportunity To Practice

That old saying, “practice makes perfect” has merit.  It takes practice to achieve great things, and it typically takes a lot of small gains to achieve competence.  Also, if you do fail, it’s an opportunity to pick yourself up and try again: every time you push yourself to try again, you’ll boost your self-confidence.

5.Live Without Regrets

One of the biggest fears in life is ending up with regrets.  Do you really want to spend your life wondering, what if? If you don’t take actions outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis, it likely what will happen. You have one life so live it to the fullest!

6.Things WILL Change

Yes, they will and often for the better!  New people, new places, new experiences, and new knowledge.  It can feel scary and overwhelming but once you push through the fear and experience change, you will focus more on where you want to be. Change may be exactly what you need to achieve your goals.

7.Build Resiliency

Having the ability to overcome challenges and face them head-on is a magical quality.  When you are able to bounce back from seemingly insurmountable situations, the belief in who you are can carry you to new heights.

8.Increase Your Chance of Success

Success happens over time and is usually a result of taking consistent actions outside your comfort zone.  You become stronger and more confident with each gain you make. Every time you step out of your comfort zone you move closer to your goals.

Remember great things never come from inside your comfort zone!

Yoga Teachers: How Much Should I Be Paid?

At some point, every teacher struggles with the question: how much should I be paid?

Yoga teachers often feel disempowered when it comes to setting pay rates. After all, we are auditioning to teach in a competitive market and usually feel like we need to take what we can get. (If you’re scared about having a heart to heart with your manager about pay rates, read this.) But you must create a business that is sustainable. Even if you’re teaching yoga on the side as a passion project, you should feel adequately compensated for your time and effort. After all, you’ve invested at least $3,000 in yoga tuition, plus all those years of practice.

Based on my 15+ years in the biz, here are some brass tack guidelines.

A caveat: every community is different, and market forces in your community may vary. A teacher may make one salary in NYC and quite another in a rural area in Winnipeg. It’s a good idea to canvas your yogi friends and colleagues in your marketplace to adjust for the financial realities of your particular area.

How Studios Pay

Studios pay their teachers in different ways. These include:

  • set rate for all classes
  • rate based on time (60 minute class is one rate, 75 minute class is another, etc.)
  • per head rate
  • minimum with a per head bonus (ex. you get $15/ class plus $5 for each student after 10)
  • incremental rate (ex. $30 for 1-10 students, $35 for 11-15 students, etc.)
  • percentage split

Established studios will pay a flat rate for their classes because they want to know exactly what their expenses will be each month.

Starting Out

When you’re just starting out, usually there’s a time period of “paying your dues.” For the first year after I graduated from TT, I taught several classes for free in order to get experience ($0/class). I also taught classes for free in order to get a toehold at the studio in which I really wanted to (eventually) teach (again, $0/class). I taught at gyms and small studios where the pay was very low ($20-35/class depending on how many students showed up). After about a year of teaching, I started making what I would call a “new teacher” wage.

Class payrates vary city to city (so adjust accordingly for your market). However, as a general rule, you can expect:

  • brand new teachers “paying dues”: $0-$30
  • new teachers: $30-$40 per class
  • moderately experienced teachers: $40-$60 per class
  • senior teachers: $60-$80 in smaller markets, up to $90 in a larger market such as New York City.

Studio Realities

Unless you’re a corporate entity, running a yoga studio is usually not that profitable. A senior teacher in a prime time slot may look around and think, “There are 30 students here paying $20/class, that’s $600! Why am I only making $60?”

Here’s what the teacher is not seeing:

  • the other five yoga classes that day that only had 6 students (but the studio is still paying the teacher $50/class to show up)
  • even though $20 is the advertised drop in rate, no one is really paying that. With all the memberships and promotions that the studio has to run to stay in business, the real drop in revenue is about $11/head.
  • rent, utilities, insurance, props, staff, laundry, cleaning, marketing: all the other fixed costs that go into running the business
  • the owner needs to pay themselves: usually they’re the last ones to get paid

With all these expenses, the only way out of the “glass ceiling” of class pay rates is to teach at a studio that splits the revenue. For example, we have a by-donation studio here in Vancouver that pays the teacher 70% of the class revenue. I taught for them when they first opened, and it sucked. No one came. I left class with maybe $10 (sometimes $0). But now their business is booming. The teachers who have the primetime slots take home an excellent wage (if there are 30 students paying $10 each, the teacher walks out with $210).

There are very few for-profit studios that run this way (because it’s impossible to budget when you’re paying everyone something different); however, if you’ve hit the glass ceiling at your current studio, it’s worth checking around.

How To Earn More Money

If you want to earn more money as a yoga teacher, you have some other options: privates, corporates, workshops and teacher trainings.

  • Private yoga classes tend to pay more than public classes: $70 (new teacher)-$150 (experienced teacher)
  • Corporates: $100-$300/class (Depending on organization. Work for Facebook and you can even charge more!)
  • Workshops: usually a revenue share with the studio (you should get 70% as the teacher)
  • Trainings: teacher trainings usually charge $3000-$4000/student. If you’re hired by a studio, you may earn $50-$100/hour.

I, of course, specialize in coaching people how to create amazing teacher trainings, so they have a special place in my heart! However, here’s my strong advice: don’t take on any of these options simply for the money! These offerings must align with your vision for yourself as a teacher. If you’re considering alternate branches of revenue, determine first which offerings align with your personal mission as a teacher (Pssstt, you can take this module for free and it includes a section on crafting your mission as a teacher. If you haven’t done that yet, go check it out and just do that part, it’s worth it.)

Tips for Conversations About Money

When you start teaching at a studio, have a candid conversation about pay rates and the process for increases. (If you have a hard time with challenging conversations, check this out. If you want to quickly see how much you’re earning per year based on your hourly class rate, check out this easy calculator.) Unless you’re teaching at a corporate yoga studio or gym, the studio probably won’t have a system in place for reviewing teachers or regulating pay increases. (If you’re working at a corporate yoga studio as an employee, though, they may.) Most teachers are independent contractors and there is little oversight of their work after they are hired. Often the teachers who get pay increases are simply the ones that ask for them. (Although participating in the community, having large classes, and continuing to work on your education may all be factors in your manager’s willingness to say yes.)

When you start teaching at a studio, find out if the studio offers workshops or teacher trainings. If these programs resonate with your teaching mission, it’s a good idea to connect with your manager ASAP to find out how you can apply to be involved.

Last Words

Being a career yoga teacher is challenging.

My hand to god: in my fifteen years of teaching, I had a one-month period of teaching more than twenty classes per week. After that, I said, no thank you. The time spent commuting and the energy output made such a lifestyle unsustainable. I have far preferred to teach 6-10 classes per week and earn my living through other means (albeit within the yoga world as a studio manager, teacher trainer, and educational designer).

There are so many ways to be a yoga teacher; it doesn’t have to look one particular way. Give yourself permission to be creative about your offerings and gives you time for self–care. Let your teaching serve your life.

Create a 7K Course in One Week! Or, not.

Is anyone else tired of seeing, “I made 7K in my online course!” on every social media feed?

These days, education is big business.

Earn 7K in two weeks!

Increase your passive income!

Make a blockbuster course in three easy steps!

Most of these people who are selling these courses aren’t educators. They’re playing on our desire (old as time and the snake oil salesmen) to get rich quick. They’re riding the gravy train of the latest hot ticket. Who wouldn’t want to sit back and watch 7K roll in without lifting a finger?

But crappy education is still crappy education. And here’s the truth: if you create a lousy course, it will undermine your brand and your reputation.

Most of these “three-step-processes to create your course” are focused on how you get your information out; but very little about how the students get the information in. As a result, there are a lot of really, really bad courses out there, all creating this white noise called “education” when they’re really not. See why this is a problem.

There is an art to education. And it’s not in a three-step process.

I am passionate about education and see it as a pathway to human evolution, tolerance, and kindness. That’s one of the reasons that I spent three years earning my Masters in Instructional Design while I was working a full-time job. I’m a huge fan of the modern proliferation of modern education. We can now disseminate knowledge quickly and globally. Mobile phones make it possible for those without a computer to participate (amazing!). We have access to almost any information we need at our fingertips.

But there is an art to education.It’s not just what you teach, it’s how you teach it. And the art of instructional design has a deep and rich history that has been studied, explored and refined for hundreds of years. If you really want to support your students’ growth (and improve your own reputation as an expert), you want to create a course that is fundamentally sound. Not one that sounds like a sales pitch.

Don’t add to the white noise.

Add to the orchestra.

Don’t create a crappy get-rich-quick course.

Create a smart, transformational, and get-more-rich-over-time course.

Over time, an excellent course will provide an additional source of revenue, bolster your leadership and most importantly, support the growth and knowledge of your community.

That is something worth sharing.

For Yoga Teachers: How To Have An Uncomfortable Conversation

How often do you put off or totally avoid having difficult conversations? You know the ones you’ve been intending to have:

  • asking management for more classes
  • taking time off
  • studio policies
  • addressing student complaints, or
  • replacing props

Does the mere thought of speaking up or asking the studio for what you want create a knot in your stomach? Last week, I was working with one of my favorite yoga teachers, Natalie, who was very upset with the studio managers:

I can’t believe the manager is trying to schedule me for all evening classes again. I’ve requested more day classes for the past six months.  I know other teachers were given more daytime classes. And….the studio still hasn’t gotten any new mats!! Obviously, I’m not valued or respected.

I asked Natalie if she had recently spoken to the studio manager about the issue and she responded,

I don’t know what to say. What if she gets upset her angry with me? I’d love to leave, but I really need a good relationship with this studio. Is there a nice way for me to phrase it?

As she continued expressing her concerns, I pointed out that her worries had little to do with the studio manager’s feelings. Natalie was simply looking for a way to avoid feeling uncomfortable. 

What do you mean?” she asked.

As we continued to talk, Natalie realized her number one fear is that her employer will not be happy with what she has to say. The conversation might also stir up conflicting opinions or feelings, and Natalie may even be on the receiving end of criticism or judgment.

Her discomfort deepened as she started to question if expressing herself or asking for something was simply just wrong. 

Am I being unreasonable?  Is it selfish to ask for a schedule change? I should probably just let it go and deal with the evening classes.

If you find yourself in this position – wanting to say something but feeling anxious and avoiding the conversation – realize the first step is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Recognizing and accepting what you’re feeling, versus running away and avoiding it, makes a big difference. These acknowledgments will actually make your situation less uncomfortable. 

Here are my top 10 tips to get you on the road to speaking up and pushing through the discomfort.

  • Don’t put off the conversation.  If you find yourself repeatedly promising you’ll address it next time, now is the time to speak up.  It’s much easier to tackle conversations as situations present themselves.  Not only can you resolve and move past the issue faster but you will also escape the inner chatter that continues as long as you stay silent.
  • Set up a time to have the conversation – no surprises.  You could say, for example,  “There’s something important I wanted to discuss with you.  Is now a good time or is there another time that works better for you?”
  • Be clear about your intention, concerns and feelings upfront.  For example:  “It’s awkward to bring this up and I don’t want to upset you, but I feel it’s important to talk it through.” 
  • Set up the conversation to put the other person at ease from the start. You are setting the tone for the conversation so they are prepared and open to listening. For example: “I want to share with you what’s on my mind and get your feedback. I realize you may have a different perspective and I want to hear you and understand.
  • Be graceful in the conversation. If the other person gets defensive or upset when you speak to them, it probably means you are using too many definitive statements. Qualify your statements with lines like, “I don’t know if it’s true, but this is how I perceived it.”
  • Focus on speaking directly and put your feelings and requests on the table. If you leave the conversation feeling you didn’t fully express yourself and ask for what you want, then you probably used too much tact.
  • When setting up the conversation, start with assuming it’s you. This has nothing to do with being right or wrong, but about never assuming you know what the other person is thinking or feeling. Come from a place of simply wanting to hear what they have to say so you have a better shot at being heard – it usually works.

When you communicate something difficult and it goes badly, it’s usually because there is an accusation in it or an assumption about something they did. If you start with assuming that you bear responsibility, it typically keeps the other person from getting defensive. For example, “I’m not sure if this is true but…”

  • Listen with an open mind, just as you’d want them to listen to you. Put yourself in their shoes and understand what they experienced. The point is to “get” their version. You don’t have to agree, you just have to understand. Acknowledge (and if appropriate apologize) for your part in their negative experience.
  • This isn’t about being perfect, being right, winning or avoiding a fight. It’s about being mature, honest and building better relationships. It’s about being a leader with your communication style.
  • Every conversation will not go as you planned or even as you wanted. It’s also okay to make mistakes at this. It’s okay to need more than one conversation to get it right. It’s okay to be successful with some people and not so successful with others. Remember this is like building a muscle so start with conversations that are slightly uncomfortable for you and build to the harder ones.

Need more help?

Contact me for a free 15-minute consult for additional or specific support!

Three tips for teaching shoulderstand in a group yoga class

First of all, I rarely teach shoulderstand in a public class. Rarely. Let’s say, once a year. Maybe.

Here’s why: in most public class settings, I don’t have enough time or props to set everyone up safely. And by safely, I mean so that the students have enough support to protect their neck and access the proper actions of the pose. Two things get in the way:

  1. our necks don’t bend 90 degrees
  2. our upper backs “fall out” (because our necks don’t bend 90 degrees) and don’t have enough leverage to lift the body up

Take a look: in this photo you can see me doing shoulderstand. Let’s talk about both problems.

The Neck

Don’t be fooled by that measly little blanket in this photo; that’s not a real prop, that’s a piece of propaganda I threw down because I was doing a photoshoot and didn’t have proper supplies. I probably need about three more blankets to support my shoulders properly so that my neck can be a less-than-Exorcist angle.

The neck should not bend at 90 degrees. Full stop. It’s crappy on your ligaments and your blood vessels. And there’s no benefit to doing such an extreme angle (you can practice jalandhara bandha in bridge pose and meditation, I promise).

So just don’t do it. And even if you can do it, don’t make your average Joe student do it.

The Upper Back

The weight in shoulderstand should be on your shoulders – not your neck. When the shoulders aren’t propped, the upper back will round (like we need more of that!) and it’s hard to recruit the thoracic to move in and up to lift the weight of the body. As a result, you start using your hands and arms to hold everything in place like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This ain’t great, folks.

Even in this pose with me trying my darnedest, you can clearly see that my upper back can’t get up into my body to lift the spine. The plumb line is not happening. I also need to bring my tail in more and my toes away from my nose. But without the proper support of my upper back, it’s hard for me to find lift. Now, I can (sort of) pull this off from years of doing shoulder stand without props in Ashtanga. But for your average student in a public yoga class? In every class of thirty students, you’ll have probably three who are fine popping up there. Everyone else will struggle.

How To Teach It

So, should we toss shoulderstand out the window? No! Shoulderstand is the Queen of the asanas! It’s a great pose, and you can still teach the essence of it in class safely. Here’s how.

1. Teach modifications and variations instead

Rather than teach the full pose (body vertical), teach a modification. For a group class, it’s safer and lot faster. In this age of hour long yoga classes, you probably don’t have time to prop everyone up for their individual structure.

When I’m approaching a challenging pose and trying to think of modifications, I always think, “what’s the purpose of this pose?” When you identify the purpose of the pose, you can create appropriate modifications. For shoulderstand, we are looking for a sustainable inversion. Ideally, an inversion that recruits the upper back and unites the whole body in going up.

My favorite (and safe!) modification is putting the hips on blocks. Blocks are available in almost every yoga class. Voila! Sustainable inversion. Because the body isn’t at a 90 degree angle, the pressure is taken off the neck. This pose is easy to get into (have students start from bridge, then slide blocks under) and to exit.

Caveat: teach the actions of the pose, rather than teach this as a restorative pose. Rather than letting students collapse their upper backs towards the floor, have them incorporate the actions of sarvangasana by actively lifting their chest up (like bridge). They should also squeeze their legs together and stretch up through their inner feet. Teaching this pose as an active modification helps prepare your students for the real pose by teaching them the necessary work in this (more more accessible and safe) position.

Here’s another option: half shoulder stand. I don’t like this one as much because there is no graceful entrance (students throw their legs over their heads) and you can lose the action of the upper back. (Tasha is doing a pretty darn good job, but most of your students will let their upper backs fall to the floor.) In this shape, the weight of the lower body is anchored to the upper back rather than the shoulders, and it’s hard to find the action that you’ll need to do the full version of the pose. However, because the weight is on the upper back, the neck is not forced into full flexion.

And of course, there’s viparita karani.

While this pose is a wonderful sustainable inversion, I don’t love it as a shoulderstand substitute because it does not invite any action into the body. It’s restorative rather than active.

2. Use props

If you’re going to teach the full meal deal, then you’re going to to have to use props. The majority of your students will simply not have access to the flexion in their necks that is necessary (and you don’t really want to encourage that kind of flexion, anyway). See this video on why and how to prop.

If you haven’t taught a propped shoulderstand before, let me recommend that you go and take a series of Iyengar classes. Reading the suggestions below will not be sufficient. These folks are the masters of shoulderstand and you should learn from them.

Shoulderstand is hard to prop because every student has a unique structure and will need different support. As a general rule, you need to props the shoulders enough so that there is a space under the neck for the natural lordotic curve of the cervical spine to remain intact (no flattening of the cervical spine) and the upper back to lift. You also need a thin blanket or washcloth under the back of the head so that the head doesn’t stick to the floor (like against a mat). If a student has tight shoulders, he or she will need more props.

As a general rule, start off your students with the following:

  • at least (at least!) four thick blankets per student (folded neatly, all the edges on one side, here’s a great picture), or
  • four foam blocks plus one blanket, or
  • a bolster under the shoulders (usually high enough, but kind of squishy so you can’t get as much action with the arms to help lift the chest)

Have each student use a strap to help gather and hold their upper arms (just above the elbow) that is pre-measured to be shoulders’ distance apart. They will have to put this on once they’re partway up into the pose and take it off before they come out.

You must also consider a “landing strip,” that is, what is supporting the student’s back before they go up and when they come out? The landing strip should be roughly the same height as their shoulder support. If you have blankets, then usually a 4″ block or two will suffice. If you’re using a bolster, use another bolster place perpendicularly to the first. You don’t want your students to crash down to the floor.

I am a fan of doing this pose at the wall so that you use your legs to get up. Set your students up so that they are a torso’s distance from the wall, and then they do a bridge up the wall. See this video.

3. Teach slow

If you are committed to doing the full version of shoulderstand in a public yoga class, then take the time to do it right. You’ll need at least fifteen minutes. Demonstrate the set up, the entrance, the necessary actions, and the exit. Educate your students why they need to prop to protect their necks so they they aren’t so tempted to throw themselves up and into the pose in other classes.

See this video for a step-by-step on teaching shoulderstand.

Or, instead of all this individual propping, do the first modification (bridge with blocks) and have your students in a safe version of shoulderstand in less than twenty seconds.

Shoot me any questions or concerns in the comments.

Practice safe out there, y’all!

How to deal with those talkative students in your yoga teacher training

Every training has a few students who love to talk. These students will be the first to raise their hands to answer questions, dominate discussion groups, and talk at length about their experiences.

Students can be big talkers for different reasons:

  • They process information by verbalizing it
  • They like the validation of being in the spotlight
  • They want to be good students and contribute
  • They hate to leave the class in silence

While having some good conversation starters is useful, it can sometimes be frustrating to manage a classroom environment when you want to hear everyone’s voice and the same students continue to hold the floor. Introverts want to think longer before offering a response, while extroverts tend to speak on the fly. If the discussion space isn’t moderated, your fast talking extroverts will almost always leap in to fill the silence first.

However, a yoga teacher will need to speak audibly and clearly when they are teaching their own class. Practicing speaking out during the training can help your students become more comfortable with holding the spotlight after they graduate.

Here are some of my favourite discussion tactics to help everyone be heard.

Set expectations from the start

I set expectations for discussion participation from the beginning of training by encouraging students to self-reflect on their habitual participation. I’ll usually say, “Teacher training is a place to learn to share your voice as well as hold silence. Both are important skills for a yoga teacher. Notice your habits. If you’re always jumping in to speak, consider holding space and silence. If you are not speaking to the group, then consider stepping in sooner.”

Setting expectations early can also help you avoid wounding egos if you ask certain members to practice holding back. After all, holding space for silence is also an incredibly important skill for a yoga teacher to cultivate.

Choose students to speak

To avoid having your fast talkers jump in first, you can call on certain students to share. However, I will only call students out to share when I know there’s no danger of them not knowing the answer to a question. For example, I’ll ask them to share their reaction to a sutra or give a personal response so they don’t feel they are being ambushed.

Put them in partners/ small groups with timers

If you put people in partners or small groups and give each person a certain amount of time to talk, everyone will have a designated space to participate free from interruption.

Assign them to speak…tomorrow

One great tactic is to assign students to share on a topic the following day. For example, you could give each student a sutra to share or a homework assignment to present. By giving the topic in advance, you make sure that your students have time to prepare and feel ready.

The classic, “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t shared yet.”

When facilitating a discussion, it’s perfectly fine to ask to hear from students who have been quiet. Be willing to hold the space and silence until someone is ready to speak.

Have students raise hands to speak

While it’s common in many trainings to let students “popcorn participate” in group discussions (where they pop in their voices into the discussion without raising their hands), it can be useful to have a more formal discussion structure where students ask to speak. You can then choose to call on students who may have not been as forthcoming, and spread the verbal sharing around.

One last note:

For your students, taking a yoga teacher training provides an opportunity to address and overcome a fear of public speaking. Even students who are taking the course for self-development (and not to teach professionally) have the chance to hold space to be heard. Helping your students learn to share their voice in a public space can help the build confidence and develop life skills that extend far beyond the yoga classroom.