In the old days of yoga, an instructor in yoga would train a student one-on-one, and then the student would go on to train someone else, and so on. Things have certainly changed. It’s not always affordable or convenient to take private lessons, so most of us drop into a class when we can. This can be problematic because the wrong instructor can cause injury, strain, stress, or just be plain unhelpful. This means that yoga students should take some time to ask a studio questions about its teachers and try a few classes before jumping into a financial commitment.
Here are some things to watch for before committing to a yoga instructor.
1) The yoga instructor should be practicing what he or she teaches.
2) Small class sizes are helpful if you desire one-on-one work.
3) The yoga teacher should listen to you and assist in making appropriate adjustments for your body.
4) A yoga teacher should challenge you. It isn’t supposed to be easy, but you should feel supported and ready to rise to a challenge.
5) Your teacher should be certified by an accredited school. There are many great places to become a certified yoga instructor. Naturally, teachers continue to learn as they teach
6) Some of the best instructors have a knowledge of anatomy.
The list above is just to think about. Some people feel that yoga instructors should be vegetarian in order to keep their teaching pure and unsoiled, some feel that a yoga master should be able to take on large classes and still zero in on individuals.
What it really boils down to is your comfort level. Are you comfortable in the classroom? Does the yoga instructor make you feel secure, empowered and ready to work out? Do the poses make you feel better? If the answer to any of these is no or something else feels off, go find yourself another yoga instructor.
At Root Whole Body, we are very proud of our yoga instructors and we think you’ll like them too. Drop in for a yoga class and get in touch with your inner and outer self!
Photo By: Lululemon