If you are a new yoga teacher then there are many things that you are probably trying to accomplish in a single class. Teaching yoga is a continuous process. And to be honest, there is nothing that can be achieved with a single session of yoga teacher training. So, being patient is the key! Yoga teaching is an overwhelming job. And if you don’t know the right techniques to teach, then it can get more taxing on your mind and body. So, here are some tips that you can follow to be a good yoga teacher-

1. To be a yoga teacher, you must have your own unique voice. It might feel a little difficult initially but once you understand your students and you gain confidence, you will be able to accomplish this. By unique voice, we don’t mean the tonality of your voice or your pitch; we mean your own style of speaking to your students. Just because some yoga trainer speaks in a strict way to their students, doesn’t mean you will have to do the same. You can be polite and to-the-point at the same time, without being harsh on your students.
2. So, you know a lot and you want to tell your students about your experiences. But a good yoga teacher makes minimum ‘I’ statements. Avoid using ‘I’ statements as much as possible. When you tell students what difficult feats you have achieved in life, they tend to get distracted. A bit of distraction through discussions is healthy and keeps students rejuvenated through the yoga session, but a lot of it will undermine the purpose of teaching and learning yoga.
3. Just because you are in the class, doesn’t mean you will have to keep talking. Say only those things that you deem important for your students. You might personally be talkative in nature, and it might be your hobby to talk to people at all times. But that certainly isn’t going to do any benefit to your students. In fact, if you do a lot of talking during classes, they will fail to focus on their poses or on anything else. Remember, a yoga class is all about focus and unshaken concentration, and you, as the trainer, shouldn’t be the reason behind the loss of concentration of your students.
4. While making a concept clear to your students, try to avoid words and sentences that are of no use. Basically, you will have to avoid filler languages completely. A lot of teachers use filler words to make their speech seem full of content, but that certainly does no help. Besides, filler languages are distractive in nature. They can make the things you intend to say sound vague and ambiguous. If you want to get your point straight across to your students, then say things without using filler words.
5. Speaking is an art and if you are not a good speaker, you will not be able to connect with your students. So, practice speaking! Try to be as clear and concise as possible. To have a hang of how you look while speaking, you can speak in front of a mirror. This is a time tested and effective method, and it almost always works. Speaking in front of the mirror will not just boost your confidence but will also help you correct posture problems and body language issues, if any.
6. You probably know a lot of yoga jargons but avoid using them every time you say something. The use of yoga Lingo should be in the minimum. This is to make sure your students understand all the things you say. Yes, we understand their use becomes necessary at times. But make sure you describe them outright to ensure your students learn a lot from your lectures. And if you think there are other simpler ways to put things in front of your students, adopt them without doubts and apprehensions. At the end of the day, what matters is your students’ understanding of the subject.
7. If you want to be an effective teacher, then film yourself teaching. This will not just help you gain confidence but will also help you correct your body language. This is a great alternative to speaking in front of the mirror. But this method is certainly more useful than the mirror method. Wondering why? Well, that is because when you film yourself teaching, you don’t just benefit from watching the clip immediately after the filming is done, but can also refer to it in the future. This way, you will also be able to keep track of your improvement over time.
8. No matter what you teach, there should be a flow in your teaching. Jumping from one concept to another and then creating inconsistent scenes, will only confuse your students. This flow can be created only when you are thorough with the topic to be discussed. If it’s about the history of yoga, try to follow the chronology of events. This way, you will not miss even a single important point. Besides, things will flow smoothly without hiccups.
9. Understanding your students well is the key here. Listen to their stories and find out why they want to associate with yoga. This way, you will be able to be of better help to them. Remember, different people need different teaching approaches. While some fair well with concepts explained, others do better when they are shown things practically. So, you will have to adopt approaches based on the requirement of your students.
10. Be punctual. Never extend your classes and don’t be late to a class. And when the time finishes, dismiss the class. This is a way to communicate positivity to your students. Discipline is an important part of yoga. And it is this discipline that will radiate from your punctuality.

Aren’t these some really amazing tips to follow for any beginner level yoga teacher? Well yes! So, what makes you wait? Try out these tips and impress your students in an effortless manner.

Author’s bio-

Devakar Sandhu is a yoga expert and trainer, providing yoga teacher training since 2010. His long association with yoga at Ekam Yogashala has always enabled him to be of great help to his students. He is a knowledgeable yogi, who is ever enthusiastic to hand down his wisdom to people around.