Teaching Vinyasa Yoga is not easy. In fact, it is more challenging than Hatha Yoga or Yin Yoga. Why is teaching Vinyasa Yoga challenging? Vinyasa Flow classes are dynamic practices in which we continuously move from pose to pose. Most postures are held for only a few breaths before we transition to the next pose. As a teacher, you must be fluent in your instruction while also being quick in detecting and verbally or manually adjusting any misalignments. There are six main challenges and therefore six valuable tips on how to teach Vinyasa Yoga for all levels. Read on to learn about how you can work on mastering them and becoming a skilled Vinyasa Yoga teacher.
How to Teach Vinyasa Yoga For All Levels
1. Be a Teacher, Not an Instructor – Get Off Your Mat!
It is easy to confuse the roles of a teacher and an instructor. An instructor simply provides or explains instructions about how to do an asana or exercise. They typically stand in front of the class, demonstrating the asanas for students to follow. An instructor is more concerned with what to do and how to do it, following a set pattern, sequence, or instructions. A yoga teacher, however, focuses on helping each student meet their individual goals. A yoga teacher walks around the class, observing, helping, correcting, and adjusting students. You should make a clear choice about whom you wish to be.
Many teachers, especially when teaching Vinyasa Yoga classes, simply roll out their mat at the front of the classroom and practice along. While this may be common in online classes, live classes offer the opportunity to provide more value than just demonstrating and guiding from your mat. At Pure Yoga Teacher Training, we train our teachers to teach away from their own mat. As a teacher, you can only truly assist and help your students if you walk around and adjust your instructions and sequences to the needs and capabilities of your students.
2. Practice What You Teach – Before the Class
As discussed in the previous point, a teacher doesn’t use their class time to do their own asana practice. Test your class sequences on yourself and practice them before you teach. This will help you detect any illogical or overly challenging transitions and will help you remember the sequence when you teach. The more seasoned a teacher you are, the less these practice rounds are necessary. However, when introducing a new sequence, pose, or transition that you haven’t practiced in a while, make sure to include it in your own personal practice.
3. Break It Down, Then Build It Up
As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure a flow and build-up that keeps your students safe from strain or injury. For example, many teachers make the mistake of jumping straight into Surya Namaskara A at the beginning of the class, which can easily lead to common yoga injuries such as a torn hamstring or rotator cuff inflammation.
An experienced teacher starts the class with stabilization and mobilization postures that prepare the body. From there, build up the Sun Salutations through an adapted Surya Namaskara A Flow (we call it Easy Surya Namaskara A). Instead of starting with the traditional version, first break it down into easier parts and then build it up again. Regardless of the level of your students, it’s advisable to start with 3-4 Easy Surya Namaskara A before practicing the traditional and vigorous full version.
Similarly, allow yourself and your students to occasionally break the flow for a short pose or transition demonstration. This involves interrupting the steady flow of movement to explain important pointers concerning alignment and postural awareness. Remember, it is your job to ensure that students do not overextend themselves and continue to listen to their bodies.
This principle also applies to offering easier versions of poses first before showing your students how to challenge themselves further into the full pose. For example, with Extended-Side Plank (Utthita Parshvakonasana), many students might overdo it and experience knee pain if they try to jump into the full pose. By offering the safer version first and occasionally giving the option for the more challenging full version, you respect your students’ individuality and help them reach their goals safely.
4. Don’t Talk Too Much (It’s Not About You!)
In a relatively fast-paced Vinyasa Yoga class, continuous instruction from the teacher can start to feel overwhelming to students. Limit your instructions to what is necessary and make space for silence. Especially beginning yoga teachers struggle with silence, feeling the need to fill it with well-meant but unnecessary talking. Train yourself to relax into moments of silence – your students will enjoy your class much more.
Remember, the class is all about the students’ experience, not about you. Teaching, as opposed to instructing, means putting the students’ interests first. A yoga class isn’t a performance, beauty competition, or showcase of your own practice. The more you focus on your students rather than your own presentation, the better you serve them.
5. Include a Proper Cooling Down & Final Relaxation
Especially when teaching a Vinyasa Flow class designed to challenge students’ stamina, many teachers go full-on from beginning to end. Keep in mind, this might be the only class some of your students attend during the entire week. They should leave the class feeling invigorated but also relaxed and nourished, rather than drained with muscle ache awaiting them the next day.
Ensure your students leave the class proud of themselves and nourished to take on their daily tasks with positive energy by including a proper cooling down and a final relaxation of at least 5 – 10 minutes. This precious hour is a break from their work and daily life, providing time for themselves.
6. How to Teach a Well-Rounded Vinyasa Yoga Class
There is no official founder of Vinyasa Yoga; it evolved from the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga tradition developed by Patthabi Jois. In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, breath is coordinated with movement. This practice is the source of most Vinyasa, power, and flow style yoga practices popular in the West today.
Modern Vinyasa Flow Yoga, also known as Power Yoga and Flow Yoga, is best described as Freestyle Ashtanga Vinyasa, as it doesn’t adhere to the rigid structure of Ashtanga Vinyasa. Many Vinyasa Flow classes follow the basic structure of the Ashtanga Primary series, starting with Surya Namaskara A and B but then offering different sequences thereafter. There are no fixed series of poses, allowing for a changing syllabus of poses. You can explore poses from the Ashtanga first, second, and third series in a more accessible manner.
Keeping these principles in mind, here is a basic Vinyasa Flow Yoga template for all levels (75 min.):
Initial Relaxation (2-3 minutes before class start)
Seated or Standing Meditation or Breath Focus | 5 min.
Initial Warming-Up Exercises (e.g., cat-cow, arm circles) | 5 min.
Surya Namaskara – 3 Easy Surya Namaskara A, 2 Full Surya Namaskara A | 10 min.
Standing Asana Flow – Woven into Surya Namaskara A and/or B | 15 min.
Seated or Supine Core Work | 3 min.
Arm Balances (in more challenging classes) | 2 min.
Prone Backbends – Focus on Strength, Then Flexibility | 5 min.
Seated or Supine Twists | 3 min.
Forward Bends and Hip Opening (e.g., Seated Forward Bend, Shoelace Pose) | 5 min.
Inversions Sequence to Calm/Cool Down (e.g., Shoulderstand, Plough Pose, Headstand) | 7 min.
Guided Final Relaxation | 10 min.
By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure a well-rounded, safe, and enjoyable Vinyasa Yoga class for all levels, encouraging your students to come back for more every week.
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