What does a yoga instructor say to novice students who struggle to do a specific yoga pose? Next time, YOGA-ta, try harder! Aside from that, the instructor may invite them to a basic yoga workshop where much will be discussed and practiced. Identifying what should be in a yoga workshop for beginners will help in the delivery and execution of an effective yoga program that they will enjoy.
Six things to include in a yoga workshop for beginners:
- Beginner Poses
- Simple Cues
- Uncomplicated Transitions
- Yoga Jargon
- Free Space for Questions
- Proper Breathing Tips
Yoga seminars, in general, center around discussions, presentations about theory, and practice. However, starting with theoretical discussions is not ideal for a beginners’ workshop. In this article, I’ve listed and elaborated on things you might include in your yoga session for beginners.
Beginner Yoga Poses
Because it’s a beginners’ course, you have to assume that your attendees would be those who can’t reach their feet, can’t execute intricate postures, and are still discovering what yoga is all about. It’s a good idea to introduce and teach the basic yoga poses in this workshop.
You can include the beginner, standing meditation pose, Tadasana, also called Mountain Pose. This stance is known as the Mother of All Yoga Poses and is simply done by standing with your feet together and your arms at your sides, then simply extending your arms up as you inhale. Other examples of introductory yoga pose you can consider teaching are Shavasana (Corpse Pose), Balasana (Child’s Pose), and Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I).
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Simple cues for yoga instruction
When instructing beginners, basic cues should be used to ensure that they grasp what you teach and that you do not overload them. After all, everyone’s memory is finite and information overload may be distressing, which runs counter to the spirit of yoga.
The succinct step-by-step explanation of each pose’s procedures is an excellent example of an easy-to-understand cue you may utilize in your yoga classes. Let’s say when teaching the Mountain Pose to your students, instead of saying “raise both your arms to your side and level it with your shoulder,” you may say, “lift your arms to your side and make a T formation.” This will be much easier for them to comprehend.
It’s also a good idea to demonstrate the postures beforehand. After posing, instruct your clients to do the pose themselves and closely observe to ensure that they are executing the postures correctly. You should also instruct them to use the appropriate props along with their poses.
Uncomplicated Yoga Transitions
Basic transitions are what comes following basic yoga postures. It’s not a good idea to incorporate hard transitions like the Pistol Squat to Crunch Transition while teaching yoga in a beginners’ course. Doing so could only lead to injuries or beginners backing out from your workshop. To be fair, even the most fundamental shifts are difficult.
It’s ideal to incorporate the simplest transitions. Instead of instructing your new pupils to move to a prone or seated position, you could simply ask them to lie on their tummies or sit. This makes it easy for your students to understand and practice.
Yoga Jargon
You can also teach your new students about yoga jargon to make your lectures and directions more comprehensible. You never know when or where an unknown term may appear, and it’s unlikely that your new students will understand it. Some of the words for yoga techniques, such as Vinyasa and Pranayama, may be unfamiliar to your them. When using such terminology, attempt to clarify each briefly, or set out a segment of your workshop to discuss yoga jargon commonly used in yoga.
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Some must-know yoga terms you can include in your workshop are:
- Sun Salutation – This alludes to a sequence commonly used in several vinyasa-style yoga practices.
- Chaturanga – Refers to a yoga pose that is similar to a low plank.
- Solar Plexus – Also known as Manipura and refers to the upper abdomen.
- Anahata – Refers to the heart or the center of the chest.
- Muladhara – Also known as the root and basically refers to the base of the spine.
Free Space for Questions
Setting aside time in your beginner’s session to address inquiries is also a smart idea. This can increase the value of your workshop because your students will not go home with a lot of unanswered questions in mind. This can also help you analyze how effective your workshop is and identify areas for improvement.
A question and answers portion in your workshop may help you interact with and understand your students better, especially since the questions may not all be technical or yoga-related. For example, one of your pupils might inquire about your personal life.
Proper Breathing Tips
Last but not least, you must include a portion where you focus on teaching and practicing good breathing. They need to learn that breathing is at the heart of yogic practices and shouldn’t be done through their mouths, as this method can be hazardous while doing yoga.
To begin, consider addressing the advantages of breathing via the nose, as well as the harm of breathing through the mouth. After that, you may move on to teaching the fundamentals of proper breathing.
Conclusion
The six things that can be included in a beginners yoga workshop are: 1) Beginner poses like Tadasana, 2) Simple cues or instructions, 3) Uncomplicated transitions, 4) Yoga jargon, 5) A free space for answering questions, and 6) Proper breathing tips. Including these in your workshop will most likely interest your new students and take the session beyond mere stretching and highly theoretical discussions.
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The three essential items you must carry for each yoga session are a water bottle to stay hydrated, a small towel to avoid becoming sticky from sweat, and a mat on which to practice your poses.
A workshop is longer than a typical class and allows yogis to go deeper into certain topics, refine aspects of yoga practice, learn new styles, or just have a great time. Aside from physical work, workshops might involve talks about theories and philosophies.
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Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Yoga Fan
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online yoga business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a yoga business owner in public at a studio or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Yoga Business Boss: I want to help future yoga business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.