8 Tips to build your confidence as a new yoga teacher
By Ashley Ahrens
Have you recently finished your yoga teacher training and had the thought: omg I’m a YOGA TEACHER NOW? I HAVEN'T A CLUE WHERE TO START!!
We hear you!! Every yoga teacher starts as a beginner at some point - so constantly remind yourself of that fact!! I’ll tell you my story of being absolutely TERRIFIED to teach yoga and follow with some tips for you to try and boost your confidence as a new yoga teacher!!
I was absolutely terrified to teach when I completed my first teacher training (TT)! My first TT was a month intensive and at the end of that month I had learned a lot about yoga and philosophy, I had done a lot of yoga and my body was so sore. BUT was I prepared to teach people? NO not even a little bit!
I remember during my training we were supposed to teach a free public group class one morning, and when my morning came, I became so ill that I couldn’t do it. I was actually happy that I became ill because it was the better of the two options at that point!!! I still kind of think that I may have manifested the sickness and was so petrified to teach others that my body just shut down.
When I came back to Canada to try my hand at teaching, I was still so scared - for a few years! When I moved to London, the fear came back - I felt like I knew nothing and was a total fraud!! I know it’s hard to imagine now, but I used to be absolutely terrified of public speaking. I would turn all red and feel faint and like I was having a meltdown. In university I had to do public speaking and presentations on my genetics research (I used to be a cancer genetics researcher…) to Doctors, Nurses, Grad students and other researchers - this was terrifying, especially as I was presenting to experts (who would ask incredibly complex questions about the research and my knowledge on the subject) but I had to do it to receive my grades and grants to continue my work. This time was super valuable as it got me to reframe my fear of public speaking to “not having a meltdown and forgetting my name” to “wow this really is terrible and I would like to be anywhere but here but let’s get it done and you know what you’re talking about so you’re fine!!”
There was a ton of inner dialogue and self-pep talks, trying to cancel out the voice of fear, and it worked - eventually to the point of not even thinking twice about public speaking.
As the years have moved on from the initial yoga teacher training its been a journey of learning and continued education: firstly putting off teaching yoga for a while, forcing myself to find the courage to teach friends and family, starting a public class and teaching yoga more regularly, memorising things I wanted to say, trying to say things in ways that other teachers said, and then eventually finding my own voice and really understand my role as a yoga teacher and an observer, not just a presenter.
My fear of public speaking is pretty much gone now, I still feel a little panic if I feel pressure to provide a great class (event or something similar), but have to remind myself to come out of that panicked feeling and into my role as a teacher/expert who does in fact know how to teach yoga. How interesting is it that you can instantly feel so small and insignificant and like a total imposter though??!
If I have to public speak anywhere aside from teaching I still feel a bit of fear, even though I stand and speak in front of people almost everyday!! I noticed this when I spoke at my sister’s wedding a few years ago, I felt so nervous and was like “what is actually going on Ashley, this is your family and you public speak almost every day!!”
REMIND YOURSELF: EVERYONE IS A BEGINNER - even the most highly respected yoga teachers were at one point. We all have to start from somewhere! Think of this as a time to learn a lot about yourself and how to craft your skills to BECOME a great yoga teacher.
Here’s some tips that helped me build confidence as a new yoga teacher:
BE OVERLY PREPARED: Plan your sequence in advance
The more prepared you are, the less mental energy you will have to expend on trying to think about what you are teaching while you’re teaching; you will be able to observe yourself teaching and adjust as needed depending on who you are teaching to. Draw out your sequence on a piece of paper and bring it with you, set it down on the floor next to where you’re teaching. Yes it is perfectly ok to have notes with you at the front of the room! I did this all the time - I had a PDF printed out and could quickly take peeks at when I forgot what posture was next (and this happened loads!!).
Teach the same sequence for a while
I’ve met so many teachers who feel like they can never teach the same thing twice. This is honestly such a big waste of your time and energy. If you are always changing your sequence, you will always be in your own mind and not with the students so much. The students (who are there to LEARN yoga from you) need repetition to learn the postures. If they never repeat, what are you teaching them? Students probably won’t even notice the same sequence if you teach it to them twice in the same week. Think about the most well know teachers out there - they are usually teaching the exact same sequence or close variations of it all the time. That’s how you build a student base - you are there to teach yoga not to perform and be a creative sequencing master. Have a base outline of how you wish to teach and then change a few postures here and there and it will be a totally new experience for your class, and YOU will not have to be constantly thinking about the next pose.
Have alternatives for postures and sequences/movements in mind BEFORE you teach
You WILL have a mixed level of students in your class - some will have injuries, some will be hypermobile, some will be beginner, some will be “advanced”, some may be blissfully unaware of left and right, and you may even have a pregnant woman come. How will you help all of these people and not ignore them (they can tell when they’re being ignored!)? You should have your sequence planned, but it should also be adaptable to everyone who is in the room. If you have a few beginners and some regular students, do you change the whole format of the class to cater for new people? The regulars may be upset as they have expectations and are there for to practice the yoga that makes them feel better. You shouldn’t have to completely change the tempo of your class for newbies but you should be prepared to support them with alternatives so they still feel welcomed and can decide what is best for themselves and their own ability (btw they may absolutely LOVE trying a crow pose having never seen one, and maybe be more intrigued with what they can achieve in the yoga classroom, and keep coming back….you will have to read the energy here. If they look defeated then give them an option to rest and assure them it's okay to skip postures!).
How do you modify a sun salutation? What are pregnant women meant to avoid doing? When it comes to injuries - you aren’t a doctor (unless you are) - so you don’t have to have all the answers to people’s health issues and shouldn’t be advising people unless you have expertise on a subject. You are responsible to guide them through a safe practice, however, but most people have enough awareness to not do something that is painful. Most likely when you start teaching you will have All Levels classes - if you are teaching something trickier - make sure people can try it and not hurt themselves or feel like quitting and like a failure. Don’t teach ridiculous postures in All Levels classes just because you can do them and think they’re neat - what do the students actually need? Chin stand (I have strong opinions about this pose - totally unnecessary and quite dangerous for the vast majority of people)? Leg behind the head (and a muscle tear because their body is nowhere near ready to go there)? Or an achievable challenging posture like warrior 3 to standing splits and maybe even a tiny little bunny hop? Want to put in an arm balance? Go ahead! But have alternatives (example: side crow OR twisted chair pose, crow pose or yogi squat).
Think about when you first started yoga - what postures did you see that you thought were amazing and like you could actually try?? I remember absolutely loving half moon pose with a block, a lunge (anjaneyasana), crow pose, and even an arm variation in triangle or warrior 2, WHY? Because they felt incredible to my weak, stiff desk body.
You’re teaching people about their body and their awareness of breath and mind - not about being a gymnast or contortionist, most people don’t want to become yoga teachers so remember they may not care about the super fancy postures we may enjoy. Those postures may scare them and make them think that yoga isn’t doable for them. Its always about the students, not the teacher!!
If you play music - make your playlists in advance and make sure your tech works (have your plugs, adaptors, charged phone/device).
The more prepared you are before the class even starts, the more calm and focused you will feel when it comes to teaching. If you’re feeling scattered and worried about music and your disorganised playlist on your phone, your mind is elsewhere. Have a bunch of playlists to use so you don’t have to constantly create new ones all the time. I have a library built up over the years - I label them the type of yoga and the minutes/length of the class. If I’m teaching a 75 minute Vinyasa class all I have to do is pick one playlist I’ve made and press play and I don’t have to touch it until I’m done teaching the class (you gotta time in wind down tracks and ones specifically for savasana). You do not need to have fresh music all the time, you’re not a DJ (unless you are of course!). Lots of students enjoy repetition of playlists anyways, I know I do - because then you’re not distracted by the music so much and more in the practice itself. Repetition of music also helps the student to connect to the emotion of what they felt in the previous class, so it may help relax and centre them even more because of the continued work you’re doing together.
As you start to teach yoga and encounter different complications in your classes (pregnancies, hypermobility, prolapsed discs, sore backs, scoliosis, etc etc etc) GO HOME AND LOOK THEM UP!
I promise you, injuries and things like this are not one offs, but something you will encounter frequently as you continue to teach. Please continue to study anatomy and movement and take courses online (there are free ones!!) or workshops specifically geared towards yoga teachers by experts in our own community. Knowing quickly how to help someone with x, y, z will help remove that sense of panic when they tell you about what’s going on with them. You aren’t meant to save them and have all the answers to their concerns (and please don’t give medical/health/psychological/nutritional advice unless you are qualified to do so), tell them clearly that you aren’t qualified to help with x, y, z, BUT they can try a, b, c to avoid injuring themselves or causing further compromise to their body OR tell them the class is not suitable for them if that’s the case - BE HONEST. This gives THEM the agency to take care of themselves and understand clearly that you are a Yoga Teacher, not a practicing health professional. You will encounter many people who sincerely believe you will have all the answers to their ailments, so don’t be afraid to tell them otherwise. There are many teachers out there who do give advice without having any training or expertise because they are not drawing a clear line between yoga and medical/mental health, or somehow believe that they are qualified to advise because they’ve been asked and trusted as an authority (ego trip). You are absolutely allowed to listen to your students problems, but offering advice you aren’t qualified to give is just not ok if we want to maintain professionalism and respect as Yoga Teachers. Keep studying and ask your community for advice, ask senior teachers (this is why we started this group!!), we are here for support and to HELP you become great teachers. You’re not alone!
Listen and observe how your favourite yoga teachers teach a class. Listen to their cues, listen to the moments of silence given to the class
You don’t and shouldn’t talk the entire time - students need to go inward and observe themselves, if you are talking the whole time they are losing that opportunity to notice themselves - and its about them not you. If you feel uncomfortable in moments of silence, observe that in yourself and work through it in your own practice, not in theirs. One of the best pieces of advice I was given as a new teacher (and yes I was uncomfortable in moments of silence too and talked way too much in my first couple of years!) was “say about 3 cues per pose, and then give them silence to absorb that info” - people need a moment or two to actually digest and comprehend what you say in your cueing. You do not need to fully explain triangle pose every time you teach it. This is a practice that people repeat and learn over time - they are capable and intelligent and are learning through your guidance. Plus you can’t teach everything you know in one go! Go to your favourite teachers classes as like a little experiment and study, and really listen to what they are saying. Learn from them!
Build your confidence by teaching yoga to brand new practitioners - volunteer at a youth centre or somewhere where people cannot afford to pay for yoga classes
They probably won’t know much about yoga and will be total sponges to everything you have to say - remember - YOU are the expert in this scenario as you know something about yoga, and how it helped you - and they want to learn that. Also they won’t know if you make little mistakes (because you will, everyone does, it's a continued process of doing, learning, making mistakes, learning, changing, adapting, evolving, questioning, observing….). Don’t worry about being perfect or if you make mistakes explaining something, as long as you aren’t hurting someone its fine! No one is perfect, and I even to this day catch myself saying something that a moment later I realise is wrong. I correct myself in class and make a joke about it in front of everyone, they know you are human and making mistakes and being willing to correct yourself makes you more relatable to the students, if you’re more relatable you will develop better and more authentic connections. I regularly blame mistakes on my mild dyslexia or lack of caffeine lol - find what works for you!
Keep teaching - starting out teaching yoga is hard, I could have and almost quit SO MANY times
Due to lack of confidence, lack of support from friends and family, lack of feeling like there was any opportunity to be a teacher, feeling inadequate compared to so many other teachers …the list goes on. You will develop your own voice and the great thing about there being so many teachers is: one teacher will not resonate with every student out there. Students NEED to find teachers they connect to and inspire them to practice yoga - and that WILL BE YOU for some people!! You have your own way of learning and explaining yoga, and some people will resonate with that. SOME NOT ALL. This is true for every teacher on the planet - you cannot and will not please everybody. Your family and friends may think you are delusional for trying to be a yoga teacher in a competitive market, YOU have to want this badly enough to ignore people who get in your way or make you feel bad about wanting to teaching or how you’re teaching. Try not to take things personally - I’ve had many complaints from students, family and friends, and I’m still teaching - to the people who like my classes - you will find your own voice and niche too, just don’t quit (because then you won’t find these people!!)