What are the best qualities of a good yoga instructor?
With a variety of yoga studios, it’s important to understand what you should look for when deciding to sign up for yoga classes. This can be a bit tricky, especially if you have limited experience with yoga studios or instructors. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a quick list of several attributes that your yoga instructor should possess.
They Exude True Confidence
Like other fitness instructors, a great yoga teacher will always exude true confidence in what they do. While their experience is definitely a key component of their success, it won’t mean nearly as much if they lack the confidence to relay that experience throughout every session. Their voice is a powerful tool and they must be able to wield it at a high enough level and with a proper tone.
They Love and Respect Yoga
There are certain jobs where it’s perfectly fine when someone is just doing it for the money, but being a yoga instructor definitely isn’t one of them. In order to effectively teach yoga, they must not only love the art of yoga, but also respect its teachings. This will help ensure that their teaching will inspire you and the other students to always push yourself and improve.
They’re Always Approachable
A huge part of advancing in a yoga studio is interacting with the instructor on a regular basis. In order for this to happen, he or she must always be approachable. In addition to being friendly during each class and inviting questions along the way, they should always make you feel comfortable and have an open door policy where you can ask questions before or after each session.
They Connect with Every Student
The effectiveness of a yoga instructor shouldn’t be determined by the size of their class. Whether the class only has five attendees or includes 50 or more, he or she should be able to connect with every single person in the room. This includes the person hiding in the back who’s trying to act inconspicuous. However, it’s also important the instructor respects each person’s boundaries.
They Share Their Knowledge
The last thing you want is a yoga teacher who’s simply going through the motions. Although you may not want to hear a lecture about the origins of the different styles of yoga or its history, you should definitely want your instructor to know their stuff. What you should primarily look for are instructors who understand the medical benefits of postures, which poses may not be best for certain injuries or medical conditions, and other pertinent pieces of information.
They’re Teaching You Stuff
Knowing everything there is to know about yoga won’t do students any good if the instructor isn’t constantly teaching a class new things. While it’s true that anyone can get into a rut every once in awhile, they should always be excited to teach you every step of the way. As needed, they should also be willing to create an individual plan to assist you if you’re having difficulty with certain poses or advancement.
They Check on the Students
Finally, a great yoga instructor is one who’s truly invested in how their students are doing. He or she should be checking in from time to time to make sure that you don’t have any questions or concerns along the way. Just keep in mind that an instructor may have hundreds of different students, so they may be somewhat limited in their individual approach from time to time.
Contact East West Healing Solutions to Find Your Perfect Yoga Instructor
By looking for these attributes in a yoga instructor, you’ll discover a wealth of fitness opportunities. The yoga and healing instructors at East West Healing Solutions can help you take your health and nutrition to the next level. If you have any questions about our services or the products in our East West Healing Solutions store, reach out by calling us at (727) 216-3972 to take part in one of our many yoga classes!
