Yoga Teachers, Prepare for the New Year's Rush - Part 2

Let's continue with more ideas for workshops and some specialty classes that may fit in as part of your regular class schedule. You don't have to use all of these ideas, but you may find one, or two, that fit with your clientele and your Yoga studio.

Prenatal Yoga: Again, this is much better suited for the female Yoga instructor, but this teacher should be trained specifically in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. There are too many complications for the average Yoga teacher; this is for a Yoga specialist.

Modifications and contraindications change for pregnant Yoga students each trimester. Jane Mackarness has written such a course, and we carry it at our web site. This field requires much more research than the standard 200-hour training, but can lead to networking with medical professionals and hospitals.

Kids Yoga: Specialized training might be needed, but patience is a key element for Yoga instructors who want to embark on this path. I teach children myself, and a Kids Yoga class has to be fun and include games. Vinyasa will be very popular with children, since they get restless with nervous energy.

Children can learn a lot, but Yoga teachers, who spend time with them, realize they are not little adults. Sometimes, the Yoga teacher's lesson plan will not be finished due to questions, answers, and kids just having fun being kids.

Hot Yoga: Most Hot Yoga classes originated from Bikram's style. Be careful not to use his sequences; he has patented them. Also, the Yoga teacher who wants to pursue this path should be familiar with how she or he will perform under conditions of serious heat. Hot Yoga is good, but it is not for everyone. Hot Yoga classes are usually held at a temperature of 105 Degrees Fahrenheit.

108 Sun Salutations: Many Yoga studios and ashrams have these workshops at the beginning of a season. This is good bonding time for the more physical Yoga students within your facility. You could always go out to your favorite restaurant afterwards.

Yoga with Weights: Sherri Baptiste just released a book on this subject. Bodybuilders have practiced combining weight resistance principles, with Yoga, for years, but Sherri may be on to something here. Yoga purists aside - the contracting of muscles during weight resistance training, and the stretching of muscles when practicing Hatha Yoga, can be a harmonious relationship.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the author:

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He's a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

More Yoga Tips

The Benefit of Yoga
The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual time you spend in the poses. One of the most common reasons why people begin practicing yoga is to improve their health and well-being. Yoga means union. It is a union of the mind, body and... Click here to read...

Yoga And The Breath
Your yoga practice and the way you breathe are intertwined. You won't fully experience the benefits of yoga without first learning how to breathe properly. Different types of yoga practice call for different types of breathing, so it is... Click here to read...

Complete Health Bliss With Yoga Relaxation
Until recently, I was totally oblivious of the intertwinement between yoga benefits and yoga relaxation. Like many women, I also sought solace in leisure activities such as socializing, partying, watching a movie, or reading, to relax. It was... Click here to read...