motivation meccaBy Jenny Park

How can you bring motivation into your classes? As a yoga instructor, an important part of your job is playing the role of motivation master. Not only is vital for your students, but effective motivation techniques mean a higher rate of returns. “What can I do to improve the motivation mojo in my class,” you ask? Below are a few simple pointers to get you started.

Spend Time Crafting the Art of Yoga

Think of yourself as the Balanchine of yoga and really take the time to plan out each and every asana within your lesson plan. If your classes are fluid and intuitive, you’ll find that students will take more easily to your routine – and that translates into impressive attendance numbers.

 Be Mindful of Your Words

Be conscious and careful with our tone of voice. If you’re tired or feeling under the weather or in a terrible mood, the pitch and positivity of your voice may wane. And believe it or not, humans subconsciously pick up on this change in tone, which alerts our “danger Will Robinson” instinct. So remember to keep your voice encouraging and consistent. If you really are under the weather, instead of risking coming off tired and angry, while spreading a flu around, call  in sick – your yoga class, and the person who gets to substitute, will thank you for it.

Be Mindful of the Music

Choosing the right tunes is essential. Our bodies respond to sound and vibrations; if your music selection clashes with the pace of the yoga class, it makes for an awkward experience. Make sure to coordinate the slower parts of class with serene songs, and choose more vibrant melodies for the power parts.

Motivation Through Relaxation

A deep relaxation routine at the end of a class is always a good idea. As you know, our bodies love to stretch and breathe after an intense – or particularly deep – workout. Build it into your yoga class, your students will love it, and the great feeling at the end of every class will contribute to student motivation.

Awareness is at the root of yoga practice. As instructors, we must not only be aware of our own postures, but we must also keep an eye on our students. Keep notes of people’s progress; be sure to acknowledge individual improvements; let your students know that you really do have a genuine interest in their efforts. If you follow these simple tips, in short order, you’ll be known as the maverick of motivation.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Please feel free to share our posts with your friends, colleagues, and favorite social media networks.

If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

 

Share This Article