yoga instructor certificationBy Faye Martins

There are some things that each of us learn after a 200 hour yoga instructor training intensive. As a teacher, you’ve got to wonder from time to time what it is that keeps your students coming back day after day or week after week. Is it the way you mix up the routine so no one gets bored, the way you encourage all students, or something as simple as the music you play during class? Chances are, it’s a combination of all of those things and more. Keep your students happy by following a few important rules.

Positive Classroom Vibe

When students enter the yoga school and are greeted with smiles, hellos, and how-do-you-dos it sets the tone for a warm, welcoming place. Many yoga teachers pipe soft music into the room before class to encourage this environment. Many teachers also make a point to greet each student, letting them know they see them as an individual person not just another body on a mat. Although a yoga session involves a quiet, calm routine, there’s nothing wrong with voices and laughter as students enter the studio, lay out their mats and prepare for class.

Helpful Instructors

Students generally like instructors who offer kind support and advice during postures that may be new or difficult. Instructors who take the time to talk about adjustments to make to the body or props to use to help achieve a pose gain respect from students. Many people come to yoga to completely let go of the world for a while, and they like it when someone is there to guide them into each pose every step of the way no matter how many times they have done it before.

Interesting Routines

Many types of exercises can become boring after a while if you constantly do the same thing. Yoga can have the same effect on people, causing boredom and wandering minds during class. Yoga instructors who mix up the routine bit, constantly introducing new poses or variations to sequences will keep their students engaged and interested. There are certainly enough asanas to make for a variety of diverse routines.

Feelings of Calm and Peace

Once you experience the feelings of calm and peace after a good yoga training session, it’s hard not to be hooked. Many students come back time and again simply because they feel good. Although we can’t call yoga a drug, it can certainly become addictive based on cravings for serenity and relaxation. It’s hard to be dedicated enough to perform postures and breathing on your own time, so students make a point to keep coming back to yoga class where they can get another dose of peace.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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