Why you should talk to your yoga teacher

“Come on, I will introduce you to my teacher.” Alice said to Elizabeth as they entered the yoga studio. Alice’s teacher was there talking to a few other students as they entered.

Elizabeth needs to talk to her teacher about many different things at different times:

• Before class
• After class
• During class

This is Elizabeth’s first yoga class, it is very important that she talk to her teacher before the class gets started.

BEFORE CLASS

There is lots of information that Elizabeth and her teacher need to share with each other.

New to Yoga

Elizabeth is new to yoga and she needs to make sure that the teacher is aware of this. The teacher will give Elizabeth some background about yoga classes in general and this class in particular. They will explain to her how yoga classes are generally run and how they like to run their yoga classes.

They may even suggest that she set up in a particular spot so that they may keep an eye on her and make sure that she does not injure herself.

New to class

If you are trying out a new class you need to tell them about your experience with similar classes and your experience with yoga in general. You need to find out how similar or different this class is compared to other yoga classes that you have taken.

New to teacher

If this is the first yoga class you have taken with this yoga teacher, you want to find out what the class is like, how the teacher likes to conduct the class and how they like to setup the room. Will they be using props? Should you get them now or during the class?

New to studio

If this is your first time coming to this studio you need to find out about how the studio works. Do you need to register? What is the sign in procedure? Where are the changing rooms? How much are the classes and how do you pay for them? There are lots of questions you need to ask about how the studio works and how you should work with the studio.

Your injuries

Elizabeth needs to make sure that her teacher knows about any injuries she has or other limitations that may affect her yoga practice.

Telling your yoga teacher about your limitations will help them to modify the poses for you to accommodate your injuries. If the teacher does not know about your injuries they may try and adjust you in a yoga pose and could potentially injure you further.

If you have an injury that you have recovered from just recently, you need to let your teacher know about this as well. These recovered injuries may still be a little sensitive and you and your teacher may need to be careful with particular yoga poses and adjustments that may cause stress to the recently recovered area.

Talking to the yoga teacher before the class starts will help Elizabeth to feel more comfortable in the class. She will know what to expect from the class and the teacher and her teacher will know more about Elizabeth and her capabilities and limitations.

Elizabeth has shared a lot of information with her yoga teacher before class starts, but it does not end there! Elizabeth needs to talk to her teacher after the class is over as well.

AFTER CLASS

Now that the class is over Alice and Elizabeth stop to talk to the teacher before they leave.

Clear up confusions

Elizabeth may be confused about certain parts of the class or how to do a particular pose. There may be some terminology that may be confusing to her as well. This is the opportunity after the class is over to ask the teacher about these things.

Relate experience

Elizabeth can also tell the teacher how she enjoyed the class. Did it feel like a match? Was it too challenging? Was it too slow? Was it not challenging enough?

With this information the teacher can help her select other classes that are available at the studio

Ask about related classes

You can ask the teacher about other similar or different classes at the studio. The teacher can review the schedule with you and recommend other classes and teachers. Based on your feedback about the class you just finished your teacher will be able to give you an informed recommendation.

It is essential that Elizabeth talk to the teacher before and after class to make sure that her experience is the best that it can possibly be, however she may also need to talk to the teacher during class.

DURING CLASS

Usually during the class, the teacher is giving instructions and demonstrating poses and the students are doing the poses. There is not a lot of discussion. Most of the time it is only the teacher talking and the students are quiet.

There will be a need from time to time to ask the teacher a question or two.

Remove confusion

If you did not understand the instructions or demonstration and you are having difficulty getting into the pose, it is better to ask the teacher rather than get more and more frustrated. They will be happy to help you with pose.

Ask for modification or alternative pose

Perhaps you have an injury or some other limitation that will prevent you from doing the pose that the teacher has recommended. Now is the time to ask the teacher for help. Explain the situation and the teacher will help you to modify the pose or give you an alternative pose.

Elizabeth needs to avoid these few mistakes when she talks to the teacher.

Talk to the teacher too long

You should not monopolize your teacher’s time. There are many other students in the class that may want to talk to the teacher as well.

Talk to the teacher too often during class

Asking an occasional question during the class is a good thing, but asking the teacher every five minutes or during every pose for assistance or clarification is going to get annoying for the teacher and the other students. It is going to slow the class down considerably.

Be respectful of the other students and the teacher’s time when you are asking questions during class.

Talk to the teacher at the wrong time

Before and after class is the best time to talk to the teacher. Elizabeth should limit the amount of time that she talks to the teacher during class.

There should be no conversations with the teacher during Savasana which is the meditation time at the end of the yoga class.

Summary

Elizabeth talked to the teacher before class to make sure she understood what the class was going to be like and to tell the teacher about her abilities or lack thereof.

After class Elizabeth told the teacher how much she enjoyed the class and asked her about other similar classes in the studio schedule.

Elizabeth did not need to ask the teacher any questions during the class because her directions were clear and she understood them well.

When you go to your first yoga class be sure to talk to the teacher and introduce yourself. Your first class can happen more than once.

• First time for this teacher
• First time for this style of yoga
• First time for this studio
• First time with this injury

Next Step

There are many reasons to talk to your teacher. The more you and your yoga teacher know about each other the better your yoga experience will be.

Additional Reading

To find out where to sit in your first yoga class you should read New to Yoga? Follow Goldilocks and sit in the middle of the yoga class

To learn more about the stlyes of yoga, take a look at How an exercise bike will help you pick the right style of yoga