Is This YOUR Yoga Teacher?, Winter Garden Yoga

From the desk of Brian Friedman, Owner/Director of Winter Garden Yoga.

As Winter Garden’s resident expert on yoga, nutrition, and healthy living, I often get asked what separates a bad yoga teacher from a good or great yoga teacher. Needless to say, it's a touchy subject and some people will get their feathers ruffled by some of the insight I’m going to share. To keep this honest, I’ll begin with…

Mistakes I’ve Made In The Past

1. I assumed everyone wanted to do what I could do. The practice of yoga is a very personal thing for everybody. My first mistake was to think that not only did everyone want to do “advanced” techniques such as handstands but that everybody COULD do “advanced” techniques.

In my defense, my first batch of yoga clients were relatively young, athletic, and fearless. My big ‘aha’ moment came when I began teaching at a different yoga studio. I remember standing at the front of the classroom and the students began to file in. One was a 74 year old grandmother, another was an overweight woman in her 40s, another was an injured weekend warrior, you get the idea.

My first thought was, “there goes the handstands.” But it taught me a lesson about yoga and about providing a service to others, which leads me to my next mistake…

2. I confused a yoga practice with a kick ass workout. It took me a little while to realize that yoga is an art intended to heal and restore the human body to its fullest expression. 100 or so years ago, life was tough, and yogis used yoga to restore balance to their bodies.

“Kick ass workout” and “yoga” should not be in the same sentence.

Yes, at Winter Garden Yoga, you may feel the amazing side effects of a workout: toned muscles, improved mobility, increased cardio, but it comes from applying concentration and excellent technique… NOT from heating the room and performing calisthenics.

Just because I can do this doesn't mean my students should, could, or would.

3. I didn't make time for my own practice. This speaks for itself. If you’re going to be a leader you’ve got to lead by example.

The Biggest Mistakes Other Teachers Make

1. Creating a yoga class to show how much they know vs. focusing on the student’s needs. This is by far the most common mistake I see. Teachers will use a ton of complex yoga postures and sequences in a single class just to show that they're special. If you’re a teacher, remember: The goal is getting results for your students, not designing something that looks cool.

2. Being arrogant. This is common among teachers who practice very specific, “traditional”, methods of yoga. Or the teacher who has been to India to learn “real” yoga. These teachers act like they know more than everybody in the room, but I’ll tell you a secret… they don’t. Some teachers with the highest level of credibility in the world have never stepped a foot in India. If you’re a teacher, remember: Your students should feel welcome and part of a like-minded community. Be open to discussion… even if it involves questioning your method of teaching.

3. Giving the same bulls#@t answers. I see this all the time. Someone walks up to a teacher and asks a specific question… “Why do we put our hands this way in downward dog?” Only to have the teacher respond, “Because that’s how I was taught.” If you hear this from your teacher, I would encourage you to roll up your mat and seek yoga elsewhere. If you’re a teacher, remember: If you don’t have a straight answer for your students, or if you don’t know the answer, find the necessary resources to fulfill their enquiry.

4. Taking their students too far, too soon. The goal of a yoga teacher is to get positive results for their students making them stronger, more mobile, or in better condition than when they walked through the studio’s doors. It is not the goal to cripple them, drain them of all their life substance, or make them sore for three weeks.

A lot of teachers know that people instinctively think that the more they suffer the more they progress… “No pain. No gain.” Instead of correcting that flawed mentality, they use it to build a reputation that might earn them a lot of credibility and students. Allow me to repeat: “Kick ass workout” and “yoga” should not be in the same sentence. If you’re a teacher, remember: Anyone can kill someone in a class. That's the easy way to earn a reputation. Getting students positive results through a combination of good technique and proper sequencing is another story

5. They stop evolving. The day you stop learning new things about yoga is the day you lose your passion. Every teacher worth their salt should hunger to gain new knowledge of good technique, proper sequencing, modifications, and adaptations. Keeping yourself closed to learning new material is a huge mistake. It’s even worse to keep newly acquired knowledge to yourself. If you’re a teacher, remember: There are opportunities all around you all the time that can lend themselves to improving your knowledge. It may be in the form of a golf swing, an ergonomics seminar, who knows? The key is being open to new things and applying them to your classes in a positive way.

The Least You Need To Know

• Many teachers have their students do “advanced” yoga postures and sequences despite the fact that it may not be serving their student’s goals. It stands to reason that including certain yoga poses (or other gimmicks) could explode their marketability, but teaching this material could be injurious to their students.

• When a student asks a yoga teacher a question, the last thing they want is to feel stupid. The teacher might think they will dazzle their student with their knowledge, but all that will happen is that the student will think the teacher is arrogant... or worse. 

• Anyone can use gimmicks and flash. That's the easy way to earn a reputation. Getting their students positive and lasting results through a combination of discipline and proper yoga technique is another story.

• If you're someone who makes a living by having people practice yoga… practice what you preach.

Winter Garden Yoga is a world renowned yoga studio recognized for providing a unique form of functional yoga instruction (TM) that gives you a toned, pain-free body that leaves you feeling great whether you’re currently flexible or not.

Unlike ordinary yoga studios with packed classes that over stretch and leave you feeling lost in the crowd, our services focus on strength, mobility, and nutrition all wrapped up into a caring, supportive, family-like environment you’ll call home.

Contact us or give us a call at 407-579-9889 for a free, no obligation consultation ($87 value) to find a package plan that is perfect for you.