August 25, 2025 • 14 mins
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
Do you teach beginner yoga classes?
Are you thinking about teachingthem on the surface?
Teaching them might seem easyenough, but there's so much more
required from you as the teacherto help these beginner yoga
classes run smoothly and supportthe population of students who
come to these classes.
Let's talk about it, welcome tothe Essential Conversations for
(00:24):
Yoga Teachers Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
(00:45):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:08):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
(01:31):
Well, welcome back to thepodcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
insights, and all of the reallife knowledge you wish had been
included in your yoga teachertraining.
And this episode, I'm gonna diveinto the subject of beginner
yoga classes on the surface.
(01:52):
These classes might seem likethey're the easiest to teach.
The pace is slower, the posesare simpler, and you're working
with students who are brand newto the practice.
But any teacher who has actuallytaught a beginner class knows
they come with their own uniqueset of challenges, and in a lot
(02:13):
of ways, they can be moredifficult to teach than
intermediate or advancedclasses.
I started my career teachingbeginner level classes, but I'll
be honest, as a new teacher, Iwasn't the most qualified to
help the students in thoseclasses, but that's the way the
studio model was set up where Iwas working.
(02:35):
New teachers taught the new orlevel one classes, and then as
we got more experience, we movedon and were clear to teach more
advanced level classes.
I don't a hundred percent agreewith this model, but teachers
have to start somewhere.
So this is where I started, Ihave given much thought to this
(02:57):
conversation about who shouldteach beginner yoga classes from
my own experience.
So let's talk about the pros,the cons, and what makes
beginner classes special andsometimes a tricky.
Teaching experience.
Beginner classes are often thegateway into yoga for many
(03:18):
people because they can providean inviting and non intimidating
environment for students toexplore yoga in a way that's
accessible.
You also have the opportunity tomake a lasting first impression
and help shape the way someonewill view yoga for the rest of
their life.
You also get to witness studentsexperience aha moments, whether
(03:42):
it's feeling their hamstringstretch, finding their balance
in tree pose, or taking theirfirst deep, Full breath with
intention.
Those moments can be magical.
Beginner students are typicallycurious and eager to learn, but
sometimes they come without alot of preconceived ideas about
(04:03):
what a pose should look likeunless they've been looking at
yoga on social media, and that'sa whole separate conversation we
could have, but they can be moreopen to exploring modifications
in a class labeled forbeginners.
But here's the other side.
Beginner students can arrivewith little to no body
(04:24):
awareness.
Depending on their movementhistory you may witness students
struggle controlling basicmovements like raising their
arms overhead without alsoarching their lower back, or
stepping a foot forward into alunge without losing their
balance or having to shove theirfoot forward.
(04:45):
This means that you need tobreak down movements into
smaller, digestible pieces.
Repeat instructions often, andhave an eye for looking at your
students and understanding whatthey might be struggling with.
Another challenge is the sheerdiversity of students.
In a beginner class, you mighthave a 20-year-old college
(05:07):
student with full ranges ofmovement, standing next to a
65-year-old with two kneereplacements, some students may
have chronic pain, pastinjuries, or health conditions
they haven't even told youabout.
That creates a need for constantadaptability, and you have to be
(05:28):
ready with multiple variationsfor every pose.
If you really want to supportevery student.
And unlike experienced students,beginners often don't have the
vocabulary for yoga.
Phrases like Engage your core orlengthen your spine might mean
absolutely nothing to them atfirst.
(05:49):
You have to learn to translatethose cues into plain,
actionable language that theycan understand and follow.
Okay.
This is why beginner classesactually require more teaching
skill from teachers in a class.
With experienced students, youcan use a pose name and most
students will know what to do ina beginner class.
(06:12):
Every movement, everytransition, every breathing
technique might be brand new.
So you're not just leading aclass, you're helping them build
a foundation for their practice.
Think about the emotional sidetoo.
Beginners may feel vulnerable,self-conscious.
Or even intimidated walking intoa yoga space.
(06:34):
Your job isn't just a guidemovement, but also to create a
space where students feel safe,supported, and accepted exactly
as they are.
That requires empathy,awareness, and lots of patience.
Let's talk about some commontips you might already know to
incorporate into these classes.
(06:55):
The first is to slow down thepace.
Give students time to processeach instruction and get into
the pose before moving on.
Okay.
Number two, use clear, simplelanguage.
Think about skipping theSanskrit pose names, and use the
language native to your studentsand skip flowery language to
(07:19):
describe movement and focus oneveryday words that describe the
action.
Number three, offer multiplevariations.
Always have a gentler option anda slightly more challenging one
available for the students whomight show up to these classes.
And number four.
You could demonstrate.
(07:39):
Often some teachers were taughtnever to demonstrate and some do
the entire classes with theirstudents.
But think about demonstratingposes because beginners often
benefit from seeing what they'rebeing asked to do.
And don't forget that somepeople are visual learners, so
seeing the pose or transitionwill be extremely helpful for
(08:02):
them.
Now for some less conventionaltips that can help make a
difference.
Number one, teach one concept ata time.
For example, instead of tryingto teach alignment, breath, and
balance all in warrior two onday one, maybe focus solely on
the foundation of the feet andwhere to place the knees and
(08:25):
stop there.
Number two, introduce propsearly.
Don't save blocks, straps, andbolsters for restorative classes
or restorative poses show howthey can support almost every
asana.
This helps reduce stigma aroundusing props and gets your
students to use them right fromthe start.
(08:45):
Okay.
Number three, include nervoussystem support.
Remember that many beginners aredealing with the stress of
learning something new.
Sprinkle in moments of groundingbreath awareness, Or very short
restorative poses mid-class.
I promise your students willappreciate you for this.
Teach transitions slowly.
(09:08):
How students get from one poseto another is where a lot of
injuries and confusion canhappen.
Teach these moments as carefullyas you would the pose itself
help your students celebratetheir small wins.
This is so important.
Verbally acknowledge progress,even if it's just that they
remember to breathe through apose Or found a comfortable
(09:31):
seated position, and thenfinally normalize rest.
Let them know that pausing inchild's pose or taking a break
isn't falling behind.
It's a necessary part of theirpractice.
Many teachers assume thatbeginner yoga classes are the
easiest to teach, but I know youknow that they often require the
(09:54):
most skill and experience fromteachers.
This is because beginnerstypically need far more detailed
explanations, cleardemonstrations, and multiple
variations for poses.
They may also have limited bodyawareness, injuries, or fears
about movement.
Which means you have to be ableto adapt on the spot and manage
(10:18):
a wide variety of needs withinone class.
This can be a lot.
And for a new teacher, this canfeel overwhelming without a
large toolbox of verbal cues,modifications, secret
strategies, and experience withreading bodies in the room.
It is easy to unintentionallyoverload students with
(10:41):
information or fail to addresstheir specific challenges.
Seasoned teachers, on the otherhand, tend to have the ability
to break complex movements intodigestible steps and anticipate
common struggles imposes beforethey happen, and create an
environment where students feelboth safe and empowered.
(11:03):
A skilled teacher also knows howto spot subtle signs of
discomfort, confusion, ordisengagement, and can quickly
pivot without losing the rhythmof the class, I don't think new
teachers should never teachbeginners, but rather that these
classes are better taught afterbuilding confidence in teaching.
(11:24):
More experienced studentsstarting with intermediate or
mixed level classes can helpnewer teachers develop their
teaching voice, refine theirqueuing, and learn how to
troubleshoot in real timewithout also having to teach
students who have neverexperienced yoga before and have
very little idea of what toexpect.
(11:46):
Then when you go to teach abeginner class, you are equipped
to guide students through thefoundational stages of yoga In a
way that's truly supportive andeffective.
Beginner yoga classes areincredibly important to teach.
They need to be on the schedule,but they require intentional,
thoughtful teaching.
(12:07):
You are not just leadingstudents through movements.
You are shaping their entirerelationship with yoga.
If you can make their firstexperiences feel supportive,
safe and empowering, while notalso trying to get your legs
underneath you or worrying aboutremembering your sequence.
Instead you're giving them agift that can last a lifetime.
(12:30):
So what do you think aboutbeginner yoga classes?
Do you think they're moredifficult to teach?
Do you think teachers ofbeginner classes should be
seasoned teachers instead of newteachers?
What are your thoughts?
I would love to know.
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
(12:53):
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you are a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around teachingbeginner students and students
with injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
bodies in real life.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
(13:13):
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment, and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
(13:35):
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's it for now.
Bye.
Do you teach beginner yoga classes?
Are you thinking about teachingthem on the surface?
Teaching them might seem easyenough, but there's so much more
required from you as the teacherto help these beginner yoga
classes run smoothly and supportthe population of students who
come to these classes.
Let's talk about it, welcome tothe Essential Conversations for
(00:24):
Yoga Teachers Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
(00:45):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:08):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
(01:31):
Well, welcome back to thepodcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here we talk about the anatomy,the injuries, the nervous system
insights, and all of the reallife knowledge you wish had been
included in your yoga teachertraining.
And this episode, I'm gonna diveinto the subject of beginner
yoga classes on the surface.
(01:52):
These classes might seem likethey're the easiest to teach.
The pace is slower, the posesare simpler, and you're working
with students who are brand newto the practice.
But any teacher who has actuallytaught a beginner class knows
they come with their own uniqueset of challenges, and in a lot
(02:13):
of ways, they can be moredifficult to teach than
intermediate or advancedclasses.
I started my career teachingbeginner level classes, but I'll
be honest, as a new teacher, Iwasn't the most qualified to
help the students in thoseclasses, but that's the way the
studio model was set up where Iwas working.
(02:35):
New teachers taught the new orlevel one classes, and then as
we got more experience, we movedon and were clear to teach more
advanced level classes.
I don't a hundred percent agreewith this model, but teachers
have to start somewhere.
So this is where I started, Ihave given much thought to this
(02:57):
conversation about who shouldteach beginner yoga classes from
my own experience.
So let's talk about the pros,the cons, and what makes
beginner classes special andsometimes a tricky.
Teaching experience.
Beginner classes are often thegateway into yoga for many
(03:18):
people because they can providean inviting and non intimidating
environment for students toexplore yoga in a way that's
accessible.
You also have the opportunity tomake a lasting first impression
and help shape the way someonewill view yoga for the rest of
their life.
You also get to witness studentsexperience aha moments, whether
(03:42):
it's feeling their hamstringstretch, finding their balance
in tree pose, or taking theirfirst deep, Full breath with
intention.
Those moments can be magical.
Beginner students are typicallycurious and eager to learn, but
sometimes they come without alot of preconceived ideas about
(04:03):
what a pose should look likeunless they've been looking at
yoga on social media, and that'sa whole separate conversation we
could have, but they can be moreopen to exploring modifications
in a class labeled forbeginners.
But here's the other side.
Beginner students can arrivewith little to no body
(04:24):
awareness.
Depending on their movementhistory you may witness students
struggle controlling basicmovements like raising their
arms overhead without alsoarching their lower back, or
stepping a foot forward into alunge without losing their
balance or having to shove theirfoot forward.
(04:45):
This means that you need tobreak down movements into
smaller, digestible pieces.
Repeat instructions often, andhave an eye for looking at your
students and understanding whatthey might be struggling with.
Another challenge is the sheerdiversity of students.
In a beginner class, you mighthave a 20-year-old college
(05:07):
student with full ranges ofmovement, standing next to a
65-year-old with two kneereplacements, some students may
have chronic pain, pastinjuries, or health conditions
they haven't even told youabout.
That creates a need for constantadaptability, and you have to be
(05:28):
ready with multiple variationsfor every pose.
If you really want to supportevery student.
And unlike experienced students,beginners often don't have the
vocabulary for yoga.
Phrases like Engage your core orlengthen your spine might mean
absolutely nothing to them atfirst.
(05:49):
You have to learn to translatethose cues into plain,
actionable language that theycan understand and follow.
Okay.
This is why beginner classesactually require more teaching
skill from teachers in a class.
With experienced students, youcan use a pose name and most
students will know what to do ina beginner class.
(06:12):
Every movement, everytransition, every breathing
technique might be brand new.
So you're not just leading aclass, you're helping them build
a foundation for their practice.
Think about the emotional sidetoo.
Beginners may feel vulnerable,self-conscious.
Or even intimidated walking intoa yoga space.
(06:34):
Your job isn't just a guidemovement, but also to create a
space where students feel safe,supported, and accepted exactly
as they are.
That requires empathy,awareness, and lots of patience.
Let's talk about some commontips you might already know to
incorporate into these classes.
(06:55):
The first is to slow down thepace.
Give students time to processeach instruction and get into
the pose before moving on.
Okay.
Number two, use clear, simplelanguage.
Think about skipping theSanskrit pose names, and use the
language native to your studentsand skip flowery language to
(07:19):
describe movement and focus oneveryday words that describe the
action.
Number three, offer multiplevariations.
Always have a gentler option anda slightly more challenging one
available for the students whomight show up to these classes.
And number four.
You could demonstrate.
(07:39):
Often some teachers were taughtnever to demonstrate and some do
the entire classes with theirstudents.
But think about demonstratingposes because beginners often
benefit from seeing what they'rebeing asked to do.
And don't forget that somepeople are visual learners, so
seeing the pose or transitionwill be extremely helpful for
(08:02):
them.
Now for some less conventionaltips that can help make a
difference.
Number one, teach one concept ata time.
For example, instead of tryingto teach alignment, breath, and
balance all in warrior two onday one, maybe focus solely on
the foundation of the feet andwhere to place the knees and
(08:25):
stop there.
Number two, introduce propsearly.
Don't save blocks, straps, andbolsters for restorative classes
or restorative poses show howthey can support almost every
asana.
This helps reduce stigma aroundusing props and gets your
students to use them right fromthe start.
(08:45):
Okay.
Number three, include nervoussystem support.
Remember that many beginners aredealing with the stress of
learning something new.
Sprinkle in moments of groundingbreath awareness, Or very short
restorative poses mid-class.
I promise your students willappreciate you for this.
Teach transitions slowly.
(09:08):
How students get from one poseto another is where a lot of
injuries and confusion canhappen.
Teach these moments as carefullyas you would the pose itself
help your students celebratetheir small wins.
This is so important.
Verbally acknowledge progress,even if it's just that they
remember to breathe through apose Or found a comfortable
(09:31):
seated position, and thenfinally normalize rest.
Let them know that pausing inchild's pose or taking a break
isn't falling behind.
It's a necessary part of theirpractice.
Many teachers assume thatbeginner yoga classes are the
easiest to teach, but I know youknow that they often require the
(09:54):
most skill and experience fromteachers.
This is because beginnerstypically need far more detailed
explanations, cleardemonstrations, and multiple
variations for poses.
They may also have limited bodyawareness, injuries, or fears
about movement.
Which means you have to be ableto adapt on the spot and manage
(10:18):
a wide variety of needs withinone class.
This can be a lot.
And for a new teacher, this canfeel overwhelming without a
large toolbox of verbal cues,modifications, secret
strategies, and experience withreading bodies in the room.
It is easy to unintentionallyoverload students with
(10:41):
information or fail to addresstheir specific challenges.
Seasoned teachers, on the otherhand, tend to have the ability
to break complex movements intodigestible steps and anticipate
common struggles imposes beforethey happen, and create an
environment where students feelboth safe and empowered.
(11:03):
A skilled teacher also knows howto spot subtle signs of
discomfort, confusion, ordisengagement, and can quickly
pivot without losing the rhythmof the class, I don't think new
teachers should never teachbeginners, but rather that these
classes are better taught afterbuilding confidence in teaching.
(11:24):
More experienced studentsstarting with intermediate or
mixed level classes can helpnewer teachers develop their
teaching voice, refine theirqueuing, and learn how to
troubleshoot in real timewithout also having to teach
students who have neverexperienced yoga before and have
very little idea of what toexpect.
(11:46):
Then when you go to teach abeginner class, you are equipped
to guide students through thefoundational stages of yoga In a
way that's truly supportive andeffective.
Beginner yoga classes areincredibly important to teach.
They need to be on the schedule,but they require intentional,
thoughtful teaching.
(12:07):
You are not just leadingstudents through movements.
You are shaping their entirerelationship with yoga.
If you can make their firstexperiences feel supportive,
safe and empowering, while notalso trying to get your legs
underneath you or worrying aboutremembering your sequence.
Instead you're giving them agift that can last a lifetime.
(12:30):
So what do you think aboutbeginner yoga classes?
Do you think they're moredifficult to teach?
Do you think teachers ofbeginner classes should be
seasoned teachers instead of newteachers?
What are your thoughts?
I would love to know.
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
(12:53):
If you've been enjoying theseepisodes, I know that you are a
yoga teacher who's ready toteach with more intention and
less fear around teachingbeginner students and students
with injuries.
Let's continue to raise the barfor how yoga supports real
bodies in real life.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
(13:13):
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment, and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement and the issues students
come to your classes with.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
(13:35):
new episode drops.
And share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
And finally, thank you forhelping to spread the word about
this podcast.
Alright, thank you forlistening.
That's it for now.
Bye.
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