One of the most difficult aspects of being full-time yoga teachers is coming up with a high quality yoga class, time after time. It can also be especially difficult for the many yogis new to teaching the ancient art.

With so many people being active in yoga these days and so many practicing and aspiring yoga teachers around - it’s important to keep your yoga class plans high up, in terms of quality. 

The quality of instruction plays a large role in the experience for the student, and will be a determining factor, whether or not they will come back. So what should you teach in your yoga class? Here are some guidelines to help you create yoga class plans and a structure to yoga sequencing for yoga teachers.

Breakdown of a Yoga Class Plan

Actually writing out in full the details of the yoga class plan and yoga sequencing is a great idea, especially for newer yoga teachers. Some of the different things you need to think about are the yoga sequence, theme, bhavana (or feeling), music, peak pose, teaching point, anatomical focus, story, quote, poem, verse, and a core message. One great yoga class for teachers is to make a list for each variable. You can then use these lists to brainstorm different ideas and create different combinations between the components.

If you’re out and about and see something that inspires you, you can jot it down in the appropriate list so you don’t forget it. Breaking down and analyzing each component of the lesson is a great way to get on top of yoga class plans for fellow yoga teachers. Caren Baginski shares a list of 40 creative yoga class themes, to help you find some inspiration for your yoga classes and your formula for yoga sequencing if you’re looking for a good place to start.

Offer Other Classes For A Lower Rate

Think about it: your empty yoga studio space could be earning a bit more if you want to host simplified, shorter yoga sequencing and yoga classes for a discount. If you have team members who are undergoing training to become yoga teachers, this is an excellent way to keep training them with real-life experience.

If you have experience as a meditation guide, or know someone who does, offer a free, short session between your yoga classes. If it proves to be a popular option, offering longer, more detailed yoga classes will attract new members to your yoga studio.

If nothing else, you can always make the space an inviting, open hangout for your yoga students. Perhaps they will stay and read a book, meditate, or even just enjoy savasana with the lights off. Regardless of what your yoga studio members want to do, opening the space is a great way to show them that they were home when they are with you.

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Current Events 

Current events can play a large part in the theme of the yoga class. As yoga is practiced as a lifestyle focused on mindfulness, world events can create a collective feeling, whether it’s negative or positive. Addressing these goings—on can be a good idea for helping get everyone centered and grounded once again. These can be addressed with the theme of the yoga class as well, creating a relatable experience for both students and yoga teachers.

While it’s not always easy to plan ahead for incorporating this into your yoga class plans and yoga sequencing, take a moment before the start of class to feel out the room and adjust accordingly. If students are tense or uneasy, you’ll need to encourage that collectively grounded feeling more, for them to get the most out of your yoga classes.

Themes Help Teach the Big Picture

A yoga class can sometimes be limited, in the sense of not always being able to teach as much as you’d like to within an hour to two-hour long class. Information overload is not desirable and, even if it were, you wouldn’t be able to teach everything about yoga in that time period.

Themes allow your yoga teachers to pick out one very specific aspect of yoga to focus on. Additionally, they create structure for yoga sequencing and allow students to deeply explore a specific yoga theme. Here are another 100 themes, to help get your mind going on thinking up your own.

Need more help creating yoga class plans for yoga teachers like yourself? Check out Yoga Journal’s sequencing primer. They show you 9 different ways to plan a yoga class! Could you use some assistance with staying on top of your yoga classes? Check out Xplor's yoga studio management software to save yourself time and money, while growing your your yoga studio.