It's nearly impossible to underestimate the role of the yoga instructor when signing up for a yoga class. The instructor sets the mood for the class, the pace for posture transitions, and flexible modifications to accommodate various skill levels. Everything from the timbre of the instructor's voice to the background music he or she selects and even the temperature of the room will influence your yoga experience. As with all things, different yoga instructors are best for different people. Here are some of the most important and underappreciated factors to consider when choosing a yoga instructor, studio, and class that's right for you.
Find a Yoga Instructor You Like
While you certainly don't want to start with a Level 2 yoga class if last week you thought yoga was a type of bear, people frequently overestimate the importance of the difficulty of the class when choosing yoga classes and instructors. Chances are you'll stick with a yoga program longer, enjoy it more, and find more benefit if you find a yoga instructor rather than one that meets your current yoga skill level. Often, classes with different yoga levels are distinguished only by a few different postures. Once you get a basic feel for yoga classes, you can attend a more advanced level class with a yoga instructor you like. Likewise, you can probably talk to a yoga instructor outside of class about ways to augment a beginning or Level 1 class to keep yourself challenged while sticking with a preferred instructor.
Different Models for Yoga Instructors
On a similar note, many yoga instructors fulfill a secondary role as a spiritual guide for those people who are interested in the more spiritual yoga disciplines. Alternately, other people see their yoga instructors as a kind of occupational therapist, using weekly classes to unwind from the stress of their jobs. Still others seek out yoga strictly as a form of physical therapy to create more fluid joints, toned muscles, and general physical fitness. That said, don't overlook a personal connection for ideology. Just as many religious worshippers look for an amiable pastor rather than sectarian ideology when choosing a place of worship and many therapy clients look for someone with whom they can build rapport rather than a depression and anxiety specialist, don't overlook a personal connection just because an instructor teaches Iyengar Yoga, instead of Kundalini Yoga.
Individual Instruction vs. Group Dynamics
Mixing it Up with Different Yoga Instructors
One of the challenges yoga instructors face is trying to balance individual instruction with group dynamics. The potential for individual instruction is one of the big reasons to seek out a yoga studio rather than yoga fitness tapes. Yet, beyond the logistical problems of trying to be in more than one place at a time, too much individual instruction can also slow down the pace of a class and disrupt smooth group dynamics. Moreover, some people, already nervous about attending a yoga class, find individual instruction can be unnerving or even intimidating. Despite every effort to find this balance, some instructors definitely lean more toward individual instruction while others put a greater emphasis on group dynamics. Keep in mind this difference when choosing the yoga instructor that's best for you.
So, how do you find the best yoga instructor for you? Look around and try out different yoga classes and instructors in your area, or even while you're on vacation or visiting out-of-town friends and family. You don't need to spend hours hunting down all the different studios in a particular locale, either. Simply let ServiceMagic know that you're interested in yoga classes, and we'll find yoga venues in the area for you. Once you make an online request through our system, the yoga studio will take the initiative to send you contact and marketing information that covers their yoga programs. Moreover, once you've gained considerable experience with a yoga discipline, it's often helpful to switch it up and try different yoga disciplines with different instructors. From developing new muscles and yoga skills to simply trying something new, rarely is it a bad idea to see what's out there. Let us help, so you can get back to cobbler's pose and three-part breathing.
