Finding the best Yoga Instructor for me:

When it comes to finding the best type of yoga or instructor/teacher for your self there are many things to consider. Lots of thought should go into finding the right yoga teacher for you, every yoga teacher/instructor is different, and there are many traditions/approaches on yoga, it can get very confusing. There are lots of amazing yoga instructor’s out there, and not all yoga instructors will be suitable for you, choosing the wrong type of yoga class or yoga instructor can do a lot more harm then good and can have negative short & long term health effects. Every person is unique and has their own special requirements, body types, life styles, stage of life, diet, age, any past or current injury’s, illness or disease, must be taken into account. This is why private yoga classes make so much more sense; you get that one-on-one attention that you just don’t get in a lot of group classes. 

Hear are some questions you need to ask yourself when looking for a yoga instructor or a approach on yoga. 

What do I know about yoga?

Why do I want to do yoga? 

What are my goals? (If any) 

What are my expectations when it comes to yoga? 

The following are tips on what to look for in a yoga instructor or approach on yoga.

1. Do some research on different approaches of yoga, such as books or Internet, however, there is a lot of information out there on yoga and it could be very time consuming and very confusing, if so, talk to friends or family, I highly recommend trying different yoga schools, classes, instructors un-till you find a yoga instructor or approach that suits your needs and feels right, if you are not sure of a particular approach on yoga, or a yoga instructor, do a couple of classes till you feel if this is the right class or yoga teacher for you. 

2. Try and stay away form large group classes if you can, especially if there is only one yoga teacher conducting the class, the bigger the yoga class is, the less likely you will get the attention you deserve, it is also very difficult for the yoga instructor to watch if you maybe doing a pose in a way that could be harmful. The yoga teacher will not be able to get around the whole class and give any modifications or adjustments if needed.

3. Very important to find out how much training or experience the yoga instructor has. As there are courses out there where you can become a yoga teacher in 6 weeks or less. Yoga and the human body is quite complex, to complex to fully understand and be able to teach correctly and safely with such little training. 

4. When it comes to a private yoga instructor, he/she should be finding out as much info about you as possible, so that he/she can teach you in a way that is best for your needs.

5.  Your yoga teacher should be listening to your needs and trying to understand you.

6. Your yoga instructor must take the time to make sure you are practicing in a safe manner.

7. The yoga instructor should always be teaching in a way that is best for you, not what is best for the yoga teacher.

8. Be sure to tell the yoga instructor of anything that may be of concern, even if you think it is not that important.

9. Keep an open line of communication with your yoga teacher; your yoga instructor should be checking in on you throughout your class. 

10. Ask your private yoga teacher if he/she will design you your very own yoga practice for you to take away and do at home. 

11. Your yoga instructor should care about you and see you as a person not a problem. 

12. It may take a few lessons for your yoga teacher to get a good idea of your needs.

13. You may find after a while that you are not getting what you want out of your yoga class or teacher, sometimes this can happen, talk to your yoga instructor and if you still don’t think you are getting what you want out of your yoga classes, it could just be that you have received what you can from that yoga teacher or school and it’s time to move on to another teacher/school.