5 Ways to Become a More Confident Yoga Teacher
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In the early days of teaching yoga, I remember being simultaneously thrilled and terrified all at once.
I so desperately wanted to share the transformative power of this practice with my students—yoga had pulled me out of a deep depression and helped me learn self-awareness, a sense of security in my body, and belonging within a community.
How could I share this? How could I give this away, this gift of yoga? How could I help other people find some relief from stress, pain, and exhaustion?
But first— how could I deal with the sense of self-doubt and anxiety that was looming over me every time I went to teach?
I remember being so nervous, wondering if I’d remember the words that I had learned in teacher training. My hands were shaking when I’d walk to the front of the room to start class.
Oh God, I thought, what if I totally blank out and forget what to say? What if the room is too hot? What if my playlist isn’t working?
What will these people think of me?
Any pose I spoke out loud felt like an opportunity to fail. To choke. To make a fool of myself.
I cared so much.
I cared a bit too much.
My perfectionism was rearing its ugly side, that voice in my head that said, maybe you’re not cut out for this and made me want to give up on teaching.
As I went along, I began to realize how common it was for yoga teachers to feel this complex mix of emotions: worried but excited, shaky yet determined, introspective and uncertain.
I truly wanted to help my students succeed, yet I was fearful of falling short of the high standards I had set for myself. I had a lot I wanted to say, but it was hard to get the words out. I needed solid ground to stand on. I needed practice. And I needed to look within and define success on my own terms, rather than comparing myself to other, more experienced yoga teachers.
I was in the sticky, messy, imperfect process of building my confidence.
If stumbling over your words is holding you back or making your teaching feel painful, uncomfortable, and awkward— you are in the right place. If you have graduated from your training but your head is swirling with doubt—congratulations, you are right where you’re meant to be. This blog post is for you.
If you are a brand-new yoga teacher fresh out of teacher training, what I want to say to you is this:
You’re not alone.
It’s going to get easier.
It will get easier faster if you let yourself relax.
Your lack of confidence may feel enormous right now, but it has a lot to teach you, including humility and vulnerability.
Your students need you—all of you, the real, authentic version of you, not some performance you think will win them over.
You can take your time with this. There’s no rush.
You don’t have to be so hard on yourself all the time.
You can do this.
Here are 5 simple tips to boost your confidence as a new yoga teacher right out of your yoga teacher training.
#1: Teach a basic class and don’t be afraid to repeat yourself.
I think one of the best things you can do for yourself as a new teacher is to create a basic class that you keep in your back pocket, so to speak. Create a simple class structure that you can build from. A class that you know and love. Practice the class over and over on your own so that you have it memorized. Adjust it as needed so that it feels great in your body and the timing is dialed in. Teach this class a bunch of times before you start changing it and experimenting.
When you have a signature class ready to go and in your back pocket, you can show up feeling excited and confident to teach. You’re familiar with your playlist and you’ll know if you’re running a bit ahead or a bit behind when that one song comes on. You’re not concentrating so hard on remembering what’s next in the sequence.
It’s a yes, I’ve got this kind of vibe.
While teaching your signature class, you feel calm and stable. You smile more. You have fun with it.
Teaching your signature class is like baking your favorite recipe of chocolate chip cookies. You know what ingredients go in and when. You know that they’re going to turn out beautiful and taste amazing. You can laugh and dance around the kitchen and have fun while you’re baking these cookies because you trust how good you are at it. Teach like that. Savor it.
#2: After class, ask your students to come back next week, or to the next class you’re teaching.
If you invite people to come back, they’re more likely to. This will boost your class attendance (and even if it doesn’t, it will help you connect more with your students and start to build a relationship with them).
After class, position yourself somewhere in the room or lobby so you can say thank you and see how students are doing. What do you notice in their body language, their facial expressions?
See them. Acknowledge them.
Say, “How is your body feeling after that class?”
“How was that for you?”
Or, “See you next time!”
Be present. Stay off your phone. Look people in the eye.
It might make a difference in your class attendance. Or it might not. Either way, it’s powerful to build relationships with your students and show them that you care and want them to come back.
#3: Use a Yoga Script to build confidence in your voice.
Work on one thing at a time. You can’t build your confidence trying to do everything at once.
If mirroring the poses doesn't come naturally, spend some time at home rehearsing it out loud and watching your reflection in the mirror.
If you struggle with your cues, buy a yoga script and use it. Keep a notebook. Recite your cues in the car when you’re driving.
Can’t remember names? Research memorization techniques and challenge yourself by saying hello to students in the lobby. Learn one name and let that be enough for today.
Focus on one thing at a time and celebrate the small wins. This is how you build your confidence.
#4: Record yourself teaching and learn from watching the recording, even if it’s a bit uncomfortable.
Watching a recording of yourself will give you a ton of new awareness and will help you identify things you want to work on. When you watch back the recording, be kind to yourself.
Remember, your self-worth comes from who you are and the beautiful energy you bring to the room.
Not from ticking off boxes, getting it perfect the right time around, or performing.
When you watch back the recording, what do you see? Do you see the amazing person you are? Can you see yourself through the eyes of a family member or dear friend?
You bring so much to the table.
You’re worthy.
Believe that.
#5: Just show up.
Sometimes you plan it all out and the class goes beautifully according to plan. But most of the time, something in the plan gets screwed up. Instead of freaking out about it, just look around and be where you are.
Read the room.
What’s the energy in here like?
What do these lovely people need from their practice today?
What do I have to give?
Keep it as simple as that.
Instead of showing up with preconceived notions about who would be in the class or how it “should” be, I gave myself permission to show up in the moment. To slow down, look around, and let my teaching be intuitively guided.
Your students will show you what they need; just quiet down and pay attention. The more you can trust yourself even when unexpected things pop up, the faster you’ll build confidence.
What else has helped you build your confidence as a yoga teacher? If you’re a seasoned teacher with lots of experience, comment below and let us know!
Also, be sure to check out my recent book Creating Confidence: A Practical Guide for Aspiring Yoga Teachers and the awesome yoga script resources here on Alive in the Fire. Happy teaching!
Teach yoga with confidence using the Power Yoga Script!
This yoga class script PDF is a full guide that details exactly what to say for your next class, start to finish.
Ideas for how to start yoga class as a teacher
What to say during Savasana at the end of yoga class
Precise cues for over 50 poses included in a Power Vinyasa Sequence
Sanskrit posture names including phonetic spelling for how to pronounce them
This 45-page document includes detailed instructions for how to cue yoga poses and can be modified to create a:
60 minute yoga sequence script
75 minute yoga sequence script
or even a 90 minute yoga sequence scripts
If you’re struggling with yoga sequencing or yoga sequencing lesson plans, this script is for you.
This yoga class script can help you improve your cues, build your confidence, and discover the sequencing and pacing that will define your unique style as a teacher. Transition smoothly from yoga teacher training (YTT) into any teaching environment.
The sequencing follows the Baptiste power vinyasa yoga methodology including the following sections:
Integration (Presence)
Awakening (Sun Salutations)
Vitality (Warrior Series)
Equanimity (Balance Series)
Grounding (Triangle Series)
Igniting (Backbending Series)
Stability (Abdominal Series)
Opening (Hip Series)
Release (Forward Bending Series)
Rejuvenation (Inversion Series)
Deep Rest (Surrender to Gravity Series)
The yoga class teaching script includes:
Introductions
Warm ups
Sun salutations
Warrior poses
Balancing poses
Triangle series
Backbending
Abs and core work
Hips
Forward bending
Inversions
Cool down and savasana
Precise cues, smart sequencing, and ideas for how to start and end the class in an engaging and authentic way. Walk into class feeling empowered and prepared to deliver a kick-ass yoga experience to your students.
Here’s what yoga teachers are saying about the POWER YOGA SCRIPT:
“This definitely helped me improve my flow with teaching asana after my teacher training.” -Donita, Vinyasa yoga teacher
”I love how you laid this script out. I felt confused and scattered as I was working on my classes and this helped me save time in the process. Thank you!” -Keyla, yin yoga teacher
“I’ll be honest: when I got done with my 200-hour training, I felt totally lost. I mean, my trainers went over all the poses but as soon as I’d get in front of the room, the words just weren’t there. I felt so stuck. This book helped me build my confidence and doing some memorization so I wasn’t always so terrified to teach.” -Beth, power vinyasa teacher
