Yoga Lesson Plans
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Largest collection of FREE yoga class plans, and yoga class planning resources on the web for you to read, download and enjoy.
George’s 5 Step Formula For Creating Memorable Yoga Class Plans
A few years ago I was asked to be a speaker at the BWY Yoga Congress. At Congress, I shared my 5 step formula for creating memorable yoga class plans. Now I’m going to share it with you. Hope you find it useful.
Step 1: Memorable Yoga Lesson Plan
One Yoga Class Plan
Create ONE yoga class plan
The biggest mistake a newbie yoga teacher makes is to create a new yoga class plan for each yoga class.
I used to do it. Why?
Firstly, because I thought I was over-delivering value. And secondly, I thought I was being a fabulous yoga teacher.
But boy, was I wrong.
Your students won’t like it. My formula is simple: only create one yoga class plan every six weeks.
One!
Yes, you heard right. Only one. Shocking isn’t it. You can tweak each plan a little bit. For example, you could add a new relaxation at the end of the class, or change one or two poses.
So, why won’t students like you to go the extra mile to create six unique yoga class plans for your next 6 yoga classes?
Surely that would be a sign of your yogic teaching brilliance?
No, it’s not.
Firstly, creating a new yoga class plan for every class means your students never get their “groove on”.
Secondly, they don’t have time to learn anything because you’ve given them something new in every class. If, however, you teach from the same yoga class plan for 6 or 10 weeks, they get to groove some of the sequence and yogic teachings into their DNA.
So, trust me on this one.
Your students want continuity for 6 or 10 weeks. That means resisting your A-Type Personality (gotta be the best at everything you do) urge to create a new yoga class plan every week.
If you’re an A-Type Personality, please read the above section several times.
Seriously.
Read the above section a few times. I’ll be here waiting for you.
Welcome back! You’re ready for step 2.
Step 2: Memorable Yoga Class Plan
Yoga Class Themes
Morph into existence an interesting yoga class theme
There is an infinity of yoga class plan themes you can choose from.
Below are 34 free downloadable yoga lesson plans that I’ve created for my own yoga classes here in the UK. Feel free to use them for your own yoga classes, or as inspiration to come up with your own yoga themes.
Body Part Yoga Class Themes |
Core Yoga Lesson Plan |
Chair Yoga Class Themes |
Chair Yoga Lesson Plan I |
| Chair Yoga Lesson Plan II | |
| Chair Yoga For Seniors Lesson Plan |
Sports Yoga Class Themes |
Yoga for Cyclists Lesson Plan |
| Yoga for Golfers Lesson Plan | |
| Yoga for Runners Lesson Plan | |
| Yoga for Triathletes Lesson Plan |
Yoga Style Themes |
Hatha Yoga Lesson Plan |
| Kundalini Yoga Lesson Plan | |
| Pregnancy Yoga Lesson Plan | |
| Yoga For Seniors Yoga Lesson Plan |
Step 3: Memorable Yoga Class Plan
101 Yoga Class Planning Ideas
Have a brain storming session
Firstly, click here for 101 yoga class planning ideas. That post covers the following seven categories for coming up with creative yoga lesson plans: theme, peak pose, group of postures, muscle type, key point, body area, and quotes.
The only rule to coming up with a creative yoga class plan is that there is no rule.
Allow your imagination to roam free!
At the end of a 6-week yoga course, I allow myself time to brainstorm a new “theme” for my next 6 weeks of yoga classes. This brainstorming time can take anywhere from 5 minutes (if I get lucky and stumble across a theme quickly) or 5 hours. Though, my 101 yoga class planning ideas will save you time.
Pick Up A Book
I also love picking up a book and flipping through for ideas.
To show you what I mean, I’ve just randomly picked up a book from my bookcase and scanned for sentences and words that popped from the pages.
The book I picked was called:
Journey Into Power: How to sculpt your ideal, body, free your true self, and transform your life with yoga
Below are the theme ideas I found when reading the book:
Bumblebee Theme |
“With my heavy body, I shouldn’t be able to fly, but with light in my heart, I find a way.” This would make a great bumblebee theme. |
Emotional IQ Themes |
As We Think & Act, So Our World Becomes – The Dhammapada. |
| Be In The Now And You’ll Know-How. | |
| Empty Your Mental and Emotional Cup. | |
| Exceed Yourself To Find Your Exceeding Self. | |
| Forgive & Let Go. | |
| Stop Chasing The Illusion. | |
| Stumbling Upon Your Path To Bliss. | |
| Transcend Your Boundaries And Grow. | |
| Unlearning Negative Patterns. | |
| We Are Either Here Or Nowhere. | |
Journey Into Power Theme |
This could be a lesson plan with Warrior I, II, or III as a peak pose. |
Sculpt Your Ideal Body Theme |
This could be a lesson plan with poses that build the core muscles. |
Sculpt Your Inner Body Theme |
This could be a lesson plan with meditation exercises, mantras, and mudras. |
Sweat And Serenity Theme |
This could be a yin yang lesson plan. |
Think Less, Be More Theme |
This could be a lesson plan with one or more pranayama exercises. |
Uddiyanna Core Stabilisation |
This could be a lesson plan focused on a specific muscle type. Uddiyana Bandha is an Upward Abdominal Lock. It helps energy rise up through the center of your core. |
Step 4: Memorable Yoga Class Plan
Yoga Lesson Planner
Use my Yoga Genie Lesson Planner
Okay. I admit it. This is a blatant plug for my Yoga Lesson Planner. My hands are up. Almost every penny earned from the lesson planner goes to updating and improving it. The more users we get, the better it gets.
Go to my Yoga Lesson Planner and get it.
Once you’ve got your yogic hands on it, you’ll be able to create yoga class plans quickly and easily. Or you can create plans from scratch using pen and paper.
I use both methods.
Most of the time I use the Yoga Lesson Planner because it saves so much time, but sometimes I create plans by drawing yoga stick figures on paper. There’s no reason why you can’t use both methods.
Step 5: Memorable Yoga Class Plan
Keep Learning
Below are 1001 yoga class planning tips to help enlarge your yoga teaching brain…
101 Ways To
101 Yoga Lesson Planning Ideas
101 Ways To Teach Yoga With A Poet’s Heart
101 Tantalising Yoga Lesson Plan Title Templates
101 Yoga Asana Symbols: Reveal A Hidden Language To Your Yoga Students
101 Guided Yoga Imagery Phrases For Yoga Teachers
101 Perfect Quotes For A Quote Themed Yoga Class
Yoga Anatomy 101: A Crash Course For Yoga Teachers
A Bit Less Than 101 Ways To
10 Reasons To Use A Yoga Lesson Plan
10 Steps To Uncover Your Yoga Sequencing Formula
10 Tips To Motivate Your Students To Start A Home Yoga Practice
10 Yoga Lesson Planning Tips From 10 Yoga Teachers
9 Quirky DIY Yoga Props To Use In Your Classes
7 Yoga Imagery Phrases To Inspire Your Students
5 Steps For Teaching Relaxation Techniques
4 Quick & Easy Ways To Combine Yogic Breathing & Movement To Your Yoga Sequences
How To Tips
How To Become An Olympic Yogi: Use Visualisation To Rehearse Your Yoga Classes
How To End Your Class On Time Every Time
How To Give Your Yoga Lesson Plans A Chill Pill
How To Create A Yoga Card Deck In 10 Easy Steps Using My Free Downloadable Card Template
How To Create Yoga Class Themes (5-minute video tutorial)
How To End Your Yoga Class On Time Every Time
How To Make A DIY Bolster In 60 Seconds
How To Sequence Around A Peak Pose: Secret Formula Revealed
How To Use Safari Web Browser To Create Yoga Class Handouts With One Click
How To Write Compelling Yoga Lesson Plan Aims & Objectives
How I Applied The 8 Limbs Of Yoga To Go From 5 To 25 Students
How To Become A Full-Time Yoga Teacher
How To Hire A Local Photographer To Morph You Into A Yoga Star
How To Teach Extended Triangle Pose
How To Teach Revolved Triangle Pose
Other Class Planning Tips
Why I Include 10 Minutes Of Inversions At The End Of My Classes
My Simple Sequencing Secret Formula
Yoga Therapy Precautions Cheat Sheet
How To Teach Yoga Using Imagery
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Backbends With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Boat Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Bow Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Bridge Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Extended Side Angle Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Mountain Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Staff Pose With A Poet’s Heart
Yoga Teacher Poet: How To Teach Tree Pose With A Poet’s Heart
That’s it. Hope you found my formula useful. And I hope you enjoy the hundreds of free yoga class planning tips, yoga class plans, and yoga class handouts on my site.