10 Yoga Class Planning Tips from 10 Experienced Teachers

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How To Create A Yoga Class Plan So Good That It Gets A Round Of Applause From Your Students At The End Of Class

In this post, you’ll discover 10 yoga lesson planning tips from 10 experienced yoga teaching friends of mine.

My name is George Watts.

I’m a BWY yoga teacher and have taught 800+ classes in the last 15 years.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the hundreds of free yoga class planning tips, ready-to-use yoga class plans, and yoga class handouts on my site. They are resources that I’ve personally used for my own yoga classes.

This yoga lessoning blog post was going to be about “my” top 10 tips for creating a yoga class plan with the Applause factor.

Umm, what is the applause factor?

Good question.

Here’s my definition…

A yoga class plan with the “Applause Factor” is one that gets a ROUND OF APPLAUSE at the end of a class.”

While practicing pranayama using a card within the Blissful Breathing Card Deck, I had a ‘We” verses “Me” moment.

I silently asked myself this question…

What if I asked ten yoga teacher buddies of mine to divulge their number one lesson planning tip?

That way I get to learn something new, reconnect with ten of my fellow yoga teachers, and share the findings with you. But before we do that, it’s important that you’re able to fully receive the love and light of your students.

Are You Allowing Yourself To Fully Receive The Love And Light Of Your Students?

It’s a wonderful feeling to give the gift of yoga to others and it’s equally wonderful to receive appreciation, whether it’s through applause, a thank you or a smile. Some may say that’s your ego talking and you shouldn’t need applause.

It’s true, you don’t need applause.

Of course, that’s not why you teach yoga.

But when the applause comes, have the courage to take it in and fully receive the love and light coming from your students. Yoga teachers are by their nature giving people.

Just remember that giving and taking is a balancing act.

So, give yourself permission to allow both giving and taking in equal measures.

Here are the ten yoga lesson planning tips that have a good chance of igniting applause within your students.

10 Yoga Class Planning Tips That Could Cause Your Students To Clap

10 Yoga Lesson Planning Tips from 10 Teachers Infographic

TIP 1: PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS

I used to spend anywhere from 3 to 8 hours trying to create the perfect lesson plan and discovered something rather unpleasant – the more I spent trying to perfect a lesson plan, the worse I felt my teaching was becoming.

My brother used to play on the European PGA Tour. He was a very good golfer. He discovered the main thing that was holding his golfing students back was something he called: “Paralysis by analysis”.

He knows, after years of experience, the more a golfer tries to use their monkey brain, the worse their golf game becomes. After a few years of teaching yoga, instead of spending several hours trying to craft the perfect lesson plan from scratch each week, I created a time-saving yoga lesson planning system. It now only takes me 10 minutes to create a yoga lesson plan.

George Watts
Yoga teacher in West Wales

TIP 2: TIMING

It’s important to get the timing of the class right. Always run through the class section by section at home, check that it flows and allow extra time for instruction and guidance. Have a couple of additional asanas ready to slot in if you are running ahead of time, and highlight a couple of asanas that can be removed if running behind.

Mhairi Thomson-Hulme
Yoga teacher in Aberdeen/Toronto

TIP 3: PRANAYAMA PRESCRIPTION

Everyone has heard the saying: ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away‘. I have another saying: ‘Adding a pranayama to each class keeps your students coming back for more’. I include one pranayama practice in every lesson plan starting with the Three Part Breath which helps to increase lung capacity. Then class-by-class, bit-by-bit, students are able to move onto more advanced practices such as Crow’s Breath and Bhastrika. A weekly prescription of pranayama will help your students increase energy, awareness, peace and joy.

Elfed Joseph
Yoga teacher in Swansea

TIP 4: YIN & YANG

My students really appreciate a lesson which includes a few poses to practice individually and then together as part of a flowing series (yin and yang). They say this helps them to remember a lot more, thus inspiring them for an enjoyable personal practice at home, and certainly more than if they just did one pose after another, after another. So, come on fellow yogis and yoginis: Let the rhythm move you…!

Eliya “Mia” Goodenough
Yoga teacher in South Wales, UK

TIP 5: GROW YOUR FILE

As a new teacher my lesson planning has been greatly helped by a ‘page’ arrangement. So, my lesson plan file contains individual pages for limbers, standing, bending, twists, floor work, sequences, pranayama and readings from which I can pick to ensure progression and variety. As new postures, etc., are developed, my file is growing. So far it’s working well.

* If you would like lesson plans that have already been created (that you can edit), click here.

Chris Bryan
Yoga teacher in Swansea

TIP 6: EIGHT PARTS

Follow this eight-part formula using the lesson plan acronym:

Love
Energy
Sequence of postures
Secure knowledge of benefits and precautions
Oms
Namaste
Pranayama
Limbering
Asanas
Not forgetting Relaxation

Sue Smith
Yoga teacher in Rhondda Cynon Taff

TIP 7: BE PREPARED TO DITCH IT

This arises from my experience of having to run mixed general classes rather than being able to run pure beginners and intermediate groups.

I prefer to devise programmes 4 weeks at a time but inevitably people miss a class, or a new person turns up perhaps with a particular problem – difficult for newly qualified teachers but over the years you learn to have alternatives up your sleeve, or teach some practices in a stepwise fashion so that new students or people with particular needs can stop at a certain point, so that all feel included in some way.

Bijam (Jenni Connaughton)
Yoga teacher in Edinburgh

TIP 8: START WITH THE END

I think it is a good idea to plan a term’s course of lessons starting with the last lesson.

If you were writing a book you would need to know where the story was going before starting to write, planning a yoga course is no different. If the aim for the term is perhaps a certain sequence or range of postures then you can work backwards from the ending through the middle before sorting out what you need in the introduction.

If you know where you are going you are more likely to get there if you are looking in the right direction.

Su Bates
Yoga teacher in Ceredigion

TIP 9: MOVE SPINE THROUGH DIFFERENT PLANES

The spine is one of the most important vital parts of our bodies and to keep it healthy, strong and flexible is of prime importance towards our every day comfort and well being. Therefore it is important to exercise and stretch the spine appropriately during our Yoga practice.

The spine is able to move in four directions and there should be regular movement in all directions.

This includes forward, sideward, backward and rotation movements.

I often lay emphasis on this fact by including yoga postures within my classes that move the spine in these 4 directions thus really creating space between the spinal vertebrae and re-aligning the spine to equilibrium for the individual.

Rama
Mandala Yoga Ashram in Carmarthenshire

TIP 10: TEACH FROM THE HEART

It is a solitary path teaching yoga and your experience ebbs and flows with the participants.

My experience when I was a new teacher has been that I questioned my ability & the style I teach; maybe I should change it to suit potential students? Luckily after this questioning I reconnected with the tradition I follow and had clear guidance that I am doing the right thing. As I have learnt from my teachers so I share this with my students, pure and simple from my heart.

Like a tree with strong foundations and intent it grows, blossoms and has the sweetest fruit.

Bridget Rowan
Yoga teacher in Leeds

BONUS TIP: DARE TO BE YOU

If I was a betting man I would have put money on the same tip popping up 3 or 4 times, but as you’ve seen every tip was unique and that, by accident, is a hidden, bonus tip.

There really is no such thing as a top yoga lesson planning tip.

Everyone has their own unique, special way of teaching yoga.

Every yoga teacher is different.

Allow your personality to shine though when teaching your classes and be aware if you are trying hard to fit into a stereotype of what a yoga teacher should look or sound like.

Dare to be you.

Dare to be unique.

Dare to soften your mask and let loose the real you upon your students.

It’s time for my conclusion.

George’s Conclusion: Using Yoga Card Decks As Fun, Easy-to-Use Teaching Aids

Hope you enjoyed the tips from my yoga teaching buddies.

If you’re a fellow yoga teacher, I’ve got a hunch you’re gonna love my Online Yoga Lesson Planner.

As a Yoga teacher, I’m always looking for fun, easy-to-use teaching aids to make your classes engaging, informative, and effective. That’s why I create yoga card decks. Each deck has been painstakingly crafted to serve as a quick-reference guide, teaching aid, or lesson-planning tool, designed with Yoga teachers, and serious students, in mind.

Chakra Chair Yoga Card Deck: 52 Cards For Mind-Body Unity

The Chakra Chair Yoga Card Deck is a transformative tool designed for yogis of all levels, especially those seeking a gentle, accessible practice. This beautifully illustrated 52-card deck combines the wisdom of the chakra system with the ease of chair yoga, offering a unique way to balance your energy centres while staying grounded and supported.

Chakra Chair Yoga Expansion Card Deck: 52 More Cards For Mind-Body Unity

The Chakra Chair Yoga Card Deck was so popular that I created the Chakra Chair Yoga Expansion Deck with another 52 chair yoga exercises.

Blissful Breathing Card Deck: Your Guide To Mastering Pranayama

The Blissful Breathing Card Deck is your go-to resource for mastering the art of pranayama (yogic breathing). With 41 beautifully designed cards, this Blissful Breathing Card Deck guides you through a wide variety of breathing techniques to enhance relaxation, focus, and vitality.

Face Yoga Card Deck: 50 Cards For Youthful Radiance

The Face Yoga Card Deck is a fun and effective way to tone, relax, and rejuvenate your facial muscles. This 50-card deck features simple, step-by-step exercises designed to improve circulation, boost skin elasticity, and promote a radiant, youthful glow.

101 Mini Yoga Cards: With 101 Asana Sanskrit Pronunciations

The 101 Mini Yoga Cards are a compact and versatile resource for yoga teachers and practitioners alike. Each card features an illustrated yoga pose, its English and Sanskrit names, and how to pronounce the Sanskrit name. This makes it easy to plan classes, create sequences, or inspire personal practice while deepening your connection to yoga’s roots.

Zen Of Blissful Boredom Card Deck: 52 Ways To Cultivate Calm

The Zen Of Blissful Boredom Card Deck offers a lighthearted yet profound approach to finding peace in the mundane. Featuring 52 cards filled with simple, humorous, and mindful activities, this deck encourages you to embrace boredom as a gateway to inner calm and creativity.

But don’t stop there.

You’re on a roll.

You’ll definitely want to look at my 10-step yoga sequencing formula. It’s got lots of infographics to make the learning visual and fun.

“Below are hundreds of yoga lesson planning tips on my blog…to help enlarge your yoga lesson planning brain.” – George Watts

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