My Top 10 Reasons To Use A Yoga Lesson Plan When Teaching

“I taught my first yoga class this week, I was just covering for a teacher at my local gym. It was a 45 min class, and I completely got lost with the time. I did a flowing power sequence, but after doing all the standing poses I only had 5 mins left, so no time for seated, just relaxation at the end. I had two new complete beginners in the class, and the rest were all experienced. I found it hard as I had to keep adjusting the new beginners. Have you ever had a problem when you first started with misjudging time? If so do you have any hints to help me to manage it better when I have different levels in my class. Your advice is so much appreciated.”

My Answer

When you create a yoga lesson plan using the Online Yoga Lesson Planner, there’s a section by each pose for keeping track of the time. When you first start teaching, it’s a good idea to make sure you fill that section out

Then I gave here my three step system for taking a plan to class. 

After Creating A Yoga Plan Using The Yoga Lesson Planner, Take These 3 Steps

Step 1: Print The Short Version Plan

Each yoga lesson plan you create within the Online Yoga Lesson Planner comes with a short version of the lesson plan. The short version is perfect for taking into class with you. It’s short and sweet.

When you’ve finished creating the plan, download it as a PDF, then print it. 

Step 2: Print The Long Version Plan

Each yoga lesson plan you create within the Online Yoga Lesson Planner comes with a long version of the lesson plan.

The long version has everything you need to practice the lesson plan before getting to class. 

The long version is a great handout to give to your students, especially your one-to-one students. It immediately shows your professionalism and increases your expertise in the eyes of your students.

Look through the long version a few days before your class starts, and visualise yourself teaching it.

Step 3: Take The Plan With You To Class

I’ve found over the years that imagining myself teaching the class is just as useful as actually practicing it on the mat.

In fact, I find the “imaginary yoga practice” better because it allows me to focus on my students.

For example, if a student has repetitive strain injury on both his wrists and one of the poses within the lesson plan is Crow Pose, I’ll imagine walking up to him and saying, “Frank, instead of doing full Crow Pose which will put too much strain on your wrists, do Baby Crow instead“, or if that’s still too painful for him, I’ll ask him to do squats instead.

When you get to class, put the yoga lesson plan on the front of your mat.

Reason 1: Less Pressure

Creating a lesson plan with an Online Yoga Lesson Planner will feel make you feel way less pressure than winging it. 

Reason 2: Judge Time

Creating a lesson plan with an Online Yoga Lesson Planner will make sure that you won’t misjudge time.

Reason 3: Track Progress

When you create lesson plans, you can keep track of what classes you’ve taught throughout the months and years. The good news is that you’ll be able to keep all your lesson plans in one convenient location, within the “My Plans” section of the Online Yoga Lesson Planner.

Reason 4: Big Picture

When creating lesson plans using an Online Yoga Lesson Planner, there’s a section for the aims and objectives. Aims and objectives are crucial for being aware of the “big picture” of your lesson plans.

I highly recommend you read this post: How To Write Compelling Aims And Objectives For A Yoga Class. 

Reason 5: Fun & Inspiring

It’s fun and inspiring to create a yoga lesson plan when you have an Online Yoga Lesson Planner as a teaching aid.

It can become a huge time-waster and energy drain to have to reinvent the wheel each time you create a lesson plan, which is what you have to do if you draw out your plans.

My Online Yoga Lesson Planner comes with 5000+ poses, mantras, mudras, relaxation exercises and pranayama exercises. All you need to do is click on one of them to add it to the lesson plan. Quick. Fun. Inspiring. 

Reason 6: Winging Woes

Winging it (on-the-fly teaching without creating a plan) sounds good but rarely produces good results. It just creates what I call “winging woes”. 

The myth is that if you’re a really experienced yoga teacher. or a good one, you shouldn’t need a lesson plan. That’s okay if you’re teaching the same thing each week (e.g. Bikram yoga), but if you mix things up a bit (e.g. Hatha yoga), creating a lesson plan is best for you and your students. 

Reason 7: Flow State

Using an Online Yoga Lesson Planner allows you to enter the lesson planning flow state, whereas a blank sheet often causes Writer’s Block.

Reason 8: Mat Practice

Once you’ve create a yoga lesson plan using an Online Yoga Lesson Planner, you can practice it on your mat before you get to class. Trust me, your students will know if you’ve practised the sequences in the plan before showing up to class. 

Reason 9: Mind Practice

Once you’ve create a yoga lesson plan using an Online Yoga Lesson Planner, you can practice it in your mind using your imagination.

Look through the long version of the lesson plan (see step 2 above), a few days before your class starts, and visualise yourself teaching it.

Reason 10: Know Thy Students

You’ll get to know your students better by looking at the lesson plan and being aware of which students would need a modification. For example your student, Bob, may have sciatica, so you may demonstrate how to do Reverse Triangle instead of Extended Triangle Pose.

And one more for luck…

Bonus Reason: Creative Themes

Create a yoga lesson plan using an Online Yoga Lesson Planner gives you can breathing space to come up with some really creative yoga class themes.

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

My great hope is that you will always, always, always take a yoga lesson plan into class. If this post has made you aware of the importance of taking your plan with you to your class, I will die a contented man. 

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.