Top 7 Common Mistakes Yoga Teachers Make When Planning Classes (And How to Avoid Them)
This post is part of my Yoga Lesson Plan Formula series, which started with:
- What Are Yoga Lesson Plan Formulas? A Smarter Way to Teach
— an introduction to how formulas work and why they save teachers time. - How to Create Your First Yoga Lesson Plan Formula
— a step-by-step guide to building your first reusable class structure.
In this third post, we’ll look at the flip side — the top 7 most common mistakes yoga teachers make when planning classes and how to avoid them.
As I’m writing this (October 2025), we’re redesigning the Online Yoga Lesson Planner, and many of these improvements — such as lesson plan formulas, next pose suggestions when adding a pose to a plan, and larger printable views — are being built specifically to help teachers eliminate these very mistakes.
Mistake 1. Not Using a Yoga Lesson Plan Formula
Many teachers still start planning with a blank page — which often leads to inconsistency or rushed sessions.
A lesson plan formula like this one gives your class a reliable framework:
- Centering
- Warm-up
- Standing sequence
- Peak pose
- Cool-down
- Relaxation
It saves time, ensures balance, and makes classes feel smooth and cohesive.
If you haven’t yet, read: What Are Yoga Lesson Plan Formulas? A Smarter Way to Teach — it explains exactly how these “class recipes” work.
Mistake 2. Skipping Aims and Objectives
A yoga class without a clear aim can feel scattered. Before you begin planning, define:
- Aim — What is the overall intention of the class? (e.g., “To cultivate hip mobility and stability”).
- Objective — What will help achieve that aim? (e.g., “Explore external hip rotation through Warrior II, Pigeon, and Supine Twist.”).
Adding a one-line aim and objective at the top of your plan keeps your teaching focused and intentional. The Online Yoga Lesson Planner includes a section for you to add your aims and objectives.
Way back in 2011, I wrote a blog post called How To Write Compelling Aims And Objective For A Yoga Class. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Well worth a quick read.
Mistake 3. Cramming In Too Many Poses
It’s tempting to include every pose you love — but an overcrowded yoga lesson plan can feel rushed.
A 60-minute class with 25+ poses doesn’t allow time for breathwork, alignment, or relaxation. Newly minted teachers, wanting to over deliver value to their students, nearly always make this mistake.
You’ve heard the saying: Less Is More (if not read this post: Less Is More Yoga Lesson Planning Strategy).
Well, when it comes to poses in a plan, it’s a mantra worth repeating over and over and over again as you’re about to start planning a class.
- Aim for 10–15 poses per class.
- Leave space for transitions and pauses.
- Remember: depth is more powerful than quantity.
A good formula ensures each pose has purpose and space to breathe.
Mistake 4. Poses That Don’t Flow Naturally
When poses don’t flow logically, the class feels disjointed — jumping between unrelated movements is not an enjoyable experience for students!
10 Smooth Yoga Pose Sequences
Gentle Spine Awakener Yoga Flow
Cat/Cow → Downward Dog → Plank → Up Dog → Child
Gentle Spine Awakener Yoga Flow
Grounded Strength Flow
Warrior II → Side Angle → Triangle → Wide-Leg Forward Fold
Grounded Strength Yoga Flow
Foundational Flow Sequence
Mountain Pose → Chair Pose → Forward Fold → Half Lift → Kneeling Plan
Foundational Flow Yoga Sequence
Balancing Strength Flow
Low Lunge → Crescent Lunge → Warrior III → Warrior Eagle → Forward Fold
Balancing Strength Yoga Flow
Inversion Recovery Flow
Bridge Pose → Supported Shoulderstand → Plough → Fish Pose
Inversion Recovery Yoga Flow
Seated Release Flow
Bound Angle → Easy Twist → Easy Fold → Easy Bowing Yoga Mudra
Seated Release Yoga Flow
Heart Expansion Flow
Cobra → Locust → Bow → Extended Child
Heart Expansion Yoga Flow
Core Stability Flow
Frog → Fire Hydrant → Plank → Downward Dog Split
Core Stability Yoga Flow
Grounding Balance Flow
Halfway Lift (arms behind) → Chair (arms behind) → Palm Tree → Tree Anjali Mudra
Grounding Balance Yoga Flow
Restorative Release Flow
Lying Twist → Bridge → Happy Baby → Savasana
Restorative Release Yoga Flow
Hope you enjoyed my yoga flow infographics.
Hmmm, I think you’re now ready for my fool-proof method for ensuring every single sequence you create from this day onwards flows smoothly.
Practise the flow!
And if during the flow, you feel awkward between poses, tweak the sequence. Keep tweaking until the flow feels as naturual and easy as flowing water.
Hey, whenever you don’t have time to practice the flow, try my 3-step visualisation tactic to practice your plan in your head.
Mistake 5. Ignoring Time Management
Running over time or ending abruptly can make even the best-planned class feel rushed or unfinished. A thoughtful time structure ensures your students leave grounded and complete.
When planning your sequence, assign approximate minutes to each section of the class arc. This keeps your pacing natural and helps you see where you might be trying to squeeze in too much.
Here’s a quick reference guide:
🕕 30-Minute Yoga Class
- 3 min Centering & Breathwork
- 5 min Warm-up
- 10 min Standing/Flow Sequence
- 5 min Peak Pose
- 4 min Cool-down
- 3 min Relaxation
🕕 45-Minute Class
- 5 min Centering & Breathwork
- 7 min Warm-up
- 15 min Standing/Flow Sequence
- 8 min Peak Pose
- 6 min Cool-down
- 4 min Relaxation
🕕 60-Minute Class
- 5 min Centering & Breathwork
- 10 min Warm-up
- 25 min Standing/Flow Sequence
- 10 min Peak Pose
- 5 min Cool-down
- 5 min Relaxation
🕖 75-Minute Class
- 5 min Centering & Breathwork
- 10 min Warm-up
- 30 min Standing/Flow Sequence
- 10 min Peak Pose
- 10 min Cool-down
- 10 min Relaxation
🕘 90-Minute Class
- 5 min Centering & Breathwork
- 15 min Warm-up
- 35 min Standing/Flow Sequence
- 10 min Peak Pose
- 15 min Cool-down
- 10 min Relaxation
The redesigned Online Yoga Lesson Planner will include a built-in Class Duration Calculator — so as you build your sequence, the planner automatically totals your class time and alerts you when you’re running over.
Mistake 6. Drawing Yoga Plans That Are Too Small to Read When Standing
A lot of teachers print their plans only to realise they can’t see them from the mat.
4 Quick Tips To See Your Plan When Teaching
- Draw large poses
- Write with large text
- Include space between poses
- Have large, bolded, sequence section titles (e.g. warm ups)
The Online Yoga Lesson Planner automatically creates:
- Short View – minimal text, large pose graphics, perfect beside the mat.
- Long View – full notes for prep, training, or giving to students as handouts.
So, to recap…
If you’re squinting at your yoga lesson plan when teaching, that’s a red flag that either your poses are too small, your text is too small, you’ve crammed your poses too close together, and you haven’t made your sequence section text stand out from the crowd (e.g. warm ups).
Mistake 7. Forgetting To Include Transitions
Poses are static; yoga is movement. Smooth transitions transform a sequence into a flow.
10 Smooth Yoga Transitions
Smooth Transition 1: Warrior
“Bend the front knee, inhale to Warrior II.”
(connects standing poses — builds strength and flow)
Smooth Transition 2: Bridge
“Exhale, roll down from Bridge and hug knees in.”
(gentle spinal release after a backbend)
Smooth Transition 3: Cobra
“Inhale, lift the chest from Cobra, tuck the toes, exhale to Downward Dog.”
(smooth spinal reset from prone to inverted)
Smooth Transition 4: Down Dog
“Step the right foot forward between the hands, rise up into Crescent Lunge.”
(grounded transition from Down Dog to standing lunge)
Smooth Transition 5: Triangle
“From Warrior II, exhale and straighten the front leg, reach forward into Triangle.”
(shared alignment — keeps hips open and stable)
Smooth Transition 6: Forward Fold
“Inhale, lift halfway, lengthen the spine; exhale, fold deeper into Forward Fold.”
(classic vinyasa transition linking breath and movement)
Smooth Transition 7: Plank
“From Plank, lower halfway to Chaturanga, inhale to Upward Dog, exhale to Downward Dog.”
(dynamic vinyasa wave — builds heat and rhythm)
Smooth Transition 8: Low Lunge
“From Low Lunge, exhale and step the back foot forward into Forward Fold.”
(brings energy downward — perfect for grounding)
Smooth Transition 9: Seated Fold
“After Seated Forward Fold, inhale, reach arms up and roll onto your back for Bridge.”
(fluid shift from seated to supine)
Smooth Transition 10: Supine Twist
“From Supine Twist, inhale to centre, exhale to the other side.”
(maintains breath rhythm while balancing both sides)
George’s Conclusion
Every teacher makes planning mistakes — what matters is learning from them and using smarter systems to avoid repetition.
By addressing these ten areas, your classes will feel smoother, safer, and more engaging for students.
If you’d like to see how to correct most of these issues instantly, read the next post in this series: How to Create Your First Yoga Lesson Plan Formula
— a practical guide to building your first reusable class structure inside the new planner.
Hmmm, before I go, here’s a bonus mistake….
There’s one more mistake that most yoga teachers make, and it’s a biggie — neglecting reflection and adjustment.
Great teaching comes from reflection!
So, after class, I highly recommend spending two minutes noting: Which poses felt effective? Where did students struggle? Did timing match your plan?
Within the Online Yoga Lesson Planner, you can add these notes to the lesson plan (within the notes section). Over time, this habit will help you refine your Yoga Lesson Plan Formulas and your natural teaching instinct.
