Learn how to start offering online yoga lessons with tips on everything from creating a great atmosphere for your lessons to the technical side of teaching online, in this expert article written by Sandra Preciado a professional yoga instructor on Near Me!
4 Tips For Offering Online Yoga Lessons
Are you an experienced yoga teacher needing a little push to bring your business online? Try these simple tips and enjoy a super smooth transition to the online yoga world!
1. Easy Connection
Whatever you decide your teaching platform will be, you want to make it simple for yourself and others to connect and access your class. Some great ways to do this are:
- Label your emails – This will help your clients find it quickly before the class.
- Use a recurring link – If using Zoom, you can pre-set a link for all your meetings. Make sure you keep that link handy for any last-minute joiners.
2. Creating the Space
Doing yoga is an opportunity for people to step out of their daily spaces and routines. We want to create an environment that will help them find that separation from their very familiar home space.
I like to light a candle, have some nice lighting on my evening practice, keep my space open and surrounded by green. There are so many possibilities, and a little bit of ambience goes a long way!
3. Communication
The dynamic might feel completely different from being in a studio, so it’s good to remind the students of the possibilities within the virtual space.
As I would in person, before starting class, I ask if anybody has any requests or recent injuries.
Practitioners have the choice to leave their cameras on or off. Remind them that it’s easier for you to give them feedback if they keep it on. Having them on camera will help pace the class organically, so striving for cameras on is a big one!
If you are on Zoom, in order to have the best possible sound quality, you will need to silence everyone else’s microphone. Remind them that they can still ask questions by unmuting themselves or typing in the chatbox. The class is for them!
4. Technical Checklist
Lastly, here's a quick and simple technical checklist to go through before starting your practice:
- The frame – Framing yourself on the screen can be a little tricky. It might take a pile of books or a creative barricade to hold your device at the ideal height. Give yourself time to play with it the first few times, then you’ll just need to recreate for future classes. Don’t forget to check that you are visible from head to toe. Being diagonal to the camera may help them get a better angle to most postures and flows.
- Internet bleeps can happen – If the internet cuts out briefly, don’t panic. Ask people to give you a thumbs up if they can still hear you fine and try to always speak towards your device.
- If you are on Zoom – When using Zoom you can choose to hear a sound every time someone enters your waiting room. This is ideal in case someone is late, and your class has started. You don’t want to leave them waiting there too long.
- Playing music – Depending on your teaching platform, playing music might disrupt the quality of sound for your attendees. This can be solved in several different technical ways, however, as mentioned before, we are striving for simple and straight forward both for us and them. My best tip is, create a playlist and post it in the chat at the start of the class. That way they can manage the volume, or they can choose to practice to their own music or even in silence.
And now you are all set for your first online yoga class!
Sandra Preciado
Yoga Instructor
Sandra Preciado is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Mexico. She discovered yoga through her love of movement and creation. The practice, both individually and as a teacher, has given her a delightful way to nourish her body and mind and connect with like-minded people.
For nearly a decade, Sandra has enjoyed leading yoga practices around the world. With a 500+ hour certification from Yoga Alliance, she teaches a wide variety of styles, including Vinyasa Flow, Vinyasa Chakra, Power, and Yin Yoga.
Bringing her dance experience, as well as her knowledge of breath, meditation and Ayurveda into the yoga practice are her favourite ways of creatively catering for all different age groups, goals, levels of experience, and times of the day. Every practice is an opportunity for growth, presence, and gratitude.
You can find Sandra on Instagram at @sandra_preciado & @the_hygge_yoga and join her in a range of weekly online practices at The Hygge Yoga or try a group class at Truthpie in Central London!
Interested in booking online yoga lessons with Sandra? Click here to visit Sandra's Near Me profile.
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