Ep 26: All Levels Yoga Classes - Problems & Solutions

All levels yoga classes do not benefit the student! There, I said it! I've struggled with the way that yoga has been commodified here in the west, we've changed the practice into this fitness routine. It's a "Get in, get on your mat, work hard, sweat it out, get out and shuffle in the next class" environment. And it's madness.

In this episode, I'll cover three things:

1. Why all levels classes benefit studios.
2. The potential problems for teachers and students. And,
3. Solutions - how to address the issues that come with all levels classes.

I'm glad you're here now. Let's get into it.

Transcript

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I'm just going to be honest, I have a problem with all levels yoga classes. And I'll tell you the main reason is because they do not benefit the student there. I said it. I've struggled with the way that yoga has been commodified here in the west, we've changed the practice into this fitness routine. Uh, get in. I get on your mat, work hard, sweat it out, get out and shuffle in the next class. Environment. And it's madness. In this episode, I'll cover three things. One how all levels classes, benefits, studios. Because that's who they've been event. Number two, the potential problems for teachers and students. And number three. Solutions, how to address the issues that come with all levels classes. I'm glad you're here now. Let's get into it. Welcome to the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you if you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support, you love to be in conversation, and you're a lifelong student. In this podcast, I'll share with you My life as a yoga teacher, the lessons I've learned, my process for building my business, and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use and you can use so that your business thrives. We'll cover a diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this together. Welcome back to the podcast. Look, I'm just going to be honest. I have a problem with all levels yoga classes, and I'll tell you the main reason is because. They do not benefit the student. I've struggled with the way yoga has been commodified here in the west. We've changed the practice into this fitness routine. Uh, get in. Get on your mat and work hard, sweat it out, get out and shuffle the next class in environment. And it's madness. Sure. I won't negate that teachers, including you. Do your best to incorporate the deeper teachings of yoga with your students, and you do a wonderful job with it. I see you. But you're also bound by studio schedules and class formats. First. Let's chat about the reasons why studios add all level classes to their schedules. I'll explain the strategic reasons, primarily related to attracting more students and increasing revenue. And the specific reasons why it benefits the studio. I'm going to keep it real here. So here we go. All levels classes allow yoga studios to number one, attract a larger and more diverse group of students. These classes are designed to have a broad appeal, to be inclusive, appealing to a wider audience by inviting students of all abilities. This specific language, quote unquote all levels. Can attract more students who might otherwise feel uncertain about it being their first time in a yoga class or whether they're good enough, flexible enough to practice yoga. Because they believe that this type of class will be appropriate for them. So, how does this benefit? The studio higher enrollment. By attracting a diverse group of students. Studios can fill more spots in each class. Leading to higher overall attendance. You know, more students equals more money. Number two. Um, means to simplify, scheduling and maximize the use of studio space and time. Offering all levels classes simplifies the scheduling process and studios don't need to create multiple classes. For different skill levels. A simplified schedule makes scheduling classes more straightforward and manageable. Now, how does this benefit? The studio? Well efficiency, this approach maximizes the use of studio space and time. Making it easier to manage class schedules and instructor availability. It reduces the complexity of balancing a variety of classes with different levels. Number three. All levels classes increase. Revenue through higher class attendance and sales. Of related products. The broader appeal of all levels, classes means more students are likely to sign up leading to higher class attendance and more memberships or drop ins. This has benefits to the studio by leading to higher revenue. More students per class translates directly to increased revenue for the studio. High attendance can also lead to more sales of products. Such as yoga, mats, props, and apparel. Number four. These classes foster a sense of community, which helps to enhance students loyalty and retention. All levels classes can foster this sense of community among students of varying abilities and when students of different levels practice together. It can create a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. This benefits, the studio via loyalty and retention, a strong community feeling. Can enhance student loyalty and retention as students feel more connected to the studio and to each other. This can lead to longterm memberships and consistent attendance. This is important and is one aspect that I focus on a lot. In my online studio, I have students who have never met each other in person who have become truly connected. And look forward to seeing each other in classes. And on social media. Some of my closest relationships with students have been with some who've I've never met. So community is important, not only for the studio, but also for student connection with one another. Number five. Studios use all levels classes. Through marketing and branding themselves as inclusive and accessible. To help draw in new clients, promoting these all levels classes aligns with a brand image of inclusivity and accessibility, which can be appealing in marketing efforts. It signals that the studio is welcoming to everyone. Regardless of experience this has benefits the studio by attracting new clients. Uh, welcoming brand image can attract new clients who might be hesitant to try yoga due to concerns about their skill level. Effective marketing of this inclusivity can draw in a broader clientele. Number six. These classes provide a consistent and supportive environment for students to progress at their own pace. All levels classes allow students to progress at their own pace without needing to switch classes frequently. They can start as beginners and continue to attend the same class. As they advance. Issues arise winning. If students begin to compare themselves to each other, which becomes a problem in all levels classes. This consistency in attendance benefits the studio because students are more likely to stick with a class where they feel comfortable. If their progress is supported. This can lead to more consistent attendance and reduced dropout rates. Number seven, the efficient use of instructors, optimizing staff costs and improving operational efficiency. So instructors who teach all levels classes can develop skills to cater to a broad range of abilities, making staffing more flexible and reducing the need for a large number. Of specialized instructors. Instructors teaching all levels classes can develop skills to cater to a broad range of abilities, making staffing more flexible and reducing the need for a large number of specialized instructors. This benefits, the studio through cost effective staffing. Having instructors capable of teaching mixed level classes can reduce the need for hiring multiple instructors for different levels. Thereby lowering staffing costs and increasing operational efficiency. Overall while all levels classes, present challenges for students. Because let's be real. How can you serve? Everyone in the room properly. The truth of the matter is that these classes offer significant financial and operational benefits that make running a profitable yoga studio within reach. So I'll tell you a little story here about when I worked at a prominent. And we'll just call it studio. Um, but they offered a wide variety of workout. Offerings and one of the yoga studios that they had was. Ginormous. To say the least, right. And so I would consistently have large. Numbers of students in class and we're talking like 70 plus students in class. And if you think about it, think about the range of abilities that I had in this class. So I'll just explain. I had sometimes. Students as young as 17 year olds And then I had students as old as, 70, 80, 85 years old. So we had a broad range. In age of students. Plus, I also had a broad range in abilities. So. Think about. younger boys or men who have different flexibilities at their hips. versus, someone who has a knee replacement or a hip replacement. Versus someone who's younger and extremely flexible and can practice yoga poses with no problems. So I had all these people in this class together. My saving grace, I would say is that this was a set sequence class. And so I was able to create a sequence. That I thought would. Accommodate everybody. Who could come to this class? So I wrote the sequence. that was progressive. So it started off simple. And then I built on throughout the sequence to make the transitions a little bit more complex. So students knew. That they could stay with this simple, if that felt good in their bodies on that particular day. Or they could progress and do some of the more complex poses or complex transitions. And threw in some other things that I knew that we needed to focus on like less, hamstring stretching and more hamstring strengthening. But the point of me sharing this with you is that I had to accommodate the people that were in front of me. And this was a set sequence class, or you could think of it too, as an all levels class. That's how a lot of people think of these classes, but I was really intentional about. What it was, I was going to teach. Sometimes I taught everything in the sequence. Sometimes I didn't, I pulled things out of the sequence because I looked at who was in front of me, but all in, all in the back of my mind, I was thinking. How is this person on the left side of the room doing compared to this person on the right side of the room? What do I need to change? What do I need to, tweak and my sequence so that this class feels accessible to. Everyone in the class it's hard. And this is not something that I could have done as a newer teacher. This is, the kind of accommodation that I'm able to take now, because I've been teaching for years. Plus I've been studying. Injuries and human movement. So that has helped a lot. Labeling yoga classes, as all levels can present several issues for both students and instructors. So let's direct our attention to how all levels classes affects teachers specifically. All right. Problem number one. Diverse skill levels. There are a range of abilities in the class. Students come with a wide range of abilities from complete beginners to advanced practitioners, and this diversity can make it challenging for you to offer modifications that accommodate everyone. Beginner students might feel. Overwhelmed or intimidated by advanced poses. While more experienced students might feel bored or under challenged. Problem number two safety concerns or the risk of injury without tailored instructions. Beginners might attempt poses that they're not physically ready for increasing the risk of injury. Advanced students might push too hard to feel challenged. Also risking injury. Now I will pause and say this. I do. And I don't believe that yoga is an injury is practice. We have to think about what the student's body has experienced before they even. Attempted a yoga class. And then we have to think about what they're practicing. In the class, which might lead to injury. You might find it a struggle to provide appropriate modifications for all levels, leading to improper instruction. And potential harm. Problem number three. Teaching challenges. You have to balance offering basic instructions for newer students while providing more advanced options for more experienced students. And this can dilute the effectiveness of the class for both groups. There's limited time to address everyone's needs adequately. You might not have enough time to offer individualized attention and adjustments, and it can be impossible depending on the number of students and the ability of each individual student. While not interrupting the flow of class, which is the next problem. Class flow. Pacing issues. The pace of the class might be too slow for advanced practitioners or too fast for newer or injured students. This can lead to disengagement and a lack of enjoyment for all participants. Frequent stops to offer modifications and explain basic concepts. Can interrupt the flow of the class, making it less cohesive and meditative. Problem number five, expectations and satisfaction. Students might have unclear expectations about what the class will offer. Some students might expect a more introductory experience while other students might expect more challenging sequences. Mixed satisfaction levels can result. With students feeling the class didn't meet their individual needs, which can lead to dissatisfaction and reduced student retention and attendance. And finally problem. Number six, group dynamics. Uh, sense of progress. Advanced students might feel their progress is stunted. Well, beginners might feel out of place. This can affect the group dynamics and sense of community within the class. Some students might feel intimidated by the presence of advanced practitioners, which can discourage them from continuing their practice. I know you've witnessed this, whether you never see a student again. Or you talk to someone and they say, yeah, yoga is just not for me because it's too hard. So, how do you address these issues? To address these issues and make the schedule cater to the student instead. Both yoga studios and instructors should consider a few things. Number one. Level specific classes. Offer classes, label for specific skill levels, whether you call it beginner, intermediate, or advanced, it doesn't matter. To better meet the needs of each group. Number two clear descriptions. And when I say clear, I mean, clear or provide clearer class description. So students know exactly. What to expect. Number three. how about, um, modified all the levels? If all levels classes are offered, ensure instructors are skilled in offering a wide range of modifications. And clearly communicate these options. And number four, my favorite. Either single workshops or workshops series offer workshops or a series that focus on different levels of practice. Allowing students to ask questions. Pause and practice and ask more questions if needed. Then students have the information and tools to progress at their own pace. By addressing these issues, yoga classes can become more effective. Safe. And enjoyable for all participants. But what if you can't change the title or the format of a class you're teaching? No worries. Here are some ways to solve the problems associated with all levels group yoga classes. Number one. Increase your training and skill through comprehensive training and ongoing education. So be sure you're continuing your education and work towards becoming highly trained and knowledgeable and offering modifications and adjustments for all levels of students in your classes. This includes understanding how to safely progress and regress poses. Your ongoing education should include workshops on anatomy, injury prevention, and inclusive teaching methods. As an instructor, you should be adept at recognizing varying skill levels and needs within a class. This includes being able to quickly offer alternative poses or props to help beginners feel comfortable. And challenged while offering advanced variations. To experience students. This is not easy to do. And keep a continuous flow in the class at the same time. It takes lots of practice, but it's so necessary. Okay. Number two. Class structure and planning. Uh, segmented class structure. So think about your sequencing sequence, the class into segments. Starting with basic poses and gradually moving to more advanced variations. Encouraged students to stick with the level that they're comfortable with while being mindful of your language and queuing. So as to give permission, Let it be okay to stay at the level one option, maybe. Clear instructions. You do this by providing clear and detailed instructions for each pose, offering modifications and progressions. Again, being careful and intentional. About the language you use. Think about beginning with a warmup suitable for all levels. As the class progresses, introduce a base pose and then offer multiple variations. For example, in a downward facing dog pose, beginners might choose to stay in this position to regress this position. You might pull back and take tabletop, just lower your knees down to your mat. But if students stay in downward facing dog, You can offer advancements in this pose, like a three legged dog, lift one leg towards the ceiling and stay there at band sit even more by opening the hips. Towards one side of the room. And rotating the joints. And then finally stepped back into wild thing. So it's a backbend with one hand on the mat. there are all kinds of offerings here from tabletop to down dog, three legged dog, open your hip and step back to wild thing. And all of those could be taught. And not interrupt the flow of class. Alright, the next is to use props, encourage the use of props. Instead of promoting the use of props. Blocks straps bolsters include them. In your teaching, instead of saying, if you need a block. Say, take a block. Teach the entire class to use the block. This way, no one feels less than because everyone is using the block. Incorporate props into your teaching. You are teaching students that props are necessary. Useful and that they're not just for beginners. Props can be used to make poses less challenging, more supportive, or even more challenging. Demonstrate how you plan to use props effectively at the beginning of the class. So it's clear that they will be used and how. Props can be great equalizers in yoga. You can effectively show how a block can bring the floor closer. In a forward fold or how other students can use a strap to deepen their stretch in a seated forward fold. Emphasizing that using props is a sign of a mindful practice. Not a weakness can help reduce the stigma around them. Number four class pacing and flow. So mindful pacing, right? Adopt a pacing strategy that allows all students to keep up. I use pauses. And breath cues to allow time for transitions. Break down complex poses into manageable steps. Allowing students to stop. At the level that they're comfortable with. This goes back to sequencing from simple to complex. For example, in a sequence involving a pose like CHRO. Some students can be encouraged to practice in the preparatory steps, such as squatting and balancing on your toes. Sometimes that's hard enough on any given day, right? While other students can move into, balancing. On their arms, they can move into practicing the wrist, flexibility that is needed. Do balance on your hands. And this ensures that everyone feels included. And challenged appropriately. Number five. Communication and encouragement. Encouraged students to communicate their experience and comfort level. With you before and during class, this is super helpful because you might decide that what you planned for class may not be appropriate for the students who showed up. Provide positive reinforcement and reassurance that staying within one's comfort zone is acceptable and beneficial. One thing I've done while teaching is to stay in an expression of the pose. That's not necessarily what we call the full expression. Even if I can. I give permission to students by taking it in my body. Regularly check in with students, offering supportive language, words of encouragement and reminding students that yoga is a personal practice. This often helps students feel more comfortable taking modifications without feeling judged. I'll just share while I was experiencing frozen shoulder and still teaching and practicing. While dealing with this shoulder issue that I was rehabbing. I didn't practice plank mage. And even in downward facing dog, I would take tabletop because it reduced the amount of pressure on the shoulder. It just felt better for me. And so I noticed when I took a quote unquote modification in oppose, I was giving students that same permission to do it for themselves. All right, let's talk about inclusive class descriptions. Provide detailed class descriptions that clearly outline what students can expect. Including the range of poses and modifications offered. Talk to your studio managers or owners and discuss whether a class description could benefit from an update in language. Include guidance on who the class is suitable for. And what prior experience, if any, is recommended. Class descriptions can help set expectations and reduce anxiety for new students. For example, a description might read. This all levels class will include foundational poses with options to advance into more complex variations, suitable for beginners, with some experience and advanced practitioners looking to refine their basics. And that last little part is super important. Right. So you're not saying that we're going to do all these crazy tricky poses in class, but you're saying too, at bands practitioners, that we are going to focus on refining the basics. Number seven preclass workshops. I love this idea. What if you offered introductory workshops or classes specifically for beginners to build their confidence? And skill level before joining an all levels class and it doesn't need to be titled beginner either. It could be around our particular area, like transitions, advancing poses. Proper usage To regress or progress poses. These skills clinics focused on particular poses or techniques to help students. Of all levels advance their practice And here's the banker. If you can make them no cost to students so that you reduce the barrier to entry. This separate and dedicated time outside of class provides a focused environment where students can learn at their own pace. Without the pressure of a mixed level class. Skills clinics. Can also help students refine specific areas of their practice. finally. Incorporate class feedback mechanisms provide anonymous feedback forms for students to offer suggestions and express concerns about class structure and instruction. Hold regular informal check-ins with students to gauge their comfort and satisfaction levels. Collecting feedback helps you understand what works and what doesn't. Allowing you to adjust your teaching methods and class structure accordingly. This ongoing dialogue ensures the class evolves to meet the needs of students. Rather than the studios bottom line, but the outcome of this student centered approach will have an effect on studios. Student retention, student loyalty and so much more. Implementing these solutions can help create a more inclusive, safe, and enjoyable environment for all students. In an all levels yoga class, ensuring that everyone benefits from the practice. Regardless of their experience level. We don't talk about this enough, how to make the practice more student. Centered. Just because this is the current studio model doesn't mean it has to stay this way. As teachers, the backbone of the studio, we can initiate this change by starting the conversation with the people who are in charge of classes on the schedule. I hope that this episode sparks some deeper thought around how you think about all levels classes and their effect. On students who attend them. I've added a link in the show notes for you to send me a quick text message and no, I won't know your phone number. It's just a neat little addition to the platform that I use that allows for this new and super easy way for you to communicate with me. Once you click on the link, it will take you to your messages. Don't delete the code. That's how your message will get to me. And I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. I love diving into these conversations because there are so many important discussions to be had in the teaching world. You know that my goal is for you to love the yoga teaching life. And allow it to be fulfilling and rewarding, and sometimes it takes some work. And a few conversations to get there. If you loved this episode, let me know, subscribe to the podcast. So you're always in the know when a new episode drops. And share it with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. Finally, don't forget to join my newsletter. That's just for yoga teachers. I've got some exciting teachings coming soon. So. I'll want to tell you all about them. The link is in the show notes below, and I would love for you to join it so we can always stay connected. All right, that's it for now? Bye. Mhm.