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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
   
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | Just wondering, for those who teach, how many classes a week do you teach? (privates and parties too)
And out of those classes, what style? Are they all the same or different?
Mish
Edited by mishoga 2006-11-26 7:53 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
 
| Hi Mish - well, I am an Iyengar teacher so that is what I teach 100%.  I have 5 - 7 classes per week, one in my home studio and the others in our yoga centre studio. I have from 4 - 20 students per class and one (which hasn't filled this fall at all, but usually does) is offered through our local rec centre at our studio. That way people can register through the rec centre, which feels comfortable and safe and we make the classes both shorter in time (one hour) and in the length of the session (6 or so weeks) so they are cheaper and less intimidating. A nice way for folks to dip their toes without taking the big plunge right away 
I would love to do more groups (I have taught girl guides and a dragon boat team) and privates, but having a day job and a life makes it tough. That will ahve to wait for a bit, I think. |
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| Hi Mish,
Well I teach what I've been taught to teach and what speaks to me as being "Yoga" (with the capital Y).
So for me I'm always teaching Purna Yoga. Now there are some variances from class to class (in terms of the asana portion of the program). But I don't go somewhere and teach Vinyasa or Anusara or something.
I was teaching seven or more classes a week. When I opted "in" to the College of Purna Yoga I decided my studies needed to take precendence and I trimmed back to three classes per week. That is what I currently teach. |
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| mishoga - 2006-11-26 7:52 AM
Just wondering, for those who teach, how many classes a week do you teach? (privates and parties too)
And out of those classes, what style? Are they all the same or different?
Mish
Dear Mishy, How was your Thanksgiving? I would like to know what the purport of this question is. But, in my case: I teach around 8 classes a week. All of them are different and each class is different each time. One of them is pure Philosophy class. And, all the classes have some meditation and chanting. And, a student must chant whether he is: President of USA, a priest in Vatican, or an Athiest. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | Just wondering. I think I might be teaching too many. I have committed myself and can't seem to back out anytime soon. It's taking a toll on my body.
I just wanted to know what all the teachers here schedule is.
My Thanksgiving was very nice. I love being with my family. Thank you for asking. How was yours?
Mishy |
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| I am a little crazy, I teach 30 classes a week with my privates right now. It goes up to closer to 40 a week during the busy seasons. I mainly teach a hot yoga similar to Bikram and do personal training on the side.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Yep, sounds crazy to me, Brian!  Be a good example to your students and find some balance in your life. |
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| mishoga - 2006-11-27 2:12 PM
Just wondering. I think I might be teaching too many. I have committed myself and can't seem to back out anytime soon. It's taking a toll on my body.
I just wanted to know what all the teachers here schedule is.
My Thanksgiving was very nice. I love being with my family. Thank you for asking. How was yours?
Mishy
It is not 'might be' if you already feel it is taking toll on the body. If you need them for making food/clothing/shelter, you should still do them with happy face by cutting some other things and taking more rest. But, if you can handle them, and feel comfortable and in relaxed mood, then you can do any number of them. I do other work. If I do only Yoga Teaching, I can teach around 20 classes a week and 10 privates without feeling any problem. And, by cutting other activities, I can probably teach little more. But, I do other work as Yoga does not pay my bills.
My thanksgiving was fantastic. Cyndi was with us for 3 days. |
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| It's interesting to me how people develop a teaching style--seems to be that those who do teaching by actually doing the entire practice each and every time burn out quicker than those who spend more of the class not executing the asanas but rather working with the students. As a student, I personally enjoy those classes where the teacher is NOT doing her/his own practice. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | Neel and Brian, I can't imagine teaching 20 classes. I teach 14 which translates into about 16/17 hours for classes and privates. For the most part my body can handle it. Everytime I teach or practice headstand or backbend (any asana that flexes or compresses my spine) my back starts to hurt, which impacts my other classes.
I try not to perform the asanas but in practically all my classes there are beginner floaters who have no idea what I'm telling them to do. I think it's the popping in and out of asanas that is killing me.
I took a workshop yesterday and my back is extremely sensitive today (did supta virasana, sarvangasana, salamba sirsasana, etc..). Have two classes and one private today. Actually, I have a full schedule this week and my body (my back) is screaming for a rest.
Does your voice get raspy from speaking so much?
Do either of you run into aches and pains but you still must go on?
Bruce, I also enjoy teachers who teach the students. I would imagine at a certain point I will develop a following that knows more about yoga and the actual names of poses. I have one class that is almost there and it is a pleasure to teach. I have so many beginners that throw the flow for the regulars. I pop into a pose then come right out to help my students. I think this is my problem. Not practicing but jumping into a pose and jumping out.
You know in studios and gyms they tell just about anyone to join the class, even if they haven't moved their body in 10 years. It's a real liability for me to say the least.
That's nice that you spent time with Cyndi. 
Mish
Edited by mishoga 2006-11-28 5:44 AM
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| mishoga - 2006-11-28 5:28 AM
Neel and Brian, I can't imagine teaching 20 classes. I teach 14 which translates into about 16/17 hours for classes and privates. For the most part my body can handle it. Everytime I teach or practice headstand or backbend (any asana that flexes or compresses my spine ) my back starts to hurt, which impacts my other classes.
I try not to perform the asanas but in practically all my classes there are beginner floaters who have no idea what I'm telling them to do. I think it's the popping in and out of asanas that is killing me.
I took a workshop yesterday and my back is extremely sensitive today (did supta virasana, sarvangasana, salamba sirsasana, etc.. ). Have two classes and one private today. Actually, I have a full schedule this week and my body (my back ) is screaming for a rest.
Does your voice get raspy from speaking so much?
===> Almost never
Do either of you run into aches and pains but you still must go on?
===>
Never never.
Bruce, I also enjoy teachers who teach the students. I would imagine at a certain point I will develop a following that knows more about yoga and the actual names of poses. I have one class that is almost there and it is a pleasure to teach. I have so many beginners that throw the flow for the regulars. I pop into a pose then come right out to help my students. I think this is my problem. Not practicing but jumping into a pose and jumping out.
You know in studios and gyms they tell just about anyone to join the class, even if they haven't moved their body in 10 years. It's a real liability for me to say the least.
That's nice that you spent time with Cyndi.
Mish |
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| I teach 13 classes right now--because we're in the holiday session/season so the numbers drop a bit.  that includes my private lessons.
typically, my max number is about 20 classes/private lessons per week.
i tend to teach all the same 'style' of yoga, but the audiences are different. So, every class is individually tailored to the individual or group present. |
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| Does your voice get raspy from speaking so much?
originally, yes it did. the trick for me was operatic voice lessons. you learn how to use your voice in certain ways. you learn a lot about the accoustics of voice in and out of the body, how to regulate and project the voice, without wearing it out. And, you exercise the voice so that it can handle changes in volumn, changes in pitch and tone, without overtaxing the anatomy.
Also, one of my teachers has a technique (it's similar to how chanting works) where you 'speak to the spine directly.' with this method, the way that you speak encourages the person's body to move in certain ways--it touches the nervous system specificly to guide movement, rather than working witht he conscious parts of the brain that are thinkign "left foot forward, right hand in the air, left palm up, belly in. . ." So, the voice guides the student deeper into the movement, even if they're beginners.
For brand newbies and floaters, i situate them so that they can 'see' other students if they need a visual guide. But, i generally find that when they get fussed up because they don't know what i'm talking about--it's because their mind is reeling in self judgement and anxieties of various sorts. So, I say "close your eyes, take a breath, now listen." i repeat the instructions for alignment for everyone (and trust me, everyone adjusts) using the technique for 'speaking to the spine'--and everyone gets it!
I do demonstrate on occassion (when there are more beginners than experienced in the class. Thus, before each class i do a warm up for myself and i utilize my breath to keep the heat in the body while teaching so that i'm 'warmed up' for the whole time and able to demonstrate if needed.
Do either of you run into aches and pains but you still must go on?
yes, of course. everyone runs into things such as illness and injury and yet they must still teach. but, my teaching changes. There have been times where i've literally sat in the corner of the room with a bottle of orange juice mixed with soda and taught from the corner (i was so sick, there was no sub, the gym insisted that i come in or i'd loose my job--so stupid). Everyone enjoyed the class nonetheless--but there was no hands-on assisting. For me, it was a crappy class; but everyone seemed ok with it.
bottom line, though, is that if you're feeling overwhelmed and overtaxed, then you are overwhelmed and overtaxed. So, i would transition out of a few classes and offer them to another teacher. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Mish - I know you teach in noisy gyms sometimes. Are you one of the people who said they wore a mic for teaching? That would help, I'm sure. I basically talk for a living between yoga and working with my kiddies, so my throat is a bit of an achilles heel. If a virus is going around and I pick it up, that's where it will go for me. But singing training (mine was with choirs) is very helpful. If you are speaking from your throat, which most people do, it will definitely tire your voice. Another good technique is to spend some time on complete voice rest.
Popping in and out of poses is dangerous. If possible, have a student demo or at least have them watch you go inAND come out of the pose then do it themselves. |
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| Mish,
The trick is to teach as much as you can by dialogue. I like Zoebird, have some vocal training in my background. Once you learn how to use you voice, it is actually easy to teach alot. I rarely demonstrate, but if the situation arises where demo is in order, I do.
My throat rarely gets raspy. If it does, I talk less and rest some. I usually comes back within a day or so.
As to aches and pains, I think those for me are more mental ones. After a few month of teaching that much 7 days a week, I hit walls. I don't want teach or practice. That's when I close the shop for 2-3 days and head to Napa or even better the Wynn in Vegas!
If you do teach alot be sure you really like what you are teaching. It makes it easier to teach classes and give 100%. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
Location: New York | I teach 15 classes per week- only 2 yoga classes right now though. My other classes are indoor cycling (4), pilates mat (3), pilates reformer (5) and strength (1). I also have a handful of private clients that I work with on the reformer. I'm picking up another yoga class in January. Between 15-17 is good for me (fewer is also good)- more than that is too much. |
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How many classes do you teach?
