You may have heard a yoga teacher offer private sessions and you’ve been wondering is it for me? Why would someone hire a private yoga teacher? I have my top 9 reasons for you today for why you should book your private yoga class.

1) Time and location:

Whether you’re very busy and need to make the most of your time, or have a unique schedule and the studio times don’t work for you - with a private yoga session you get to find a time that fits perfectly into your schedule. You also get to pick the location too. You can do a session from the comfort of your home, or an agreed upon location, and even when you’re traveling you can stay connected with virtual sessions.

2) Individuality :

Our bodies and our needs are very individual and unique, so to are our yoga practices. Whether you're brand new to yoga or an experienced yogi, have an injury, or are pregnant a private yoga class can meet your individual needs.

If you don't know where to start, need assistance with different options, or you know there’s more to the practice you’re seeking - you can find this support in a private yoga lesson and get all the individual personalized attention you need. A private yoga class can also help you adapt you prepare and adapt your practice for a group setting.

3) Attention:

In a group setting at a studio a yoga teacher’s attention can be divided between somewhere around 10-30 students at a given time.

For beginners: If you’re brand new in a group class teacher’s can’t help you with every single step and this can lead to dangerous tendencies getting overlooked. If they continue to get overlooked and you continue doing it this can lead to harmful habits and eventually possible injury. It’s much easier to start with a fresh slate than to try to break bad habits down the road.

For experienced students: If you’ve been taking classes for a while there’s also still a big chance that you have learned harmful habits that are not serving you in your practice. With the attention of the teacher divided they must place priority on immediate dangers, so perhaps you’re not doing something that will harm you right now but continuing for the next year and beyond may lead to injury. I know personally I thought I was doing a lot of movements and postures properly in my practice, and then when I really had my practice assessed on an individual level I was shocked at how many things were out of alignment and some movements even leading to harm.

4) Level/pace:

In a private yoga class the teacher meets you right where you are at. You don’t have to slow down or speed up for anyone else. No more craning your neck to see what the teacher’s doing or the person next to you, and by the time you get into the pose the rest of the class might be already out of it.

I know often that some beginner’s leave a bit confused, and that advanced yogi’s aren’t able to progress or dive deeper because of such mixed levels in classes that it may feel you’re always learning the same thing on repeat. When I started working on an individual level with my teacher I felt that I had a map to now navigate the practice better on my own and in a group setting continue to explore further. In a private yoga class, it is personalized to your level and pace.

5) Communication:

In a private yoga session you have more opportunity to openly discuss your needs, ask questions, figure out the next steps, clarify any confusion you may have about cues or movements and more.

Of course in a group class there’s generally time before and after class to have some discussion but the teacher can only give you so much attention that is split up between students, and usually another class is coming in, or maybe you don’t want the whole studio hearing your questions.

What I also like to do at the beginning of a session is check in with the client and see how they’re feeling and where they are at today, this way I can focus on their needs here and now. Ever go to a class and it's the opposite energy level of what you need? Ever been in a class where a teacher shares a cue and you have no idea if it applies to you or not? Or a cue was given and you thought hmmm is that really right for my body? One cue that works perfectly for the person next to you in a group class may be detrimental to you. That doesn’t happen in a private session if you’re communicating and you’ve found the right teacher.

6) Focus:

I mean this in two ways, the teachers focus on you but also your focus on your practice. The teacher has no one else to be distracted by, their focus is completely on guiding, holding space, and supporting you. As the practitioner you can’t just zone out or pretend you know what’s going on. I find that when there’s no possibility of fading into the background you will remain present more and implement the cues and guidance of the teacher more.

7) Nervous:

Especially as a newbie, you may find yourself nervous, unsure, and even embarrassed not knowing what to expect or do in a yoga class. Perhaps you’re self conscious about moving your body in new ways in front of a group of strangers (although most are not looking at you, I promise.) I remember being where you are and it was anxiety inducing, confusing and a bit disheartening. That’s us being tough on ourselves, because we can’t expect to know what we don’t know! But...I get it.

Trying something new can be tough but especially when there are so many terms and names, often in Sanskrit, that you can feel a bit left out. In a private session you can talk about all of this, go at your speed, clear up any confusion, and even use private yoga lessons to prepare you for a group class.

8) Accountability:

When you tell yourself you’re going to go to a class tomorrow, and either it just never happens or often you don’t have the motivation to show up. When you put a private session on your calendar you can’t just not show up! Someone is expecting you and has carved time out of their schedule for you, and most likely you have already paid in advance. Or maybe you’ve been trying to do virtual yoga classes at home and you get distracted or turn your camera off and just lay down. With a private session, not possible - it’s a way to hold yourself accountable. This accountability is a major part of working one on one with a yoga teacher.

9) Value:

Private yoga does cost more than your average drop in class, but it’s because of all the reasons above that increases the value and make it worth it. Often paying more for something we also value it more in our minds, and we show up with more attention and can also get more out of the session. The teacher is also showing up with their full attention, focus, and energy to hold space and support you, and brings their full value to the session.

Bonus Reason:

Currently as I am writing this from Long Island, New York during the Corona virus quarantine, all yoga studios here were closed for over 5 months and are now opening with very strict guidelines and slim schedules. These guidelines include wearing a mask and 33% capacity with temperature checks and questionnaires.

With a private yoga lesson you have the option to do virtual, in person, and outdoor sessions. You don’t have to worry about who you will be around or fitting a class into your schedule, but can also still get the experience and attention you need.

I would love to hear from you - what are some other reasons you can think of that someone, perhaps you, may want to hire a private yoga teacher? Did I miss anything?

Lauren is a 500 hour experienced yoga teacher, prenatal yoga teacher, and holistic health coach. She loves to work with clients one on one because we are all so unique and have different needs, and she loves to really personalize the approach to them. Her mission is to be a supportive guide and informative resource. Committed to meeting you where you are at and sharing tools that can be healing and transformative.

Set up a consultation call today to discuss your needs and how Lauren can best support you. If another teacher sent you this that you are thinking of working with, head on back to them and tell them what you learned.

Top 9 Reasons: Why take a private yoga class?