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Informative Articles

Exercise Personalities: What's Your Type?
Exercise. You know how it goes. You have an epiphany and make up your mind that this time you are going to stick with an exercise program. The first week goes great...so does the second. Then the third week blues kick in and by week 4 that...

Is A Treadmill The Right Exercise Equipment For You?
The #1 fear people have when buying a treadmill is that they won't use it. (That's the #1 fear when buying any piece of exercise equipment). They know that a treadmill can help them lose weight, get fit, burn extra calories and reach their...

Is Aikido a Martial Art ? Part Two
Part Two. Choreography Aikidoists are often accused of practicing " Choreographed Aikido" and to be honest I must admit that these claims are very often justified, with Uke (attacker) preparing to break fall long before he makes his attack, and...

Pilates Exercise: More Than Just a Core Workout
It's a common misconception that Pilates method exercise is really only good for strengthening and stretching the core muscles of the body. Many people use it to tone their abs and improve their posture but, in reality, Pilates can do much more than...

The Difference Between Karate and Tae Kwon Do
The two most common martial arts practiced in North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many wonder what the difference between these two martial arts is. This is especially the case for those who are just starting to look around for a martial...

 
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Yoga Teachers, Prepare for the New Year's Rush - Part 1

The doors will fly open on January 2nd with enthusiastic mobs of Yoga students. What can you do to prepare for the busiest stretch of the year? How can you keep their interest all year long?

If there was ever a time to clean up your Yoga studio or health club, now is the time. Depending on where you live, most of your Yoga students may be out Christmas shopping right now. This season is like the "eye of a hurricane." It is a temporary slow spell before the busiest season for Yoga and fitness.

Bear in mind, there is a "second wind" in spring, when many Yoga students are preparing for "bathing suit season." If you need a fresh coat of paint, or the rugs need to be shampooed, take advantage of this brief respite.

You should also have a game plan for keeping Yoga students' interest. Do not get too far off the track, but spice up your schedule with special workshops or "pilot" classes. Yoga classes are much like spice; too many flavors can ruin your dish, or in this case, your class.

Keeping student interest has always been a challenge for teachers of any subject. With fitness or Yoga, it is easy to get flocks of students during January, in North America, with a little help from cold weather, and New Year's resolutions. The big question is: How to keep the enthusiasm going all year long?

Therefore, open


a special event class to "test the waters" for student interest. There is no sense in starting another Yoga class without researching, if there is a demand. If the crowd loves the class, you will have no problem getting sign-ups. Be certain that your sign-ups make, at least, a down payment on a class package.

It is very easy for people to sign up for a yoga class and never show up again. This is the culture of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and people move on to other things -like butterflies on flowers. So, you have to capture their attention and keep it. Below are some examples of workshops and classes to try in your yoga studio.

Mommy and Me Yoga Classes: This requires special patience on the part of the Yoga teacher, and female teachers will usually fare much better, especially, if the Yoga teacher has children of her own. This is an age specific niche, but there are always new mothers and new toddlers willing to try such a class.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the author:

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He's a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org