Starter kit for new yoga teachers
Your first classes, planned
Five one-page sheets for the weeks after teacher training: plan your first class, time it, prepare an audition, and get through your first month of teaching without planning every class from scratch.
For trainees and newly qualified teachers. Free to print and share. Made by P-urpose, a class planning tool for yoga teachers.
Sheet 1
Your first class
Make four decisions before you choose a single pose. Then fill a shape you can trust.
Decide first
- Who is coming: level and anything you know about the group.
- How long: plan to the minute you actually have, not the timetable slot.
- Style: flowing (one breath per movement) or held.
- Purpose, in one sentence: “After this class, people should feel …”
Rules that keep a class safe and coherent
- Warm up before effort: the body you meet at minute 1 is not ready for your peak.
- Both sides, same breaths: every one-sided pose on the right and on the left, held equally long.
- Build towards the middle, then come down: be on the floor by about minute 42 of 60.
- Counterpose strong backbends, and leave space between standing and floor work.
- Final rest is part of the plan, not what is left over.
A 60-minute shape (minutes)
| Section | Vinyasa | Hatha |
|---|---|---|
| Arrive | 3 | 4 |
| Warm up | 8 | 9 |
| Sun salutations | 8 | — |
| Standing | 17 | 19 |
| Peak / focus | 6 | 7 |
| Cool down | 12 | 15 |
| Final rest | 6 | 6 |
Averaged across P-urpose plans for every purpose, mixed level.
Before you teach
- Say the whole class out loud once, with a clock.
- Know where the props are and how many there are.
- Have an option ready for every demanding pose.
- Ask quietly about injuries or pregnancy before you start.
- Music downloaded for offline use; volume checked.
- Your plan on paper or on your phone, readable at a glance.
Right after class (five minutes)
- Where did time run over or under? Note the real minutes per section.
- Which cue did people misunderstand?
- Where did the energy drop?
- One thing to keep, one thing to change next time.
Sheet 2
60-minute class template
Print it, fill it in pencil, teach from it, then correct it with the real minutes.
- Date / place
- Level
- Style
- Purpose: after this class, people feel …
- Peak or focus pose
- Props
| Section | Plan (min) | Poses (R / L) | Breaths | Key cue | Real (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrive | |||||
| Warm up | |||||
| Sun salutations | |||||
| Standing | |||||
| Peak / focus | |||||
| Cool down | |||||
| Final rest |
Leave “Real” empty until after class. Two or three classes in, you will know your own pace.
Sheet 3
Timing cheat sheet
Most new teachers run out of time because they count poses, not seconds. These are the numbers P-urpose plans with.
| Style | Seconds per breath | Getting in and out of a pose |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyasa | 5 s | 12 s |
| Slow flow | 6 s | 15 s |
| Hatha | 7 s | 25 s |
| Gentle | 7 s | 25 s |
| Restorative | 6 s | 60 s |
Time for one pose = breaths × seconds per breath + getting in and out.
Example: Warrior II in hatha, 8 breaths: 8 × 7 s + 25 s = 81 s per side, almost three minutes for both sides.
Final rest: 3 min at 30 · 5 at 45 · 6 at 60 · 7 at 75 · 8 at 90 (two more in restorative).
Different poses in a 60-minute class
| Style | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Vinyasa | 32–40 |
| Slow flow | 29–37 |
| Hatha | 23–34 |
| Gentle | 21–28 |
| Restorative | 10–12 |
Clock check: 60-minute vinyasa
| Checkpoint | Clock |
|---|---|
| Warm-up done | minute 11 |
| Sun salutations done | minute 19 |
| Standing done | minute 36 |
| Peak done, on the floor | minute 42 |
| Final rest starts | minute 54 |
Running late after the peak? Shorten the cool-down holds, never the final rest.
Sheet 4
Audition and demo class checklist
There is no single audition format. Some studios ask for 15–30 minutes taught to staff, some for a full class with students, many start new teachers on the sub list. Ask, then plan to exactly what they asked for.
Ask before
- How long, and who will be in the room (staff or real students)?
- Which level and style do they expect? Start with arrival and warm-up, or go straight in?
- Music allowed? Which props are there?
- Anything they want to see, such as a specific pose or hands-on assists?
Prepare
- Plan to the minute you were given and rehearse aloud with a clock.
- One sentence on what your class is for; you may be asked.
- An easier and a harder option for the main poses.
- Your cues for the two or three trickiest transitions.
What studios commonly watch for
- Clear, audible cues people can follow without watching you.
- A safe, logical order with options.
- Starting and finishing on time.
- Whether you see the room and adapt.
- Fit with the studio’s style and students.
Bring
- Your plan (paper or phone)
- Water and your own mat
- Offline playlist, if music is allowed
- Certificate or proof of insurance, if they asked for it
Afterwards
- A short thank-you within a day.
- Ask for one piece of feedback.
- Say when you are available to sub.
Sheet 5
Your first four weeks of teaching
Early on, consistency beats variety. Teach fewer plans better, and keep what works.
Week 1
Teach a purpose and style you know well. Plan one class and teach it more than once if you can. Write down the real minutes.
Week 2
Keep the structure, change the peak. Note the cues that landed and the ones that didn’t.
Week 3
Try one new thing: a second style, or a 45-minute version of a class you trust.
Week 4
Review. Keep three or four plans you would happily teach again: that is your library. Put your name on sub lists.
| Week | Where / when | Plan used | Keep | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | ||||
| Week 2 | ||||
| Week 3 | ||||
| Week 4 |
A good class taught again for a new group is still good teaching, and the planning is mostly done.
Build this class
Build your first class
A complete, timed 60-minute class in this shape: warm-up first, both sides balanced, a calm ending. Then change whatever you would teach differently.
Grounding · Hatha · 60 min · Beginner
Free · no account needed · opens in the editor
Go deeper
A planning aid for qualified or appropriately trained yoga teachers. Teachers remain responsible for adapting every class to the people in the room. Nothing here is medical advice.