You might be wondering if private yoga lessons are worth the extra cost when you could just go to a public yoga class. This is a valid question – and there are several reasons why private lessons could benefit you immensely. Let’s talk about the top 5 reasons.
- Learn correct alignment. Public classes are fantastic, but it’s impossible for the teacher to teach to students individually the entire time. Often times, cues are given as a general guideline on how to align the body, but all bodies are different. Yoga is not a one size fits all approach. With a private yoga class, it’s all about you. You will learn exactly how to align your unique body in each pose to optimize the experience and keep your body safe.
Read: Why Alignment Is Important in Yoga - Avoid injury and learn how to modify for your unique body. For people who take public yoga classes only, it may take several years to learn proper alignment and to build the body awareness necessary to have a safe and stable practice. This is why so many yogis get injured from overuse. We all have different biomechanics, which means we all need individual modifications and adjustments. With the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher in a private class, you’re much less likely to get injured from misalignment and overuse.
- Your very own custom-tailored class every time. As we all know, every day is different. For whatever reason, some days you have more energy than other days. Your private yoga teacher will ask you what you need that day. If you want deep, restful stretching, that’s exactly what you’ll get. If you need a challenging, strong practice, then get ready to be challenged. A good teacher will meet you wherever you are and will personalize the class for you. As you build a relationship with your teacher over time, she’ll probably know what you need without you having to say it – and that’s the beauty of the student teacher relationship!
Read: There is no such thing as one size fits all fitness - Enhance your practice in a short period of time. As mentioned before, it can take years and years of practice for yoga students to learn correct alignment by going to public classes. Many of my private students have built an incredibly potent understanding of alignment in a much shorter timespan than I did in my first few years of practice. Yoga should be a lifelong practice, but there is nothing wrong with accelerating your progress in a safe and supported way. There’s no better feeling than being able to stick a new arm balance. Even better is the feeling when you master a pose that once felt impossible. It’s difficult to learn the ins and outs of advanced poses in public classes – mostly because some poses aren’t taught every class. In private classes, you and your teacher can work on specific poses each time you meet until you truly master them.
- Practice on your own time. The luxury of private yoga is that you get to practice on your own time. You’ll work with your teacher to find a time that works best for your schedule. Plus, if the session is being helped virtually or at your home, you get to save all of that time you would have spent driving to and from the yoga studio.
Private yoga is the best investment you could make for your wellness. If you find an experienced and educated teacher, private lessons will give you the knowledge you need to support your body for the rest of your life.
Sophie is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher, ACE certified personal trainer, and certified assisted stretching professional. She has been teaching movement since 2017. The pandemic allowed her to go full-time into teaching yoga privately throughout the Greater Denver area and online.
