9 Tips For Teaching Yoga On The Beach

Teaching yoga on the beach is one of the best ways to create an inspiring, relaxing practice for your students. But with so many things to consider, it can be hard to know where to start! 

That’s why we’ve created a guide with our top tips for teaching yoga on the beach, to ensure that you can make the most of practising in such a beautiful landscape.

 This article will cover:

• Requirements For Teaching Yoga On The Beach: 3 Steps
• 9 Tips For Teaching Yoga On The Beach

If you’re not already, start your career as a yoga teacher with OriGym’s Level 3 yoga teacher training course. 

Enquire today, or download our free course prospectus here to browse the full range of courses we offer. 

Requirements For Teaching Yoga On The Beach: 3 Steps

Before we get into our beach yoga teaching tips, let's start by discussing the 3 main requirements needed to prepare for and pursue this career path. 

Step #1- Become A Qualified Level 3 Yoga Instructor To Begin Teaching Yoga On The Beach

If you want to start teaching yoga on the beach, you will of course need to be a qualified yoga teacher. 

For this, you will need a minimum of a Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Yoga. 

This qualification will provide you with a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding on how to plan and lead a yoga class, and fully prepare you to demonstrate poses and deliver corrections to a class of students in any environment. 

This is an entry level course and here at OriGym, our course consists of online study with 50 hours of practical experience. This means that you can fit in your studies around your existing schedule and commitments.

Our Level 3 Diploma can be completed at your own pace, but on average, you can be a qualified yoga teacher in as little as 10 weeks!

Once you’ve completed this, you’ll then be qualified to deliver group and one-to-one yoga sessions on the beach!

Check out our guide to what you should know before yoga teacher training for tips on how to prepare. 

Step #2- Undergo Further Yoga Teacher Training By Gaining A Level 4 Diploma

Whilst you can technically start teaching yoga on the beach with a Level 3 qualification, it is hugely beneficial to take a further Level 4 Diploma in Teaching Yoga.

This is because a Level 4 qualification allows you to teach a specific kind of yoga, including:

• Hot
• Hatha
• Iyengar
• Ashtanga 

By gaining a Level 4 qualification and becoming a specialised yoga teacher, you’ll be able to dominate a niche of the yoga market, increasing the quality of your service and potentially your client base.

This then means that you can charge more for your yoga classes on the beach, as you are offering a higher level of service.

Step #3- Apply For A Permit To Begin Teaching Yoga On The Beach

Once you’re qualified, the final thing you will need to get is a permit to teach yoga on the beach. 

After finding the perfect spot, it’s important to determine firstly who owns the space, and whether you need a licence or permit to teach on the beach.

The best way to find out is by checking on your local council’s website.

There may also be different terms which vary from council to council, that determine whether or not you must apply for a permit. 

For example, you may only need to apply for one if you are teaching yoga on the beach commercially (i.e. you are charging for your sessions).

However, some councils don’t distinguish between commercial and non-commercial use, so you may need a permit regardless.

9 Tips For Teaching Yoga On The Beach

Now that you have all of the requirements for teaching yoga on the beach, let’s now explore our top beach yoga teaching tips!

Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #1- Use Appropriate Props

One of the most overlooked tips for teaching yoga on the beach is to remember to bring appropriate props with you. 

Whether you’re completing yoga teacher training on the beach, or you’re looking to begin leading some outdoor classes, an important element to consider is the uneven terrain of the beach- and props can help you and your students balance. 

Unlike in an indoor class where you’d practice on a yoga mat, on a beach we’d recommend advising your students to bring a towel.

This is because standard yoga mats do not adhere well to the sand, and can easily slip around.

You could also bring along some of the thick exercise mats that you’d find in a gym. These work better than yoga mats, as they’re less likely to slip around and will defy the natural terrain as they’re heavy and flat.

Alternatively, you could use foam floor mats, which can be easily transported and pieced together on the beach as a supportive and comfortable base for your students.

Teaching Yoga on the Beach Tip #2- Consider The Time Of Day You Are Holding Your Class

Compared to teaching in a studio inside, teaching yoga on the beach means that you are more open to the elements! You will therefore need to be more aware of the time of the day you are teaching. 

When choosing a time for teaching yoga on the beach, you may want to stay out of the sun between 12pm and 4pm, to avoid the midday heat.

This is when the sun is at its hottest, and over exertion during this time could cause your students to suffer from heat stroke, especially depending on the demographic of your students. 

To avoid this, we’d recommend scheduling your classes early in the morning, or later in the evening.

This also ensures that you’ll be able to avoid peak times, when the beach may get busy. After all, you want your students to be able to experience a calm, quiet, and tranquil practice!

If you’re teaching pre-sunrise or post-sunset, then it's important to be aware that temperatures can drop quickly, especially when there’s a cooling breeze coming off the ocean.

You should therefore advise your students to bring some warm layers of clothing, which they can gradually remove as they begin to practice.

We’d also suggest checking the tide times for your local beach, to ensure that you schedule your practice at low tide, or within 2 hours of its lowest point. You can do this online through websites such as Tide Times. 

This means that you won’t need to worry about the incoming tide cutting your practice short!

If you do decide to host your class during the hottest midday hours, then be sure to remind your students to apply suncream!

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Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #3- Check The Weather Forecast

As well as the time of day, another important beach yoga teaching tip is to be aware of the weather. 

When practising yoga, you want your students to feel at ease, rather than them worrying about battling the rain and wind! 

The ideal weather for practising on the beach is calm, dry and sunny but not too hot. 

If it’s too cold, your students will be unable to enjoy themselves or concentrate on their practice due to their discomfort.

Checking the weather forecast in the days leading up to your class is therefore vital if you want to make sure that your students have the best experience practising yoga on the beach.

You could even report weather updates on your social media. For example, if there is a chance of rain, keep your students updated, so they are aware that there is a chance of the class being called off.

By being aware of the weather beforehand, you can try and let your students know with as much notice as possible if the class is cancelled. 

You will therefore need to have an element of flexibility and adaptability as a beach yoga teacher! 

Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #4- Arrive Early To Your Class to Prepare 

An important tip for teaching any yoga class is to arrive earlier than your students. However, this is particularly important when teaching yoga on the beach.

This is because you will need more time to set up your class. 

When teaching yoga in a studio, it is more likely that your mats and equipment will already be there, and the room will be already set up ready for your class.

However, when teaching yoga on the beach, there are more things to consider about the set-up. 

Firstly, you’re going to need plenty of time to find the perfect location.

This should be one with firm sand and as even a terrain as possible, to ensure that students can retain their balance. 

It should also be away from the crowds, as you don’t want interruptions to your session. Whatever you do, don’t set up your class right next to a group of teenagers playing loud music!

Even if you already have a good space in mind, you may get to the beach and find that the spot that you were planning on using is unexpectedly busy.

You’ll then need to ensure that you have enough time to scout out a new location. 

As well as finding a location, you’ll also need enough time to set up any props that you’re going to use, if you’re supplying them for your students.

Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #5- Speak Loudly 

Compared to teaching yoga in a confined space somewhere like a studio, when teaching yoga on the beach, you will need to project your voice a lot more!

This is because there will be lots of other sounds to contend with, such as sounds of the waves, the wind or other people on the beach.

You will therefore have to speak a lot louder than you would in a studio. This is because if students are struggling to hear you speak, this means that they are concentrating on this rather than enjoying and relaxing into the practice. 

Especially when delivering cues for poses, speak loudly and clearly, and repeat them a few times if necessary. 

However, this doesn’t mean that you have to shout in a strained or aggressive manner. You should still maintain a calm and relaxing tone to your voice, but simply just increase the volume!

If you’re still struggling to be heard, then consider using a hands-free Bluetooth microphone, so that students from the front to the very back of the class will be able to hear you.

Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #6- Practice Standing Poses At The Start Of Your Class

When planning the structure of your classes, we’d recommend practising standing poses first, and seated or lying poses at the end. 

Firstly, practising standing poses first helps students to warm up for the class ahead.

But this is also a good tip for teaching yoga on the beach because when sitting or lying, your students may get covered in sand. 

The sand can feel uncomfortable, especially if it is rubbing against their clothes and creating friction against the skin throughout the class.

Some standing poses that work well on a beach and will prevent your students from getting too sandy include:

• Goddess
• Chair
• Prayer Twist Lunge
• Warrior II
• Reverse warrior

Teaching Yoga On The Beach Tip #7- Give Your Students The Option To Swim At The End Of Your Class

When teaching yoga on the beach, you could take advantage of being so close to the sea by offering to host a group swimming exercise!  

One thing you should absolutely do before hosting a swimming session is have your students each sign a terms and conditions waiver, stating explicitly that:

• The activity is optional
• Those who do partake do so at their own risk and are able swimmers
• There may or may not be changing facilities, depending on your location

Swimming will help students to cool down after a sweaty practice, and has also been shown to help with recovery.

As sea water is rich in magnesium, it can help to relax the muscles, release stress, and promote deep sleep!

Swimming in the sea also helps to trigger the parasympathetic part of the nervous system, which is the element responsible for resting and relaxation.

This can stimulate the release of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Serotonin, which are chemicals linked to keeping us happy and lowering levels of depression.

Although they can be noisy, the sound of the waves shouldn’t ruin your practice. In fact, they can help to create a relaxing atmosphere. 

In fact, you could even use the rhythm of the waves as part of a guided meditation, encouraging your students to use it as a way to control the rhythm of their breath. 

Before You Go!

So, we hope that you now have all the information you need to get started teaching yoga on the beach! 

If you’re yet to start your career as a yoga teacher, get qualified today by taking a yoga teacher training course with OriGym. Enquire today, or find more information by downloading our free course prospectus here.