11 Tips for Teaching Yoga on Zoom

If you’re new to the world of virtual yoga, our top tips for teaching yoga on Zoom are likely to benefit you. 

We’ll instruct you on how to best prepare for your online classes so that your yogis get the most out of their time with you!

Before we start, you can boost your career and expertise, developing a particular style of niche, with OriGym’s Level 4 yoga teacher training course.

You can find out more about all of our yoga courses if you download and browse our course prospectus for free!

11 Tips On Teaching Yoga Over Zoom

#1 - Have a Rough Plan When Teaching Yoga Online with Zoom

One of our top tips for teaching yoga on Zoom is to have a rough plan for each type of class. 

Planning allows you to focus on enjoying and delivering the class rather than trying to decide on which poses should come next.

Having a plan will also mean you’ll be able to sequence the class properly and offer things like:

• Different yoga class themes
• Variety of intentions
• Focus on specific areas of the body

This will also allow your students to get the most out of their time with you, thus boosting your chances of repeat custom. 

Some of the factors you should consider when planning your Zoom yoga class include:

• Difficulty - you want to make sure you signal to students the level of ability required so that they don’t risk injury. This will allow you to plan a variety of classes for advanced yogis as well as yoga for beginners!
• Style of Class - obviously you want to decide on the type of yoga you’ll be using for your class. You might decide to have an advanced Ashtanga class as well as a beginner’s yin so that you keep things exciting and varied.

Whilst you’re learning how to teach yoga online using Zoom you should also write down your sequence.

As you advance you will need it less and less but you can subtly glance down as a reminder throughout the class without interrupting the flow or showing your class members.

Ultimately, creating a rough plan ahead of a class is one of the best tips for teaching livestream yoga. It will help you feel more prepared and your yogis feel in safe hands!

#2 - Tips for Teaching Yoga on Zoom: Practice Your Flow Before Teaching

Another one of the top tips for teaching yoga on Zoom is to practice your sequence before tuning in with your yogis. 

Most people, even if they have a home yoga studio, will be more confined than in a dedicated space. 

This is why one of the top tips for teaching virtual yoga is to practice so you can decide where the best space is and whether you’ll have enough room to perform your sequence.

This will also make you feel more prepared and iron out any issues with the flow or class before you’re doing the real thing.

This will make the class more streamlined which will mean people will get more out of the class and will be more likely to return. 

You can do a run through of the class before you start but you should also try filming yourself and see if it works in the space with a camera.

This way you can see whether anything about the surroundings as well as the sequence needs changing before you start teaching your yoga on Zoom!

#3 - Zoom Yoga Class Tips: Finding the Right Lighting and Camera Angle

Another one of our yoga teacher tips for classes over Zoom is to get the right lighting and camera angle. 

Doing this will help make your class look professional and impressive as well as making it easier for yogis taking part to see the poses properly.

If you have bad lighting and a bad angle you risk people misunderstanding or not being able to follow the class and being put off.

For example, if you were following a yoga sequence on YouTube but half of the instructor’s body was out of shot, you’re unlikely to revisit their channel.

You can achieve great lighting in a number of different ways depending on your location. You might use:

• Natural lighting (you should consider the time of year and when the sun will be rising/setting)
• Ceiling lighting
• Lamps
• Specialist lighting

You will need to be more brightly lit than in your in person classes to make sure everybody can see and follow the sequence.

As for the camera angle, you should go for a long shot to make sure you get the whole body within the frame and remove any obstacles blocking the view. 

This is why if you want to know how to teach yoga online using Zoom, it’s great to practice to find the right camera angle and lighting, as well as designing the flow itself. 

#4 - Tips for Teaching Yoga on Zoom: Check Your Sound Quality

You’re likely to have been in a situation where you can’t hear what someone is saying during a virtual meeting, or someone’s not on mute and it causes feedback. 

If you’re conducting a meditation session or teaching a restorative yoga class, you want to make sure everyone can hear you and there won’t be any distortion or interruptions.

Here are Zoom yoga class tips on sound to maintain a tranquil workshop: 

• Practice using Zoom with family or friends to test the sound quality from different distances
• Test the sound in different rooms (larger rooms can be more echoey, thus affecting sound quality)
• Investing a microphone will improve sound quality 
• Request your yogis to keep all of their computers on mute during the class unless otherwise instructed

Once your class is up and running, request that all participants give you a signal to indicate whether they can hear you clearly.This provides the opportunity to fix any issues before the class begins. 

#5 - How to Teach Yoga on Zoom: Give Clear Instructions

One of the most important tips for teaching yoga on Zoom is to keep your instructions clear, simple, and easy to understand for class members.

If you have beginners in your class then this is what makes a good yoga teacher, being able to adapt your teaching to cater to your class members. 

Having your instructions clear and precise will mean people get the most out of your class and want to come back.

This will also help yogis to improve their technique and want to try any other, more advanced classes you might teach as they progress!

Here are some quick Zoom yoga class tips when giving instructions:

• Make it known 5-10 seconds before a transition occurs so that your yogis feel prepared
• Use simple language when explaining how to make the transition
• Explain what certain areas of the body should do and/or look like 
• Remind yogis to use yoga tools to make transitions and poses easier such as yoga blocks and yoga straps
• Speak slowly and consider repeating more complex instructions, making room for questions

#6 - How to Teach Yoga Online Using Zoom: Check On Your Yogis 

As you probably know, there are various ways to personalise your experience when on Zoom.

It’s ideal for your class members to keep their screens on whilst they’re taking part but some may feel more comfortable having their cameras off for privacy.

This means that there’s a higher risk of injury or they could miss out on the form correction they need from you.

This benefits your class as it helps each yogi feel accommodated while equally helping them make good progress. 

It also shows that you’re an attentive teacher who is dedicated to the care and development of your students.

It will contribute to building rapport between you and your students which, in turn, increases the chances of them returning for future sessions.

This is why you should regularly check on class members to make sure they’re all getting on well, especially if they have their cameras off.

Take a moment to tune into your class every 10 minutes or so to assist them if need be. 

If you integrate these tips for teaching yoga on Zoom your class members will feel more at ease and, whether they have their cameras on or not, you’ll help to develop their form and confidence. 

#7 - Tips for Teaching Yoga on Zoom: Demonstrate Poses

If you want to know how to teach yoga on Zoom, some of the things you may already have done in person become extra important.

For example, demonstrating how to perform certain poses can be super valuable for your participants during a Zoom class. 

In a virtual class, you will be their only source of information which is why demonstrations are vital for your students. 

As mentioned earlier, this shows you’re being a professional, attentive, and caring yoga teacher which is super important for your brand and rapport with your class members. 

If you’re leading a class for beginner yogis, their knowledge of poses may be limited. It’s your responsibility, therefore, to provide a visual of what each pose looks like. 

When demonstrating poses, consider doing the following:

• State the name of the pose
• Touch on what areas of the body the pose works on
• Give simple step-by-step instructions detailing how to get into the pose
• Explain how long to hold the pose for/ number of repetitions 
• Explain what the best yoga equipment class members can use to make poses easier such as straps and blocks

If you’re finding this article useful, check out some of OriGym’s other helpful guides for becoming a successful yoga teacher:

• How to Become an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher
• 25 Essential Yoga Teacher Resources
• How to Plan and Run a Successful Yoga Retreat

#8 - Tips for Teaching Virtual Yoga: Start the Session 5-minutes After the Meet Time 

Another one of the best tips for teaching livestream yoga is to begin the class shortly after the meet time. 

Even though technology allows us to be virtually closer together, problems can arise from time to time. 

It may be that one of the following delays you by a few minutes:

• Problems with the camera
• Faulty microphone issues
• Problems with internet connection
• Issues with any other technology such as lighting or music

If you have 5-minutes as a buffer before the class this will allow time to resolve such issues without eating into class time. 

If all goes well, these 5-minutes can also provide you with the opportunity to interact with your class and get to know them a little, making them more at ease and engaged with the class. 

Even if everything works you can use this time to:

• Promote any workshops or yoga retreats you’re running
• A new class you may be running
• Run through some information about the practice or history of yoga

So, while these 5-minutes are mainly reserved for helping your yogis prepare for the class, they can also help to promote your business. 

#9 - Tips for Teaching Yoga on Zoom: Use the ‘Lock Meeting’ Feature

Next up on our list of tips for teaching yoga on Zoom in to consider using the ‘Lock Meeting’ feature.

The ‘Lock Meeting’ feature does what it says on the tin - it locks the meeting and keeps new participants from joining the session. 

Some yoga teachers may prefer to know exactly how many participants are in the session before beginning without any late comers causing a distraction. 

At the point participants book your session, you should make it known that if they’re late, they may not be able to access the meeting. 

You may prefer to give your yogis a 5-minute grace (as per the previous point) to join before the actual session begins. 

To activate this feature, follow these steps:

1. Log into your Zoom account
2. Click the ‘Security’ icon at the button on your window
3. In the pop-up, click the button that says ‘Lock Meeting’

If you want to discover more about how to teach yoga online using Zoom, the ‘Lock Meeting’ feature could seriously enhance your online classes and make sure there’s no interruptions!

#10 - Zoom Yoga Class Tips: Allow Time for Questions 

When leading an in-person yoga class, there is often time before and after the session for participants to chat with you.

These can be incredibly valuable for developing a good relationship with class members and reinforcing your approachability.

However, they can be more difficult online as some people will feel more intimidated speaking over camera during a call.

With this in mind, therefore, you should try to leave some time at the end of the session for your students to approach you with any questions, asking explicitly so they don’t have to find an appropriate time. 

Consider saying something like this:

Thank you for joining me in today’s class. When you’re ready, feel free to leave the session and have a great day. For those that have any questions, I will stay in the meeting for the next few minutes.

This benefits your yogis as they’re able to touch base with you and also shows that you’re a conscientious yoga instructor who is keen to help.

It will also help you to plan and run your classes as this is an opportunity to get a bit of feedback on how class members found the sessions.

That’s why one of our top tips for teaching virtual yoga is allowing time for your yogis to approach you with questions!

#11 - Prepare for Technical Difficulties When Teaching Yoga Online with Zoom 

Finishing up our list of tips for teaching yoga on Zoom is to expect the unexpected. This is because, as with any kind of virtual meeting, technology can fail. 

Your Wi-Fi could cut out, the meeting code may not work or your microphone might fail mid-flow. 

Unfortunately, each of these issues is likely to arise from time to time and so being prepared for these is always best. 

Here’s a list of things you should check before dialling into your meeting:

• Your internet connection is strong
• Your camera works
• Your microphone works
• Your workspace is clear
• Your laptop is fully charged (plugged in is even better, just in case)
• You have the meeting ID and code to hand

Once you’ve checked all of your own equipment, you should then check your yogi’s equipment works well too. 

This can be done with the 5-minutes at the beginning of your session, as mentioned in point #8.

Chances are that the majority of participants will have experienced technical difficulties from time to time and so are likely to be patient should problems arise. 

Before You Go!

We hope that our list of tips for teaching yoga on Zoom has helped you to prepare for teaching your first yoga class online. 

Don’t forget that you can enhance your knowledge and specialise in a particular yoga style with our Level 4 yoga teacher training course. 

You can find out more by downloading our full course prospectus and learn about all of the yoga courses we have on offer!