What separates successful Yoga teachers from the rest? Yoga studios and ashrams are founded on a core of students who keep coming back to classes. We often refer to this as “student retention.” Let’s look at some methods to keep your students coming back for more Yoga classes.

Learn new techniques and integrate them into your Yoga classes. Many Yoga teachers think about changing asana sequencing to spice up their classes. You should also teach your students more Pranayama and meditation techniques. The eight limbs of Yoga, described by Patanjali, should all be covered in your classes, so that your students are familiar with the many aspects of Yoga.

Observe and develop empathy for your students. Some Yoga teachers still have issues with the use of props. In truth, we are all aging at this moment. A Yoga teacher, who cannot teach the elderly, the handicapped, or any student with limited range of motion, is also handicapped.

If Yoga teachers require students to be elite athletes, they should be coaching Olympic gymnasts. Coaching Olympians is a noble profession and worthy of note, but it has nothing to do with teaching Yoga to the average person, who wants to learn Yoga.

There is a huge population that attends Yoga for stress and anxiety. The Yoga teacher, without compassion, is not helping anyone by barking out commands in a “Brutal Boot Camp Yoga Class.” Some students do want these Yoga classes. However, these classes should be clearly labeled for new Yoga students and the unsuspecting public, who want to attend for the purpose of managing stress.

What separates successful Yoga teachers from the rest? Yoga studios and ashrams are founded on a core of students who keep coming back to classes. We often refer to this as “student retention.” Let’s look at some methods to keep your students coming back for more Yoga classes.

Learn new techniques and integrate them into your Yoga classes. Many Yoga teachers think about changing asana sequencing to spice up their classes. You should also teach your students more Pranayama and meditation techniques. The eight limbs of Yoga, described by Patanjali, should all be covered in your classes, so that your students are familiar with the many aspects of Yoga.

Observe and develop empathy for your students. Some Yoga teachers still have issues with the use of props. In truth, we are all aging at this moment. A Yoga teacher, who cannot teach the elderly, the handicapped, or any student with limited range of motion, is also handicapped.

If Yoga teachers require students to be elite athletes, they should be coaching Olympic gymnasts. Coaching Olympians is a noble profession and worthy of note, but it has nothing to do with teaching Yoga to the average person, who wants to learn Yoga.

There is a huge population that attends Yoga for stress and anxiety. The Yoga teacher, without compassion, is not helping anyone by barking out commands in a “Brutal Boot Camp Yoga Class.” Some students do want these Yoga classes. However, these classes should be clearly labeled for new Yoga students and the unsuspecting public, who want to attend for the purpose of managing stress.

Let’s look into the minds of our Yoga students. What do they need most? What are the most valuable gifts we can leave behind for our Yoga students? Is it something expensive? Would they benefit most from an electronic gift?

Many people look at the word “gift” as a tangible present, but you can give Yoga students good memories and valuable lessons, which last a life time. Below are a few priceless gifts for Yoga students.

Instill enough positive energy within them to become their own best Yoga teacher. A Yoga student must learn to develop full awareness of his or her physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Never hold back any information, which will benefit a Yoga student’s health or success. Yoga teachers are a guide toward a healthy and successful life. Students must be encouraged to independently think for themselves.

Praise students, when it is earned. Whenever a student tries his or her best, you should acknowledge the effort with praise. When you praise, you instill self-worth in your Yoga students. Self-worth is a must, for any person to find a valuable purpose in life.

Take the time to observe everything possible and give an assist when needed. This does not only apply to physical assists in Asana practice. When you see a student who could use encouragement, make sure you are a motivator.

Create a haven within your Yoga classes. Students should expect an atmosphere without pretense, intolerance, or sarcasm, in your classes. It should be a pure joy to learn Yoga from you.

Could Yoga have all the answers to anxiety? Why is it that anxiety, stress, and unhappiness take over so many people’s lives? If you listen to a “doubting Thomas,” nothing works, but if you read below, you will see some solutions.

In fact, all forms of Yoga are good for our mental health. This does not mean that anxiety will disappear, but Yoga gives us the tools to put anxiety in the “back seat,” while we determine a positive direction in life. The struggle for direction is within our minds. We must be aware of the struggle from within.

Pessimistic thought is not productive, yet there are many pessimists ruled by “the dark side.” For them, nothing will work because they already have the “Why me” attitude. Everything is against them, or so they think, and that is where the problem lies.

Unless you can master your thinking, you will not suppress negative thoughts. How does Yoga do this? The principle is simple. Let’s use 21st century jargon to give you a clear picture. Yoga is an ancient, but constantly evolving, science of life. The Yoga practitioner “reprograms” his or her thoughts.

Your mind is your best friend, and your worst enemy, at the same time. When you attend Yoga classes regularly, under the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher, your mind and body become charged with positive energy.

If you look at the facial expressions of Yoga students after a class, you will notice they are in a state of bliss. If this is not the case, they have not found the right place yet. There is no need to be discouraged. We find what we seek in life.

I keep hearing this nonsense about doing exercise in a hot room such as yoga. I am finding that the general public is very misinformed about human physiology and how our bodies react to exercising in hot climates. This is the first part of a 2 part article designed to give people some important information about what is exactly happening to their bodies when they attend these ‘hot’ workouts, and how they may even be increasing their risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. I will also attempt to show you how many of the claims are completely false.

This is a short list of the most persistent claims I typically found about hot yoga on the internet.

“Increased heat of the room allows for better flexibility and stretching”

“Increased heart rate allows your body to more easily burn fat and gives a cardiovascular workout”

“Increased Sweating helps your body eliminate ‘toxins’”

Lets look at each one of these in more detail from a scientific standpoint.

“Increased Temperature means increased flexibility”
Increased core body temperature of approximately 3 degrees has been shown scientifically to be the threshold where connective tissues like ligaments, tendons and muscles become more elastic and flexible. This temperature increase has been shown to be possible with exercise. For example 20 minutes of ‘cardio’ such as running or biking can get your core temperature up enough. External heat like heat patches applied directly to muscles have been shown to be ineffective at increasing the temperature of these tissues. If these ‘hot’ workouts provide an increase in flexibility I have yet to find research to substantiate it. But if you like the way it feels I can’t argue with anyone on that point.

“Increased Heart Rate means increased fat burning and cardio fitness”
The increase in heart rate you get from exercising in the heat is a result of excessive fluid loss from profuse sweating. The heart has to pump more often because there is less blood volume per beat. This is an early sign of dehydration. This has nothing to do with fat burning or cardiovascular fitness. This will also cause you to fatigue prematurely and cause your body core temperature to heat up even more as now your heart is working even harder. This starts a vicious cycle of increasing body temperature and sets you on a path to heat illness or heat exhaustion.

“Excessive sweating causes you to sweat out ‘toxins’”
Sweat does not remove “toxins”, this is a complete lie with no scientific proof at all. The only potential way sweat could be used for detox is rehab from drug addiction if at all. In these cases the rehab should be under the supervision of a medical practitioner, and even this is very poorly represented in the scientific research and mostly shows up in alternative medicine articles. Sweating in hot environments is your bodies way of cooling down through evaporation of water. In a humid room the sweat is much less effective at cooling your body down. Toweling the sweat off also interferes with the ability of the sweat to cool your body off. If the room is humid (and from what I am reading hot yoga rooms are meant to be at approximately 50% humidity) the sweat is even less effective at cooling you off. This starts a vicious cycle of your body temperature increasing, then your body sweats more to try and cool you off, and then you become more dehydrated. This is also a dangerous situation if you stay in the heat for too long. All of this extra sweating is just a recipe for dehydration and heat exhaustion. There is simply no such thing as sweating out toxins. This is an idea that has been laid to rest by the scientific medical community decades ago. The fact that it still persists in pop culture is absolutely ridiculous.

Part 2 of this article will explain heat acclimatization, why I think this ‘hot’ workout trend is simply a marketing angle, and some of the real benefits of yoga.

Many of us have heard a co-worker or friend say, “I would love to try a Yoga class, but I don’t have time for Yoga practice.” Here’s another good one: “I’m going to start eating better lunches, when I have time to pack one.”

The problem is a perceived lack of time, which has become an excuse for bad health habits. As most of us know, you cannot put a price tag on good health, but when your health is poor, you will pay anything for a day without pain or even less pain.

The worst part about a perceived lack of time is that the real issue is lack of control over our bad habits. This is one of many reasons for anxiety. To live a healthier lifestyle will establish control of our habits and reduce anxiety altogether.

Let’s look at some strategies for ridding or reducing anxiety in your life. Many people do not write a “to do list” at the beginning of a day. This entails having the discipline to plan our day. If you do this the night before, and pack a lunch, you will take back control of your day.

When you have a “to do list,” you will have extra time. This is because you spend less time wondering, “What should I do now?” Some of the most successful people on this planet have created a habit of time management, which has drastically lowered their anxiety levels.

Lastly, when someone has extra time, the effects of a regular Yoga class, a walk, or a healthy lunch, will add up over time.

Yoga classes offer a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes Yoga students develop bonds outside the class because they are “like minded” people, with a pro-active view toward life. The people you socialize with each day will “make you or break you.”

When I grew up, parents would often mention how you should be careful about cultivating friendships with the “right kids.” As children, we would hear the saying, “guilty by association,” which meant, if our friends got into trouble, so would we, and there were always consequences.

Why is it that many adults forget this still applies to adult life? If anyone, of any age, exposes himself or herself to negative people, there will be consequences. Years of under achievement usually indicate that we have been in the wrong place or listened to the wrong information for far too long.

It is written in Proverbs 12:26: “The righteous should choose his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray.” This should be hard wired into our memories, but we often forget.

Make sure that you consult with people you deeply trust and who have a track record of integrity. These are trusted friends and a priceless asset in your life.

If the people you associate with are negative thinkers, and cannot be trusted, you should make some major changes in life. This is hard talk, but you cannot rid yourself of anxiety, or improve your life, to its complete potential, in a negative environment. You can take control of your life by changing your environment.

The Dr. Kataria School of Laughter Yoga has received much exposure over the past few years because of the medicinal benefits of laughter. Laughing strengthens your immune system and reduces anxiety.

Dr. Madan Kataria is on to something, as laughter could be combined with Pranayama sessions for maximum benefits. In life, there is a shortage of laughing. Unfortunately, too many people take themselves too seriously.

If you feel foolish laughing for 20 minutes a day for good physical, emotional, and mental health, you may want to consider laughing alone, or joining a Laughter Yoga club. The benefits of laughing are too good to miss out on.

Yet, the average adult laughs less than 20 times per day. Children often laugh over 100 times in a day. No wonder so many adults and teens are so stressed out.

Laughter reduces stress, protects your heart, lowers blood pressure, and is a form of quick relaxation. You could watch comedies, or listen to comedy audio recordings on CD, while you are driving on your way to, or from, work.

If you want to avoid negative thoughts, you may want to reduce the time you spend watching the news or reading depressing stories in the newspapers. This does not mean you should avoid learning new things, but be selective about the type of information you read, watch, or listen to.

Good stories do appear on the news, but how many depressing stories will you have to mentally process before you find one. The old saying, “Bad news sells,” often applies. There are plenty of good magazines to read, radio stations to listen to, and television channels to watch, so be selective.

There are many people who are doing yoga these days. Yoga can offer different things to different people. You can use it to enhance your mind and spirituality. You can also use it to help you get into shape and be toned and supple. There are many types of yoga that you can do. Depending on what it is you are trying to accomplish will determine what type of yoga is better for you.

Some of the types of yoga are more physical than others. They there are some that are more spiritual. Yoga is used for things such as a stress related illness, fatigue, migraines, depression, PMS, arthritis, back pain, aging, and mobility problems. These are just a few of the problems that yoga can help a person with. Yoga is also good to help you enhance your spirituality.

You need to know what you are trying to accomplish so that you can find the right type of yoga for you. So it is very important for you to know why you want to do yoga.

For the people who want to get into better shape:

Hatha yoga – This is where you use controlled stretching that emphasizes the developing of a flexible spine. This is a good type of yoga for all levels of fitness.

Vini yoga – This is better yoga for people who are older. It is safe to do and is a gentle form or yoga. The teacher for this type of yoga is called a Desikachar.

For those of you who like physical yoga:

Lyenger yoga – This form of yoga sometimes uses blocks and ropes because it focuses on correct postures.

Sivananda yoga – This is the best type for people of all ages. This yoga will cover a wide range of poses that go from simple to complex.

Ashtanga yoga – This is also referred to as power yoga. You don’t want to do this type unless you like very demanding yoga. Only the people who are very fit will want to attempt this type of yoga. For the people who want to be more spiritual:

Raja yoga – This is the best known as royal yoga. When you want a yoga that is more concerned with the mind then this is the right type of yoga for you.

Dru yoga – This type of yoga is usually done in a group. It is perfect for those of you that want to concentrate on breathing.

Jnana yoga – This is the best type of yoga for people who are seeking a deeper level to their life. This yoga is more about the philosophical aspects. It is more meditative and spiritual than any other type of yoga.

Now that you know what the different types of yoga are you will want to know what you want to accomplish with your yoga. The types of yoga can help you in a lot of ways to improve your life and your physical well being. So use yoga to your benefit.

There are many types of yoga that you can do to help you get into shape or help you enhance your spirituality. The Bikram yoga is a physical type of yoga. It is more aerobic than other types are. Do you know who started this type of yoga? Who was Bikram yoga named after?

The Bikram yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhry. Bikram was born in 1946 in Kolkatta. During his life he became a disciple of Bishnu Gosh who is the brother of Paramahamsa Yogananda. He was very young when he became a disciple. He was only four years old at the time. He mastered the Hatha yoga technique, which allowed him to win the Indian yoga championship at a very young age. He retired an undefeated champion when he was very young.

Bikram went on to start many training centers for yoga under the direction of his master Bishnu Gosh. He later on in his life came up with his own system for yoga which became known as Bikram yoga.

When doing Bikram yoga you will do this type of yoga in a heated room. The temperature in this room is usually about ninety to one hundred degrees. This will help warm the body which in turns makes the postures that you are required to do much easier. The postures that you do with this type of yoga are done in twenty six postures. This yoga starts with standing postures, backward bends, forward bends and even twists. You will do each posture twice. In order to do the full routine for Bikram yoga it will take you about ninety minutes.

This type of yoga may not be the right type for you. Someone that is physically fit will be able to do the Bikram yoga with ease. However, when you are not in such good shape you might want to start with another type of yoga. Then when you have made your body stronger you will be able to attempt this type of yoga.

You want to make sure that you find out all you can about Bikram yoga so that you will know if it is right for you. You need to know what it is about and whether you can handle it. You don’t want to do this yoga or any other yoga without first knowing what you will be doing. So take the time needed to find out about Bikram yoga before you attempt it.