private class vs. group yoga

CUSTOMIZATION

While everybody can do yoga, it isn’t a one size fits all practice.

A good yoga teacher can teach to a full room of students who have varied experience and needs, however, it is very different when you are being taught one on one.

 Yoga is a personal practice, and people come to the yoga mat for lots of different reasons. You may be looking for a way to relieve back pain, open your hips, increase strength, assist flexibility, quieten the mind, reduce stress, or increase range of motion- these a just a handful of reasons people may take up a yoga practice.

In a PRIVATE yoga class, you have the ability to FOCUS ON your EXACT PERSONAL GOALS.

1:1 allows the teacher to PLAN a LESSON to your personal needs, whether that’s tailoring to a specific area of the body, or working towards a series of poses that you find particularly challenging.

 It’s up to you to decide what you would like to dive into in your private sessions in order to get the most out of them.

ALIGNMENT & MODIFICATION

While yoga is designed to be a stress-relieving activity, there can sometimes be a LOT to think about! Especially when you are new to the practice. 

Take a relatively straightforward pose like triangle pose for example. Is your alignment correct? Would you benefit from a block? Could you take a deeper modification? If so, should you use a strap? 

In a public class, the teacher is there to guide and offer suggestions. However, depending on the size of the class, the teacher does not get enough time for personal attention with every student in every pose. 

You wind up observing the people around you and most likely, end up in a pose that isn’t exactly ideal for you!

 Every body is different, therefore, each pose will also be different depending on your unique body.

 Private class enables the teacher to work with you in each pose and correct your alignment, offer props as a way to benefit and support you in the pose, and offer modifications to help you go deeper, or to back out a little to ensure you are getting the FULL benefit of every pose.

PERSONAL ADJUSTMENTS

HANDS ON personal adjustments or assists are one of the most glorious parts of a yoga class. 

However, in a large class, you are likely to get one hands-on assist if you are lucky! Furthermore, these days, teachers and studios can be apprehensive about hands on adjustments, and so they avoid them altogether. Physical adjustments by a qualified and experienced teacher can really transform a pose. It isn’t like offering an alignment cue or modification suggestion, these hands on adjustments help you to move into a pose far more deeply that you can on your own, and therefore, experience the real benefits of a pose. In a private class, these hands on assists can really help you gain an understanding in both body and mind of what a pose is capable of looking and feeling like.

COMMUNICATION

Unfortunately in a public yoga class, there really isn’t much of an opportunity to ask questions, especially while the class is in session! 

One of the best things about a private class is you can ASK as many QUESTIONS as you like. This is a great opportunity for you to air those niggling concepts that you haven’t been able to wrap your head around, or questions that you may have felt embarrassed to ask in a class setting.

 Being able to communicate in open dialogue during a private class is a terrific way to learn and really come to terms with the practice and philosophy as much as you feel to.

INJURY

These days there are lots of options for people who are coming to yoga with a certain ailment, however, in these circumstances in particular, nothing beats working with a teacher one on one. 

Maybe you are looking for a way to yoga to assist you with migraines, or trying to prevent neck issues from being on a computer all day. Maybe you are recovering from an injury or illness and yoga is part of your recovery program. 

Private yoga teacher can help you set up a sequence and use props in a way that allows you to practice safely as you heal. While yoga can incite feelings of discomfort, it should never elicit pain in the body.

 Working with a teacher 1:1 is also a great way to ensure that you are practicing in a way that is SAFE and SUSTAINABLE for YOUR  BODY. The incident of injury through yoga is unfortunately on the rise. So learning how to best work with your own body on the mat is just as important as learning how to modify poses if you are working with an existing injury.

FOCUS

Yoga is designed to help us SWITCH OFF the MIND. Yet do you find yourself in class creating mental shopping lists in your forward bend, or wondering where your neighbor got their yoga pants from? 

Don’t worry, mental chatter is common and it can be hard to switch off in a public class surrounded by other people. 

However, this distraction can essentially take away from the benefits and enjoyment of the practice. 

In private class, chances are, your mind will have very little chance to wander! Rather than looking around the room and comparing your practice to other students, you can really be in your practice alone. 

You won’t have time to keep glancing at the clock or backing off from a pose thinking the teacher won’t notice! The 1:1 nature of a private class means there is LITTLE outer DISTRACTION so you can simply ENJOY and FOCUS on the practice.

CHALLENGE

When we find a teacher or class that we like and go to on a regular basis, it can get a little MONOTONOUS.

Good teachers will keep mixing things up and offering new classes, however, many teachers do also stick to similar routines, so if you are not branching out between teachers and studios, you may find yourself heading for a yoga plateau. 

There may be poses that you have wanted to try but haven’t been given the opportunity to explore in a public class. 

Private class will enable you to discuss all of this and work towards new poses in a safe and comfortable environment. 

Taking private yoga classes allows time for the teacher to BREAK THINGS DOWN, and HELP you mindfully work towards reaching your goals rather than trying to figure advanced poses out on your own. Having a ‘spotter’ for advanced poses is also a good idea so if you do fall out of a pose, you will do so safely!

YOUR TIME, YOUR SPACE ♡ 

One of the greatest challenges of getting to yoga can often be working around studio schedules. 

The benefit of a private class is that you can CHOOSE the DAY and TIME that works best for you.

 Often, private classes can also be held in the COMFORT of your own HOME, VILLA or a suitable place of your CHOICE. 

This also helps you to feel far more comfortable than you may feel in a studio space. 

Just select time that suits you and having your teacher arrive on your doorstep takes a lot of the challenges out of the equation and allows you to focus on your practice.

LIFETIME LESSONS

Private Yoga class, or series of private classes will offer you tools and wisdom that you can utilize for life.

Yoga is a LIFELONG journey - there is NO FINISH line.

There is always room to grow and evolve in new ways.

Yoga can HELP the BODY, MIND and SPIRIT, and therefore, really learning how yoga works and how yoga WORKS for YOU is such a magical endeavor. 

You could quite easily attend public studio classes for a decade and not really get the benefits that you can gain from a series of private sessions.

 Investing in PRIVATE CLASS is also a GREAT opportunity to experience yoga if you are a BEGINNER and feel INTIMIDATED BY a PUBLIC class.

They can also be great to invest in as your yoga journey unfolds, allowing you to  GROW your knowledge, EXPLORE new poses in a safe way. 

PRIVATE yoga classes are FOR EVERYONE, all ages, all levels, all needs. 

YOGA is such a GIFT ♡ , and private classes can really help you to make the most of every chance you have to step onto your mat.

Book private yoga session with Yoga in The Tropics that will allow you to dive further into your practice and gain wisdom and skills to continue your growth with yoga.