Whether you are a seasoned yoga teacher who is moving to a new studio, or a complete newbie yoga teacher, having your yoga class full of students each and every time is important for your path to success.
The truth is, filling a yoga class consistently can be a hard task to achieve, especially if you don’t have a local following or this is your first time teaching.
In this blog post, we will go over in-depth all the ways on how to fill a yoga class plus unique and unconventional ideas that will keep your classes full.
To start filling your yoga class, you want to start with an epic, appealing, and very accurate yoga class description.
When someone is looking over their local yoga studio and deciding what class to go to, the two biggest factors are the time of day and the description.Of course, people are going to go to the classes that work for their schedule, but they may also change their day to try out a class that sounds really compelling to them.
Make sure to use descriptive and exciting language to describe your class. And be as honest as possible, if your class is strenuous, then make sure you highlight that, and if it is gentle or yin-based make sure that is very clear.
Experienced yogis know what kind of practice they want and if they come to your class expecting one thing and practicing another, they may not return to your class.
It’s a good idea to regularly revisit your class description to update it as your class evolves through time. It’s also a good reminder of what expectations new students are bringing to your class.
Advertise Locally
The next step on how to fill your yoga class is to advertise your class in the local community in as many ways as possible. You want people to know about your class and why they should try it out.
Here are some ways you can advertise your class locally:
Create Eye-Catching Promotional Materials
If you don’t have a business card or flyer designed yet, now is the time. Having branded, visually appealing, and well-designed promotional materials will help you fill your yoga classes.
You don’t need any design skills, just head over to your local print shop or use online print services like VistaPrint, Print Place, or Moo Print to print what you need. Search “yoga” or “wellness” to get ideas or use one of their pre-made designs.
An example of yoga business promotional materials that also have a special offering; the back of the card has a place to collect stamps toward a free class. Picture from Instagram user @du4lifeuk
Community Bulletin Boards
Utilize local community bulletin boards in cafes, grocery stores, and community centers to post visually appealing flyers about your yoga classes. Ensure that your contact information and class details are clear and easy to read.
Local Newspapers And Magazines
Place advertisements in local newspapers or community magazines. Some publications offer affordable rates for small businesses.
Consider including a promotional offer or discount to entice new students.
Collaborate With Local Businesses
Partner with local businesses such as health food stores, wellness centers, or cafes. They might allow you to leave flyers or business cards at their locations.
Offer special promotions for their customers to encourage cross-promotion.
Attend Community Events
Participate in local fairs, festivals, or community events. Set up a booth or space to promote your yoga classes.
Offer short demonstrations or mini-sessions to give people a taste of what your classes are like.
Workshops And Free Introductory Classes
Offer free introductory workshops or classes to attract new students. Advertise these events through local channels and use them as an opportunity to showcase your teaching style.
Make sure to always collect contact information from attendees to follow up with promotions and class schedules.
Referral Programs
Speak with your studio owner about potentially creating a referral program for current students. Current students can refer friends and receive discounts or free classes as incentives for successful referrals.
Collaborate With Other Instructors Or Health Professionals
Network with other fitness or wellness instructors in your area. They may be willing to cross-promote your classes to their students, and you can reciprocate.
Bring your promotional materials to special doctors like chiropractors, midwives, and physical therapists as sometimes their patients are in need of yoga. You can offer the owners a free class so they can try your class and hopefully recommend it to their patients.
Leverage Your Online Presence
Most likely the first place people are going to find you or look you up is on the internet. It’s important to have a professional website, active social media, and accurate listings on your yoga studio’s website to attract and keep students.
Here’s how to fill a yoga class by leveraging your online presence:
Keep Your Profile Up-to-date On Your Yoga Studio Website
Every yoga studio website has a teacher’s section. Make sure you are prominently and accurately listed in this portion of the website.
Use a professional yet visually appealing photo of yourself, add a well-written bio, and link to your personal website and social media accounts.
Example of a yoga instructor about page from Skanda Yoga Studio in Miami. Note all the well-taken, bright photos of each instructor.
Maintain A Professional Personal Website
Besides being listed on your yoga studio’s website, make sure you invest the time and energy into creating your own website. This will help you appear more professional and reputable. Having your own website will also help you in future endeavors when you branch out and try other yoga business opportunities.
Always include clear contact details on your website. If someone has a question or wants to join a class, they should be able to reach you easily.
Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
Whether it’s on your yoga studio’s website or your own, you want to make sure you are utilizing the power of local SEO to help people find your class.
Optimize your own website for local search terms to increase visibility in search engine results for people looking for yoga classes in your area.
Local Directory Or Chamber Of Commerce Website
Sometimes towns or cities offer an online business directory listing for local businesses which can sometimes be free.
Also, check to see if your studio is listed on local online directories and review sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and Yellow Pages. If not, encourage them to get listed ASAP.
FAQ Section
Adding an FAQ section to your website can help weary or newbie yogis who might be on the fence about joining your class.
Try to anticipate any questions that might arise and answer them honestly in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on your website.
Testimonials And Reviews
Testimonials and reviews are very important for attracting new clients. Share positive stories from current or past students on your website. Real experiences can help new students feel more confident about joining your classes.
Add A Blog To Your Website
Add a section to your website where you can share more in-depth information about topics you have expertise in. This will show your audience you are a true teacher and take your job seriously.
Start A YouTube Channel
A YouTube channel can serve as a place for people to see you teach in action. You really only need one or two videos for people to get a sense of how you teach or what your classes are like.
Consider offering exclusive online promotions or discounts for new students or when they sign up for your newsletter (this is the best way to build an email list!) This can be a great way to attract people who discover your classes through your website.
Offer A Free Local Yoga Class
Everyone has heard of a free “yoga in the park” class in their town or something along those lines. This is usually a local yoga teacher who is trying to build a reputation and attract regular students.
The benefit of offering a free class is that potential students can try before they commit. You can also offer special discounts to attendees if they come to a class at the studio in the future.
It’s also another opportunity to pass out flyers or business cards.
Social media is great for yoga teachers because it is a visual platform and helps build a community both online and in the real world.
Leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to promote your classes.
Here is how to fill a yoga class using social media marketing:
Tell Your Story
The whole point of social media is to be “social” right? Use your accounts to tell your personal story, which will allow people to connect with you on a personal level and help build trust with your audience.
If you have something unique about yourself or your personal story, don’t be shy to share it with the world.
Post Visually Appealing Content
Create engaging posts with eye-catching visuals and relevant hashtags.
Find an overall theme for your social account; it could be a mix of yoga poses, nature, quotes, healthy lifestyle tips, and class or event announcements.
Transform your account to a business account so you can track the engagement of your posts. Over time, see what posts perform the best and then make more of those kinds of posts.
Use your social media platforms to announce upcoming classes. Include details like date, time, location, and any special themes or focuses for the session.
If you host workshops, events, or special classes, use social media to create buzz. Share details, images, and countdowns to generate excitement.
Educational Content
Post clips from your yoga classes on TikTok or offer tutorial-type videos. When you post educational content, you are building trust with your audience.
Post about the benefits of yoga, specific poses, or wellness tips. This positions you as an authority in your field and attracts those interested in learning more.
Occasionally offer promotions or discounts for new students through your social media channels. This can incentivize people to give your classes a try.
Client Testimonials
Share positive testimonials from your current students. Real experiences can build trust and interest among potential new students.
Interactive Challenges
Create fun and interactive challenges related to yoga on your social media. Encourage followers to participate and share their experiences. This can create a sense of community and attract new members.
Behind-the-Scenes
Give your followers a glimpse into your life as a yoga teacher. Share behind-the-scenes moments, such as your own practice, preparation for classes, or snippets of your daily routine. This personal touch can make you more relatable.
Go Live
Use Instagram or YouTube Live to host live yoga sessions, a Q&A discussion, or you can report directly from an event like a workshop or a retreat to entice future students.
Highlight Student Progress
Showcase the progress of your students by featuring before-and-after photos or success stories. This demonstrates the effectiveness of your classes and motivates potential students to join.
Collaborate With Yogi Influencers
Partner with local influencers or wellness bloggers who align with your yoga philosophy. They can introduce your classes to their followers, expanding your reach.
Interactive Polls And Surveys
Use polls and surveys to gather feedback from your audience. Ask about their preferences, challenges, or what they’d like to see in your classes. You can also use a poll to find out the best time to host your yoga class.
Start Email Marketing
Email marketing is incredibly effective at turning potential clients into paying customers. Even if your yoga studio is collecting emails, you should also be collecting emails on your personal website as well. This way, if you leave or change studios, you can personally let your most loyal students know.
It will also give you a way to advertise any new classes you might offer, private classes, and any future yoga business opportunities like retreats or workshops you might offer in the future.
Host Events & Workshops
Use your local yoga studio as a place to host a yoga event or workshop. A yoga workshop can focus on a specific need you might notice in your students, like a handstand workshop, hip-opening workshop, balance workshop, and more.
This is a great way to build trust with students and get to know them on a deeper level. Plus workshops and events usually have a higher ticket price than just regular classes meaning these events can be a great source of income for popular teachers.
One of the most important ways on how to fill a yoga class is to have a very consistent schedule. If youcancel a class last minute or change locations suddenly, you’re leaving current and potential students confused and irritated.
Teach the same classes every week and at the same location. You can have classes at multiple locations but keep the day and time the same. If for whatever reason you want to change your schedule, make sure you have a good way to notify your students i.e. through social media, email marketing, on your website, on your studio website, and through physical flyers or schedules.
If you can’t make it to a class, it’s best to have a sub than just cancel it altogether. If your loyal students are in the habit of going to your class every Wednesday night for example, it’s better to keep them in the groove than to break it for a week or two, you’ll never know if they’ll return. Plus with a sub, they will be very excited about your return!
Offer Something Unique
Another surefire way on how to fill a yoga class is to offer something unique. As you evolve as a yoga teacher, you will find your “niche.” That may be meditation, power yoga, sound healing, or yogic philosophy.
Having a unique aspect about your classes that really stands out to students can create a buzz that will drive more people to come and check it out, and hopefully become loyal students.
Here’s a list of ideas to help you make your yoga class stand out against competition:
Many people these days struggle with comparing themselves to others; the quickest way to lose a yoga student is by making them feel self-conscious or judged. Many people go to yoga classes specifically to quell their anxiety or self-esteem issues, as a teacher you should cultivate a very supportive and nurturing atmosphere.
Through your cues and how you speak, let your students know it’s not about how they look in a pose, it’s about how they feel and where their attention is. Your students should know your class is a safe place and a place for positivity and self-growth.
You want to maintain a positive and uplifting vibe, you can achieve that by staying humble and showing compassion for others no matter their ability level.
Build Relationships With Your Students
The most important part of your yoga class as a yoga teacher is your students! Take the extra 10 minutes at the end of your classes to get to know your regular students. As students return week after week, they will build strong relationships with you and they will look up to you as a beacon of light in their life.
Building these positive, community-minded relationships will make your class more appealing. It will also entice new students to return because of the friendly, accepting atmosphere.
Hope you learned all there is to know on how to fill a yoga class! Just know that with consistency and passion, you will find success in the yoga industry.
Festivals have become very popular in the last decade because they offer people a break from the day-to-day mundane. These 2024 international yoga festivals take the vibe to the next level by offering all types of yoga, meditation, time in nature, sound healing, and much more.
At these sorts of spiritual festivals, you can expect to break out of your comfort zone and possibly meet life-long friends.
Check out this list of 2024 international yoga festivals that are worth buying a plane ticket for.
This is a well-known yoga festival right in the heart of where yoga started. It’s located at one of the most holy Hindu sites, the banks of the Ganges River. Some of the globe’s most renowned yoga teachers will be in attendance.
Envision Festival is one of those bucket-list festivals that all yogis want to attend or teach at. It takes place in the jungle of Costa Rica right on the beach and offers typical music festival vibes plus tons of heady speaker series, workshops, and super unique yoga classes.
Soul Circus is a wellness festival where music, yoga, and holistic therapies meet glittery festival antics. There will be plenty of yoga plus DJ after parties. Set in the idyllic countryside of the Cotswold hills of Elmore.
Another bucket-list festival, Bali Spirit takes place in Bali, a haven for remote workers and yoga enthusiasts. It’s where Eat Pray Love was filmed and the popularity has only increased since then.
You’ll find daytime yoga workshops, dance, martial arts, breathwork, and personal development speaker sessions.
World Yoga Festival will be offering yoga from many different lineages; pranayama, meditation, non-duality, Ayurveda, chanting, kirtan, wisdom talks, and music concerts. Founded in 2016, the World Yoga Festival is hosted on the grounds of Henley Showground, Marlow Road, Henley-on-Thames.
This 2024 international yoga festival is hosted in the jaw-dropping mountains of Austria. Over four days there will be mountain yoga, meditation, plus dancing, laughing, hiking, and connecting with others.
Yoga Mela is hosted on a large property with a Swedish castle, rolling hills and meadows, lakes and rivers, classical parks and alleys, fruit orchards, and a permaculture garden.
Because it 100% non-commercial and volunteer-based event, their initiative is to rejoice in the spirit of yoga in a non-commercial way.
The European Yoga Festival is the main annual gathering of 3HO Europe. 3HO is known for its White Tantric and Kundalini yoga. All offerings are based on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.
This is a dynamic yoga festival offering a focus on overall fitness with activities like paddleboarding, trail running, yoga, hiking, meditation, forest rides, and more. At night expect live DJ sets and music, Hot Tub afterparties, and dancing under the stars in the forest.
Yoga festivals are one-of-a-kind events that are perfect for both advanced yogis and newbies. You can also expect other unique experiences like music, hiking, and spiritual exploration.
It’s also a great opportunity for yoga teachers to get inspired, network, and create new opportunities for themselves.
There are dozens of annual yoga festivals across the USA, here is a list of the biggest and best 2024 yoga festivals. Check them out below.
Zion Yoga Fest is a relatively new festival set in the jaw-dropping scenery of Zion National Park. You can expect a variety of yoga classes, workshops, vendors, and other events like dancing and sound healing.
Sedona Yoga Festival is another one of the 2024 yoga festivals that’s happening in a beautiful setting. Sedona is not only known for its amazing red rocks but its large spiritual community.
This yoga festival is located in a hot spot for heady yogis. Expect world-class yoga presenters, wellness sessions, music, social events, and much more.
The annual Telluride Yoga Festival is a 4-day event featuring over 100 offerings including yoga, meditation, music, hiking, SUP yoga, wellness & wisdom talks, social gatherings, and more. World-renowned teachers, artists, and scholars lead classes at our new campus in the Mountain Village which is connected to the historic Town of Telluride via a free gondola.
This annual festival is held at the beautiful location of Montage Mountain Waterpark, surrounded by nature This event is the largest yoga event in NEPA with over 95 offerings through the weekend including yoga, meditation, hiking, wellness, inspirational talks, live art, music, social gatherings, and many vendors.
Set in the mountain of Asheville, Love Shine Play offers world-class presenters from across the country, evening concerts, hiking, SUP on the French Broad, and vendors.
Driftless Yoga Festival hopes to serve the larger community through the experience of connecting equity and movement in an event you’ve never experienced before. Proceeds from ticket sales & merchandise will go directly to local non-profits.
The OM Festival is a yoga gathering set on 150+ mountainside acres on a mountain in Southern Vermont overlooking the famous Battenkill River. There will be over 40+ classes in yoga, meditation, dance, flow arts, aerial yoga, workshops, and more.
The Teton Yoga Festival is held at the Moose Creek Ranch in Teton Valley, Idaho which is in between the Grand Teton National Park, Targhee National Forest, and the Big Hole Mountains.
This is meant to be one of the intimate 2024 yoga festivals that is focused on connecting to yourself and others through nature.
This one-day event brings together the local yoga community and offers a wide array of 50-minute classes for beginners, advanced yogis, kids, and anyone in between.
The Yoga Expo schedule is packed with local and national teachers and the marketplace is filled with yoga apparel & accessories, vegan food & beverages, and other brands and organizations that will help you stay happy and healthy.
This is a yoga conference that offers several tracks to help yogis and yoga teachers achieve their goals. There are four different tracks: Yoga + Movement, Health + Wellness, Business Builders, and Workshops.
The New York State Yoga Festival is located in Letchworth State Park, which is known for its grand scenery. During the festival you can expect yoga, hiking, meditation, music, and exploring the work of local artisans.
The Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival is a family-friendly event at Plattekill Mountain, in Roxbury, NY. There will be over 40 yoga classes and workshops as well as hiking, plant walks, art experiences, and meditations.
This is one of the only 2024 yoga festivals that is located on the beach. Southern California has a great yoga culture so San Diego is a great location for this festival.
A unique festival made up of dozens of “forts.” There is one fort dedicated to yoga that offers classes all day long as well as workshops and meditations.
At this 2-day yoga festival, there will be a variety of classes and workshops from world-renowned experts on a variety of topics. All proceeds from the festival will go to fund local mental health and suicide awareness groups.
SYR is a renowned academic yoga research conference, showcasing some of the best new studies and offering multiple poster sessions as well as opportunities to interact with other scientists, experts, and professionals in the field. Perfect for anyone involved or interested in yoga research.
This festival offers a symbiotic connection between music, yoga, and the outdoors. There will be lots of music and movement as well happening at this mountain festival.
Are you looking to avoid all the unnecessary interventions and are set on having a natural childbirth? Then this article is for you. Learn all the different ways that prenatal yoga for natural childbirth can benefit you and your delivery goals.
Yes! Studies have shown that prenatal yoga can reduce labor time, increase the mother’s pain tolerance, reduce the risk of cesarean section, and help her recover faster after birth.
Plus, yoga helps strengthen and stretch muscles that are key for a quick delivery, like the hips, legs, abs, and arms.
Stretching often through yoga will also stretch and loosen the pelvis, pelvic floor, and psoas muscles. All of which are crucial during the birthing process.
Yoga can definitely help you achieve your goal of a natural childbirth in a variety of ways. It keeps the body and mind healthy and prepared for the feat of labor.
Read on to find out all the magical reasons why yoga for natural childbirth is your ticket to success.
Pain Tolerance
One of the key advantages of regularly practicing yoga might be the fact that yoga has been proven to increase one’s pain tolerance threshold. This is key for labor, which you might have heard, can be incredibly painful.
In one study, women who practiced yoga regularly were asked to rate their pain from 1 to 10 while dilating to 10cm, those who practiced yoga had a consistently lower average pain level.
It’s thought that yoga can rewire our brains through regularly holding uncomfortable poses or deep stretches. So in labor, if you are actually experiencing less pain, you are less likely to ask or need an epidural.
Muscle Strength
Giving birth is literally like an Olympic sport, you will be using every single fiber in your body to push the baby out. Having more muscle strength and tone will make the task easier and faster.
Yoga not only stretches out the body but tones and strengthens all the muscles that are important for giving birth, like legs, glutes, abs, and arms.
During pregnancy, many women experience pain or tension in the hips due to relaxin which loosens the muscles. Yoga poses and stretches are effective at relieving this pain.
Stretched And Prepared Hips
Most people think of stretching when they think of yoga. This is because no matter the style of the yoga, there is always great stretching involved.
If you are practicing prenatal yoga, there will be a focus on the hips and pelvic area; you will stretch all the muscles encompassing the pelvic region, front, back, and sides.
This will ensure that your hips are literally relaxed and “open” for birthing.
Studies show that women who exercised during their pregnancy had lower rates of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean birth.
By practicing yoga, you are getting the necessary amount of physical activity needed for these benefits.
Breath
Every birthing class includes a section on how to breathe. Breath is such an important part of our everyday lives but it becomes so much more important during labor.
A major part of yoga is to literally connect your body’s movements with your breath. By practicing this overtime you will become hyperaware of your breath and learn how to utilize it.
Plus, there are many different breathing techniques to learn that are specific to yoga like ujayi breath, lion’s breath, and box breathing that can be used during labor.
Stress Reduction
Yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety in a variety of ways. Everyone loves that blissful “yoga high” at the end of class.
Pregnancy can be a stressful time, so having a practice that makes you feel at ease will make the journey easier for you and your loved ones.
Yoga can help us become more mindful in our regular lives. This can be very useful for pregnant people as we go about our days.
Sometimes it is hard to remember what to eat or not to eat, and all the other rules that come with being pregnant. Being more mindful can help us make the best choices possible for ourselves and our babies in our day-to-day decisions.
Body Awareness
Another great benefit of yoga is increased body awareness.Studies have shown that people who practice yoga have better body awareness and a better mind-body connection allowing them to stay in the present moment.
This can benefit birthing women by allowing them to really tune in to their body and have the most natural, and magical childbirth.
Increased Circulation
Poor circulation is something common in pregnancy and can result in swollen ankles or feet. Exercising and getting the blood moving through the body can help alleviate these common ailments.
Goal Orientation And Intention
At the start of most yoga classes, the instructor will ask you to set an intention. This intention-setting is a common theme throughout yoga because it’s a way to bring mindfulness and keep us focused on what we would like to achieve in our lives.
This goal-setting is particularly useful when setting our minds on having a natural birth. Pregnant women can set this goal for themselves at any time during their pregnancy, and be reminded of their goal every time they step onto the mat. This will make them more likely to achieve the goal.
Sense Of Community
If you attend prenatal yoga classes in your community, you will be able to connect with other people on the same journey as you. This can help you find support both during and after your delivery.
This sense of belonging and understanding can boost overall emotional well-being.
How Often Should I Practice Yoga For A Natural Delivery?
Trying to incorporate prenatal yoga into your daily life should be a stress reducer, not a cause of anxiety. So start with a schedule that works for you.
Yoga once a week would be sufficient to reap the benefits (in addition to daily exercise like walking.) However, studies show that at least 3 times a week will bring the most benefits in regards to yoga for natural childbirth.
Whatever works for you, make sure to get the go-ahead from your OBGYN first and always listen to your body. Pregnancy is a time to relax and prepare the body, so make sure not to push yourself too hard during any type of exercise.
Make sure to hire a certified Prenatal Yoga Instructor and he/she knows the details about your pregnancy.
Where To Find Prenatal Yoga Instructors
When looking for a prenatal yoga teacher or class, you want to choose someone who is certified to teach prenatal yoga. This is because there are some yoga moves that shouldn’t be done or should be approached differently by pregnant people.
You can search online in your local area, just be sure that the teacher has a prenatal yoga certificate.
Classes can be on a private one-on-one basis or through a group class.
Another great resource would be to ask your OBGYN, Doula, or Midwife for prenatal yoga instructor recommendations.
How Yoga Helped Me Achieve A Natural Childbirth
I gave birth to a healthy baby boy in 2021 via natural vaginal birth. I was not induced and I did not use any pain medication or epidural. I attribute this success to being totally set on the goal of having a natural childbirth from the beginning, being educated about childbirth, and staying active and healthy through yoga and other exercise.
I would say yoga personally helped me have my natural childbirth due to the way it kept my body open and stable during so many of the changes that take place during pregnancy.
I suffered from piriformis syndrome during my pregnancy which felt like sciatica pain. Sometimes walking or even standing would make it worse. But every time I stepped on the mat to move or stretch, the pain eased and I felt instantly better.
I also never suffered from varicose veins or swelling in my extremities, something I also attribute to yoga.
Most importantly of all, I could not have had a natural childbirth if I did not take the time and effort to educate myself. By taking the time to read this blog post or any pregnancy books, you are taking your pregnancy and labor into your own hands. You are giving yourself the knowledge and information you need to make the best decisions for YOU.
So in the heat of the moment, someone you don’t know or trust is not making the decisions about you or your baby, you are! Seek our natural-minded pregnancy books or websites to read as much as you can about the child-birthing process.
I would also highly recommend taking the time to create a detailed birth plan. This is a sheet of paper you print out and give to the nurses and doctors highlighting exactly what you want and don’t want to happen to yourself and the baby during delivery.
Don’t make the mistake I did, and leave off “no student visitors” from your birth plan!
Start Yoga For Natural Childbirth Today No Matter Where You Are!
If you have been thinking about starting prenatal yoga for natural childbirth, it’s never too late. It really doesn’t matter where you are in your pregnancy journey, as long as you are feeling healthy and have the green light from your doctor, there are plenty of reasons to start prenatal yoga today!
Need something fun to do with your girlfriends? Or maybe a unique bachelor party event idea? Well, Yoga With Goats could be perfect, it’s boatloads of fun and great for creating great memories. But there are some things to know before you go.
Find out below all about yoga with goats so you can be fully prepared before your first class.
Goat Yoga is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a regular yoga class with the addition of baby goats. Classes are usually held outside in the grass or in a barn setting to keep the “kids” contained in the yoga area.
During class, the goats are free to roam around the yoga space. They are curious and love to interact with people. What they’re most famous for is jumping on people’s backs while they’re in poses like downward facing dog or plank. Of course, this can be quite entertaining and cause some laughs.
The flow of the class is usually what you would expect from a regular vinyasa class, but goat yoga is way more light-hearted and laid-back. It’s hard to stay serious and focused when there are literally a dozen cute furry distractions running all over the place.
Goat yoga is usually hosted by a certified yoga teacher at a local farm or outdoor venue.The unique location makes goat yoga a fun and memorable experience for a group of friends or someone looking for a new experience.
When Did Goat Yoga Become A Thing?
Goat Yoga was started by Lainey Morse in Oregon in 2016. She discovered playing with her goats brought her immense joy while dealing with a divorce and serious health issues.
Many in the yoga industry thought that yoga with goats would just be passing fad, but almost 10 years later, yoga with goats is still going strong. There are new goat yoga businesses popping up all the time and people are still seeking out this unique albeit slightly silly experience.
Goat Yoga is very similar to regular yoga, but really it is more of a special social event. Goat Yoga is like a mixture of animal, nature, and laugh therapy all mixed into one. And of course, there are the benefits of a traditional yoga class (although you may be more distracted than usual!)
Here are some of the benefits of yoga with goats:
Lighthearted fun
Create unique memories with friends
Perfect for events like a bachelorette party etc
Laugh Therapy
Exercise
Connection to the animals
Time spent outside in nature
Stretching
Stress reduction
Why Is Goat Yoga So Fun?
Yoga with goats is so much fun because it’s a time to take life less seriously, laugh, and have fun with sweet animals. Animals also force you to be in the present moment, letting all of your worries and anxieties melt away.
Goat Yoga can also turn your day into an adventure. Usually, goat yoga is held out in the country at a ranch-like location. You can make a trip out of it and explore a new area. It brings more adventure to your day than just going to your local yoga studio in the city.
Can Anyone Do Yoga With Goats?
Goat Yoga is practically for anyone who is generally healthy. “All ages and abilities are welcome at all of our classes. We just ask that everyone be able to stay on their mat (or chair) and participate for the entire class,” says Korinne Johnson owner and operator of Downward Goat Yoga in Jupiter, Florida.
You don’t really need to be an avid yogi to try goat yoga, it could even be your first time. Since goat yoga is such a lighthearted experience, it might be a good way for someone who has never tried yoga before to give it a shot.
There are no rules in goat yoga, you can just hang out on your mat and watch all the shenanigans happen around you. It’s a judgment-free zone and it’s all about being happy and carefree, just like the goats.
Sure goat yoga is a super fun experience but there are disadvantages too. It might not be an event for everyone.
Since the goats are curious and friendly, they will come to you looking for attention. Yoga with goats might not be best for people with animal allergies or for those who really don’t like pets or animals in general.
During goat yoga, you are not able to concentrate as much as you normally would in a regular yoga class. So if you are really looking solely for a yoga class, Goat Yoga might not be for you.
You may also need to drive a far distance for a Goat Yoga class as they are typically held out in the country.
There are some who believe that Goat Yoga is animal exploitation. To make sure the goats in your class are treated fairly, do your research about how they are sourced and find out as much information as possible about the welfare of the animals.
Most likely, if you are visiting the farm or barn yourself, you will get a firsthand look at how the animals are treated. If you see anything you don’t agree with, approach the owners or leave a review about what you witnessed.
What To Know Before Your Goat Yoga Class
There are a few things to know about Goat Yoga before you go. Just like any animal, these little “kids” are not potty-trained. At some venues, the goats wear diapers, at others they do not. You might want to be mindful about where you step before and after class.
For this reason, it’s advised not to use your own mat, for fear it might get pooped on. Most venues provide mats for you to use.
During class, the goats might jump on you, so don’t be alarmed.
“The goats are very friendly and love meeting new goatie yogi friends but they do get nervous and move away if they feel chased,” adds Korinne Johnson of Downward Goat.
If you have back issues or an injury, it might be best to either skip Goat Yoga or try letting the instructor know before class so they can try to keep the goats away from you.
You want to make sure the location you are going to uses baby goats, generally not over a year old. When they are small, they won’t hurt you when they jump on your back.
If you have tried Goat Yoga, leave a comment below about your experience!
