What’s So Amazing About Private Yoga Lessons?

Why do people take private yoga lessons?

More people than ever are discovering yoga’s transformative powers and the positive impact it has on physical, mental and spiritual health. As a result, studios are popping up everywhere, offering an exciting variety of styles and instructors, and most gyms offer classes as part of their membership. So, considering how easy it is to find public group classes, why would anyone want to book private yoga lessons?

“I’m a total beginner who wants to build my confidence”

Most of the feedback I receive from students is they don’t like attending public classes because they feel overwhelmed or embarrassed, which, honestly, breaks my heart.

In an ideal world, teachers should make everyone feel welcome, regardless of experience, age, gender, body size or ability. However, most gym and studio classes tend to be more challenging and fitness-oriented, mostly due to time restraints and the demands of the clientele.

As a result, total beginners or people who don’t see themselves as having the mythical, gym-toned “yoga body” (flexible, thin, non-injured and young) are nervous about taking part. In these cases, people might choose to invest in a block of private yoga sessions until they feel confident enough to move into a group setting.

“I have an injury or illness”

When you attend a public yoga class, you don’t get to choose the level, sequence or theme. Obviously, a good teacher will offer plenty of adjustments and props to support your practice, but the compromise stops there.

Some students have injuries or illnesses that require a deeper level of collaboration – for example, someone with severe back pain wouldn’t be able to participate fully in a class jammed with forward folds, regardless of how many modifications were offered. Similarly, someone with chronic fatigue or depression might need a more relaxed environment to reap the rewards of the practice.

“I have experience, but I want to deepen my knowledge”

It’s not just beginners who benefit from private yoga lessons – people also choose them to deepen an already established practice. Students who want to learn more advanced postures and practices, such as pranayama (a heady form of breath control), benefit considerably from one-to-one tuition.

Five benefits of private yoga lessons

Totally unique to you

How many times have you silently wished for a particular posture or theme in a yoga class, only to leave disappointed? Well, the beauty of private yoga lessons is that you steer the ship and can change course at any time.

Every class is tailored to meet you exactly where you are. If you have tight hamstrings, a sore lower back or stiff shoulders, just tell your teacher and they’ll provide the perfect remedy. Maybe you’re running low on energy and want a slower flow. Perhaps, you’re working around an injury, in which case your sessions will be modified to support your recovery.

You’re paying to receive the exact benefits you need, which is a level of flexibility you won’t find in a public class.

Often more therapeutic

Yoga teachers aren’t doctors, and there’s no guarantee that private yoga lessons will improve specific medical conditions. However, classes are designed with the hope of alleviating symptoms and, at the very least, teachers will be able to create safe sequences to avoid further complications. As a result, private classes tend to be more therapeutic – it’s simply impossible to provide this meticulous level of care for one person in larger groups.

Fits your schedule

Nowadays, we’re all time-poor, and packed schedules are the number one reason people can’t make studio or gym classes. If this is you, private yoga lessons are the way forward because they work around your schedule and you’re not committed to a specific time or day. Plus, depending on your preferences, teachers can travel to your location (which makes it very easy to show up).

Incorporate mindfulness techniques and practices

As I’ve mentioned, due to the demands of gym and studio clientele, public classes tend to be more fitness-orientated (as a teacher, I know first-hand how challenging it is to integrate mindfulness techniques into a 60-minute class, where people mostly want to sweat!).

So, if you wanted to explore the more esoteric side of yoga, private sessions could be the perfect introduction. There’s more space for conversation, the environment is usually more relaxing (there’s quite a lot of grunting and background treadmill noise at gyms) and, if you fancy it, teachers can even set homework (have you ever tried to keep a mindfulness diary? It’s illuminating and a little harrowing, if your minds anything like mine).

Advance an already established practice

For those who’ve practised yoga for a while, group classes might feel a little stagnant – although I’d argue there’s always something new to learn, even in basic postures. Nevertheless, it’s true that mixed-level classes sometimes lack opportunities to work on more complicated postures, just because it’s unsafe to teach tricky inversions and pretzel-like arm balances to dozens of people at once.

However, in a private class, you lead the way – which means you can incorporate all the wacky postures you like and work towards your loftiest yoga goals.

What happens when you book?

If you’re interested in private yoga lessons, the first-step is to reach out via email, Instagram or Facebook. I’m happy to answer all your questions and there’s no obligation to continue until you feel ready.

Once you decide to take the plunge (it’ll change your life – this isn’t just sales talk), I’ll book you a 30-minute consultation (free of charge) in-person or over the phone where we can talk about your specific requirements and interests. Basically, it’s a chance for us to get to know one another, and for me to get a better idea of what you hope to achieve. At this stage, we’ll also talk about what days and times work best for you, plus whether you’d like to take classes at your location or my home studio.

The first class is usually exploratory and I’ll take you through a range of carefully chosen movements to get a better feel for your body. From there on, each session is tailored to you, and we’ll review them regularly to make sure we’re always working towards your goals.

Want to book a private yoga lesson?

If you’re interested in taking private yoga lessons with me, prices are as follows: