If you have already joined a Bikram yoga class, you know this type of yoga is practiced in a room that is heated to between 95 and 105 degrees. Because of this heat, there are a few precautions you must take and a few preparations you must make before attending class. Read on to learn how to prepare for Bikram yoga.
Set Rates as a Yoga Teacher
Setting rates as a yoga teacher is generally based on your level of training, certification and years of experience. Rates will vary depending on whether you are teaching a group class at the gym, at a high-end health club or in a yoga studio or are offering private instruction to one client.Some family gyms might offer as little as $12 per class to teach group classes, whereas a high-end health club may pay its yoga teachers $75 for a 75-minute class. Yoga studios generally offer a base rate and additional monies based on the number of students in the class.If you have a specialty, such as working with pregnant women or children, this will also affect your rates.
Open a Bikram Yoga Studio
Owning your own yoga studio can be an adventurous and rewarding experience. The profit potential of opening a Bikram studio is encouraging, as well. The number of yoga practitioners in the United States has reached about 15.8 million, and a recent study found that Americans spend 5.7 billion dollars a year on yoga classes and products (Yoga in America study, 2008). With yoga increasing in popularity and new markets opening up, opening a Bikram studio could be a worthy investment.
Eat Before Yoga
Ideally, you should practice yoga on an empty stomach. But since that isn’t always in the cards—you may be practicing after work, in between classes, before you pick up the kids, after your evening meal—there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re putting something into your stomach.
Teach Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Teaching Vinyasa flow yoga takes creativity, a flare for sequencing and the ability to help connect students' breath and movement. Vinyasa flow differs from other styles of yoga in that is it really like a dance and you are the choreographer. In addition to creating the class from start to finish, you must be comfortable being up in front of the room and must be ready to walk, talk and give students adjustments—all while maintaining the flow of the class.