Bill Simmons, also known as the Sports Guy on espn.com, always talks about athletes getting their reps when referring to the experience it takes to rise to the next level. For example, this most recent playoff loss by the Bulls was indicative of the fact that they just need to get their reps. They need to play together for longer as a team, and build that strength and cohesion that comes only with experience. I, as a beginning yoga teacher, need also to get my reps.
It’s starting to happen for others in my class. One of our requirements for course completion is to assist in 3 classes. I haven’t done any yet but I was speaking with my classmate Amy about a class she assisted the other day where a woman she was adjusting in a forward fold actually fell over and did a somersault. It freaked Amy out—the woman appeared to be fine—but she realized afterwards that that kind of stuff is bound to happen.
There are any number of situations or occurrences that can take place in a yoga class, or questions or challenges that students can throw at you. And no matter how much training, learning, reading or practicing you’ve done on your own, you won’t learn what it really takes to be a good teacher until you step into the driver’s seat and lead a class. This is why I’m both excited and scared for this Sunday when I lead my first class.
The format will be a community class, which is a free class open to whomever would like to come. I’ve decided not to extend an invitation via facebook or anything like that. I’d rather not have the added pressure of having people I know as students. It might relax me and give me more confidence, or it might have the opposite effect, so I’m going the safe route and not making it public.
I wanted to have my class plan done weeks ago so that I could run through it multiple times before the date, but with studying for this past Sunday’s test and other things I’m just getting around to it now. The plan is complete; I just need some victims to teach it to. Since tonight is our last class, which will actually be dinner and drinks, and Wednesday is the Burning Man meeting, I won’t get a chance to work through it until Thursday. I may only get 3 dry runs, but that should be enough. After all, it’s not like these people can complain about a class that they didn’t pay for. At the same time, I want to do my best.
Most importantly, I need to keep the momentum of this yoga experiment going. This is a critical time for my yoga career, and I wish it wasn’t coming in the midst of Burning Man preparations, but that shouldn’t be a big deal. I’m trying to learn from the mistakes I made in my insurance career, which mainly stemmed from not being invested in its direction. I have a great opportunity to seize on here: yoga is growing in popularity, I am fresh out of a training program, and I’m young and enthusiastic. There are opportunities if I’m only creative and opportunistic enough.
One thing I need to reexamine is the idea of teaching yoga at my gym. Crossfit is not a full-service gym. They offer kids classes but other than that it’s just core Crossfit programming and nothing else. Justin, the owner of Windy City Crossfit, expressed interest in me teaching some yoga back in March when I asked him. I’m going to revisit this. I offered to do it pro bono, just so I can gain experience. I just did a quick Craigslist search for yoga jobs in Chicago and they all require previous experience. But those are for the ones that pay. Luckily I can support myself in other ways for now, so I can afford to teach for free and build up a resume.
To my 3 readers I’m asking, please offer any suggestions on resources I can use to get my career going. At this point I think the idea of teaching for free to gain experience is a good route to take, but there are other ways I’m not considering and I’m open to your input.
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