Interview questions for Yoga Teacher

A Yoga Instructor conducts yoga classes with groups of people involving meditation and body alignment while performing yoga poses.
When interviewing Yoga Instructors, the most suitable candidate will demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of yoga, and possess a dynamic and engaging personality. Be wary of candidates who lack dynamism in the presentation and have poor communication skills. While their body language and tonal inflections can reveal their level of passion, their verbal answer tells you how they direct that energy while teaching. You can also glean how this teacher’s strengths might fit in where your studio needs support. What else can their unique interests reveal? What style of classes could they add to your schedule, or what workshops might they be able to teach on weekends? They might even be able to add valuable online content for your blog or website, and thus add more value to your yoga community as a whole.

1. If a student was disruptive in class, what would you do?

Yoga students come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. You may have a student who likes to talk to their neighbor during class. You might also have a student who never turns off their cell phone and walks out in the middle of class to take a call. You never know who might come to your class! You will need to know how to gently pull them aside and explain the boundaries and expectations of the class. You don’t have to be confrontational! Simply ask them to turn off their phone or cut back on the chatter.

2. How do you build relationships with your students?

I like to have each student introduce themselves before we start the class. I give everyone a chance to talk a little bit about themselves so that I can get to know them and they can meet each other. Community is so important to me, and I take time before and after class to talk with my students as much as I can!”

It can be tricky to get to know your students when you only have a short time to chat with them in between classes. Share some of the ways you make an effort to be personable and follow up with students.

3. What is the right amount of time to wait after eating, before practicing yoga asana? And how long should I wait after practicing yoga before I can eat?

Two hours after you eat is generally when you have an empty stomach and it’s okay to practice yoga. If you are starving and want to practice yoga but need some nourishment it’s fine to eat a banana or have a little juice to sustain you through the practice. Just no bean burritos before hitting the mat. After you practice I would wait 30 min for your body to reaclitmate and then eat. This way your body won’t go into food shock.

4. Why are women told to avoid going upside down when menstruating?

The idea is you don’t want to reverse the flow of the outward and downward moving energy (Apana). Apana is the energy that is being eliminated from your body and your menstrual period is a form of that outward moving energy. In yoga they say going upside down can reverse that effect and create blockages and problems.

5. Is yoga enough or should I compliment it with cardio and weight lifting?

Yoga asanas are about creating a harmonious integration of breath and movement, so if you apply yogic breathing with cardio, weightlifting it can be considered a form of yoga. So I would mix it up if it feels appropriate.

6. What is Vinyasa or Power Yoga?

Power yoga is a vinyasa style of yoga in which one pose is linked to the next by breath. It is a vigorous class and often modeled after poses in ashtanga yoga.

7. How do you build relationships with your students?

“I like to have each student introduce themselves before we start the class. I give everyone a chance to talk a little bit about themselves so that I can get to know them and they can meet each other. Community is so important to me, and I take time before and after class to talk with my students as much as I can!”

It can be tricky to get to know your students when you only have a short time to chat with them in between classes. Share some of the ways you make an effort to be personable and follow up with students. It could be as simple as remembering their names and asking them about an injury or an experience they told you about the week before.