21 Unconventional Places Where You Can Teach Yoga

Shortly after I graduated from yoga teacher training, I landed a slot on the schedule at a new studio. I had to put considerable time and effort into preparing my first sequence, and because it was an afternoon class, I had to navigate Los Angeles rush hour traffic to get to the studio. Still, I was enthusiastic about finally being able to teach!

The day of my first class, I walked into the studio early and waited for students to arrive. Eventually, I came to the realization that no one was going to show. That was disappointing in itself, but because that studio’s payment structure was based on the number of students who attended, I was paid nothing for my efforts. By the end of my drive home, I knew that teaching situations like that weren’t going to work for me.

That experience forced me to carefully consider how I wanted to build my yoga teaching career. For me, that meant regular, reliable opportunities that enabled me to be of service to others as I found my voice and honed my skills. It wasn’t until I got clear about this that I could choose opportunities wisely rather than say yes to any opportunity.

Not long after, I began teaching Ashtanga at a couple of local Ys thanks to a connection from my YTT. In time, two classes each week became four classes. The setting wasn’t ideal, but I loved being able to make a traditional practice accessible to folks who probably wouldn’t attend a yoga studio. And the compensation wasn’t huge, but the teaching was steady. And when I eventually opened my own shala, or dedicated yoga practice space, many of my regulars from the Y followed and became my first contributing members.

Where You Can Teach Yoga Beyond a Studio

I advise anyone seeking a teaching position to avoid the newest, trendiest, and sometimes even the most established yoga studios. Instead, I encourage exploring unconventional locations where you can simultaneously expand yoga’s reach and gain valuable experience. This applies not just to new teachers but to anyone who is looking to expand the scope of their teaching.

There are lots of ways to get experience in your teaching endeavors. Imagine if we were able to spend most of our time getting in the trenches and sharing this transformative practice with more and more folks in the real world. It may not be glamorous, but it certainly is fulfilling. And it provides us with something that is essential—the actual experience we need to become effective teachers. Following are some of the places you can explore.

Community Centers

Because yoga has become so widely accepted, places such as the local Y, libraries, civic centers, and parks and recreation facilities commonly offer classes for their members or the public.

Those years I spent committed to my classes at the Y were instrumental in learning how to teach people who were brand new to the practice. It also allowed me to build a dedicated student base.

Schools

Teaching kids (and their teachers!) is another way to share yoga with people who could benefit from ways to center and calm themselves. Again, this may require specialized training, but there is no shortage of kids yoga teacher training programs.

If you are a parent, you could reach out to your child’s school—preschool, grade school, junior high, or even high school—to see if they would be interested in offering yoga to the children (or the grown ups!). I taught at a local charter high school in my early years, and it was quite a lot of fun. I found that teenagers generally had a difficult time focusing, but they brought great energy and playful humor to the classes.

Outdoor Spaces

Soon after YTT, I began to offer weekly Ashtanga classes to my friends at a local park. I offered them as donation-based because they were a way for me to gain experience teaching in a low-stakes setting. I also got an education in what it takes to run a business. For example, I learned that sending weekly reminders and showing up consistently, regardless of class size, were very important.

If you plan to teach at a park, beach, or other public outdoor space, check to see if a permit is required. If the permit process is expensive or inconvenient, you could instead take a simpler route and teach in your backyard or that of a friend or family member. We often have people in our lives who have a desire to practice yoga; they just need a time and place to show up with someone they trust. That someone could be you!

Wellness Centers

Some acupuncture clinics, Ayurveda centers, massage studios, mental health counseling offices, and therapy groups also offer yoga classes to help people satisfy many of their wellness needs in one location. Reach out to your favorite practitioner and offer your services as a yoga teacher. This could also be an opportunity to build a private teaching practice if you are interested in working with folks one on one.

Vulnerable Populations

If you feel called to bring yoga to those who would benefit from this practice but who aren’t able to travel to attend classes, consider teaching at a treatment center, an elder-care facility, a prison, or hospital.

I taught for a couple of years at a center for women recovering from eating disorders and still maintain a connection with one of the students. During one of my classes there, another student fainted. Thankfully, the other students rushed to call for help, the student who fainted was alright, I adjusted what I was offering, and we were able to continue the class. That moment showed me that teaching vulnerable populations comes with unique challenges. These students may have a history of trauma or physical conditions that may require them to move quite slowly or avoid certain movements altogether. It’s important to obtain specialized training when necessary and always work with the staff to ensure that you’re meeting the students’ needs.

Once you begin teaching, consistency is essential. It’s our responsibility to earn and hold a student’s trust with the respect it deserves and show up fully with humility and presence. Erica Morton Magill has been facilitating yoga in prisons for 17 years by teaching and training other teachers in trauma-informed approaches to yoga.

“In unconventional settings like prisons, schools, and rehabilitation centers, the basic foundation of a yoga class is relational: we are growing a sense of safety, strength, softness, trust, curiosity, and community as a team,” says Magill. “These classes are typically therapeutic, continually centering around the unique challenges, needs, and constraints of the facility, the day, and the people present.”

Gyms

Gyms are, of course, more fitness oriented than a typical yoga studio. But many offer yoga classes because of how beneficial the practice is for increasing strength and flexibility, reducing stress, and promoting overall well-being.

As with a community center, a gym setting may be noisy with bright lights and mirrored walls—not the most conducive environment for gazing inward. But teaching at a gym almost guarantees that students will show up to your every class. And because students will have diverse body types and varying experience levels with yoga, teaching them will provide you with valuable experience. Also if you are a multidisciplinary teacher with expertise in dance, pilates, or other movement-based practices, you may have the opportunity to teach those modalities as well.

Corporate Offices and Residential Communities

These days, many folks would like to incorporate yoga into their everyday routine but are too busy. To meet this demand, many companies offer wellness experiences, including yoga classes, directly to their employees. The same is being done in many urban apartment complexes so residents don’t even have to leave the building.

After completing her YTT, Jessica Kang spent three years teaching abroad. She walked into a high-rise apartment complex and asked if they’d like to offer yoga to their residents. They said yes. In the years since, she’s built a company, Yogis On The Move, that brings yoga and other fitness and wellness experiences to more than 40 apartment complexes in Southern California.

“It does offer some challenges, such as sharing spaces that are out of our control, but the properties’ teams are very accommodating to our requests and concerns,” says Kang. “Technically, we are teaching at people’s homes and the students that join us love the fact that we come to them, which makes it very convenient and more accessible.”

Remember What Teaching Yoga Is About

Magill reminds us that it is a privilege to teach yoga, no matter the setting. As she explains, the practice “palpably transforms everyone in the room.” How inspiring it is to bring yoga to places beyond the usual confines of a studio.

About Our Contributor

Pranidhi Varshney is the founder of Yoga Shala West, a community-supported Ashtanga Yoga studio in West Los Angeles. She is also mother to two children who she describes as “courageous and wise little beings.” The thread that runs through all her work is the desire to build community and live from the heart.