Yoga Teacher Confidential: Secrets of Becoming a Great Yoga Teacher
Yoga Teacher Confidential is your backstage pass to the unspoken truths of being a yoga teacher. Sage Rountree, PhD, E-RYT500, dives into the real challenges and rewards of teaching yoga, offering expert advice and secrets to help you build confidence, connect with your students, and teach with authenticity. Sage draws on her two decades of experience teaching yoga, running a studio, and training teachers to share practical insights you can use right away. You'll also hear advice from her books, including Teaching Yoga Beyond the Poses, The Art of Yoga Sequencing, and The Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook. Whether you’re navigating imposter syndrome, mastering classroom presence, or refining your skills to teach specialized niches like athletes, this podcast empowers you to lead your classes with clarity, grace, and ease.
Yoga Teacher Confidential: Secrets of Becoming a Great Yoga Teacher
38. How to Sub Yoga Classes Without Apologizing or Losing Your Style
My second-ever yoga class as a teacher is one I showed up to take but wound up subbing unexpectedly. I learned a lesson I’ve carried ever since: you don’t have to be the regular teacher, you just have to be you.
In this episode of Yoga Teacher Confidential, I’ll walk you through how to:
- navigate the challenges of subbing someone else’s class
- communicate effectively
- set the right tone
- honor class culture
- balance familiarity with your own style
- and handle mixed student reactions!
Whether you’re stepping in as a sub or preparing for someone to cover your class, you’ll learn how to turn subbing into a growth opportunity—for both you and your students.
Join me as we explore how to evolve your voice and embrace subbing as a vital part of your teaching journey.
Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!
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Can I tell you something? The second class I ever taught wasn't even supposed to be my class. I showed up as a student for a regular evening class at my gym only to discover that the teacher Bryan was stuck with car trouble and wouldn't be able to make it. As other students started to leave disappointed, I raised my hand and volunteered to teach. During that class as a surprise substitute, I kept saying things like, I know Bryan usually does it this way, but I'm going to cue it slightly differently. Afterward, two students who were school teachers approached me with some feedback. They said something I've never forgotten. We could tell you weren't Bryan, so you didn't need to apologize for not being Bryan. I built episode two of this podcast around this very story because that simple observation contained really profound wisdom that has guided my teaching ever since. You don't have to be Bryan. You only have to be you. I'm Sage Rountree. Welcome to Yoga Teacher Confidential. Today we are talking about how to succeed when you're subbing someone else's class. Whether you're just starting your teaching career or you're an experienced teacher stepping in for a colleague. These strategies will help you navigate the unique challenges of teaching someone else's students. Let's start by acknowledging that subbing can be nerve wracking. You're walking into an established relationship between a teacher and their students. The regulars have expectations about how the class will flow, what language will be used, and even what music might be played. Add to that, the reality that many students show up without checking who's teaching that day. And you can end up facing a room full of surprised and sometimes disappointed faces. The good news, with the right preparation and mindset, you can create a positive experience both for yourself and for your students. Let's dive into some practical hacks for successful subbing. First and foremost, communication with the regular teacher is key. Whenever possible, reach out to the teacher you're covering for and ask for guidance. Some specific questions that can be incredibly helpful. What sequence have you been working on with your students lately? Are there any themes or focused areas that you've been developing over the past few weeks? Do you have any regular students with special considerations? I should be aware of. What's the general expectation for class level and intensity? Do you typically include breath work, or meditation or themeing or philosophy in your class? This conversation doesn't need to be lengthy, like even a quick text exchange can provide some really helpful context, and if you're teaching at a studio with a specific style or approach, this becomes even more important to maintain consistency for the students. When I know I'll need a sub for my class, I share my lesson plan notes with my potential substitutes if they want them. If you are the regular teacher, I encourage you to do the same. Your notes don't need to be elaborate, just the basic structure and any specific sequences you've been working on. This gives your sub a foundation to build from and ensures some continuity for your students. A through line thread. If you're a sub requesting these notes, be specific about what would be helpful. You might say something like, would you mind sharing your general class structure and any peak poses or themes you've been working on? Because I would love to provide some consistency and continuity for your students. Of course, there will be times when communication with the regular teacher isn't possible. They might be ill or dealing with an emergency. In these cases, you'll need to rely on studio staff or on your own resilience and adaptability, but whenever possible, start with this direct connection. When you arrive to teach class as a sub, how you introduce yourself and the energy you bring in sets the tone for everything that follows. Here are some key elements for a strong introduction of yourself as a sub. First, acknowledge the situation directly. They can see you're not Bryan, but positively. Hello everyone. I'm Sage and I'll be your teacher today while Jordan is away. This simple statement addresses the elephant in the room. Without apologizing or undermining your authority, share a very brief bit about yourself or your teaching background or your connection to the regular teacher if you have one, because this helps students place you in a context they understand. Express appreciation for the opportunity to teach them. Simply saying something like, I'm looking forward to practicing with you today, or I'm so happy to be here with you, conveys that you value this experience. Mention any communication you've had with the regular teacher. Now, Jordan mentioned you've been working on single leg standing balance poses lately, so let's continue with that focus today. This reassures students that there's some continuity and intention behind your presence. Set expectations about your teaching style without apologizing for it. My approach might feel a little bit different from Jordan's, but we'll cover similar territory. Think of it like taking a different path up the same mountain. This prepares students for the inevitable differences they will experience when you sub. But what you shouldn't do is outright apologize for being the sub. Remember, we could tell you weren't Bryan, you didn't need to apologize for not being Bryan. Your students can see you. They know you're not their regular teacher. They don't expect you to be an exact replica. What they do want is a teacher who is confident, who's prepared, and who is respectful of the class culture that they're stepping into. Speaking of class culture, one of the trickiest aspects of subbing is navigating the established norms and rituals of a class you don't usually teach. You probably have noticed every class has its own microculture there. There are unspoken expectations, mores and norms about how things are done. Like do students typically set up in a particular MAT formation or does class begin with OM or a specific centering practice? Is there a standard warmup sequence they do every time? Are there inside jokes or references that regularly appear? Do students expect hands-on assists? You can gather some of this information from the regular teacher, but you can also observe and outright ask when students are setting up, notice how they arrange their maths. If you're unsure about a particular aspect of class, it's perfectly fine to ask the students directly. Does this class typically start with an ohm or is there a warmup sequence you usually do? Regular students will appreciate being acknowledged as holders of the class culture. Plus this approach signals that you respect the container that's been created while still maintaining your authority and the role of the teacher. For aspects of class that might vary widely between teachers, like hands-on assists, I recommend being explicit about your approach. If you do offer physical assists, you might say, I occasionally offer hands-on assists in my teaching. If you prefer not to receive them today, please give me a small head shake when I approach your mat or growl at me, or use a consent card and ask students to flip the card to no or to yes whenever they like throughout the course of class. Now let's talk about class content. How closely should you follow the regular teacher sequence or style? In my experience, the sweet spot is somewhere between complete replication and complete deviation. If the regular teacher has shared their lesson plan with you, consider using their general structure while adding your own unique approach to queuing and to transitions. If you're subbing a branded or a specific style class like Ashtanga, Iyengar a set sequence, or you teach at a franchise studio, of course you will stick closer to the expected format if you can, because students choosing those classes are usually looking for consistency in the method. It for more general open classes like slow flow or all levels yoga, you have way more latitude to bring in your own teaching voice and your own preferred sequences. Just be mindful to offer an appropriate level of intensity and an appropriate level of complexity for the class description. Make sure you read it before you teach and for the student population, your eyes tell you is in front of you. Whichever approach you take, remember that familiarity and repetition is deeply comforting for students, including some common elements that the regular teacher always offers, like a specific warmup series or that own to open class. This can help students feel grounded in the experience, even with a different teacher. That said, don't try to mimic the regular teacher's style if it doesn't feel authentic to you. Students will always respond better to a genuine expression of your teaching than to a weird forced imitation of someone else's approach. You are not Bryan, and that's perfectly okay. Let's address a common challenge when subbing a mixed reception you may receive from students. Now, in an ideal world, all students would approach substitute teachers with curiosity and openness. In reality, you may encounter a range of reactions from enthusiasm. To disappointment. Some students might even walk out when they realize their regular teacher isn't there. Please, friend, try not to take this personally. It almost never has anything to do with you. Specifically, students have their own reasons for their practice preferences. Others might stay but demonstrate resistance through body language or by modifying the practice extensively. Again, this is usually way more about their attachment to routine rather than a value judgment about your teaching. Then there are the loyal regulars who show up regardless of who's teaching and who are genuinely happy to experience a different perspective. Yay. These students are gold. They bring energy and openness to your self-experience. How do you handle this mix? Well, first, focus your attention on the students who are engaged. Their receptivity will create a positive atmosphere that can sometimes win over the more hesitant participants, and that will, of course, give your confidence a boost. Second, acknowledge the unusual situation with a touch of humor or a little warmth. Something like, I know I might be using different language than you're used to, so let's think of it as cross-training for your yoga listening skills. Saying something like that can lighten the mood. Finally be especially attentive to giving options and to giving permission. Students who feel unsure about a new teacher will really appreciate explicit invitation to modify or to take familiar variations of the shapes. You could say something like, if you have a way you usually work with this pose in your body, please feel free to continue with that. One particularly valuable approach when subbing is to leverage the knowledge in the room. Regular students often have a deep understanding of the class, culture and sequence, and rather than seeing this as threatening to your authority, you can view it as a resource. You might say, I understand you've been working on a specific transition sequence. Would anyone be willing to demonstrate how you've been approaching it? For me, I. This acknowledges the student's experience while maintaining your role as the facilitator, as the guide. If a student offers unsolicited corrections about how we usually do it, respond with gratitude rather than defensiveness. Thanks for sharing that. It's really helpful to know the class history, then make a conscious choice about whether to incorporate their suggestion or to maintain your own approach. This collaborative spirit creates a positive experience. Even when the class content differs from what the students had expected from their regular teacher, it can transform the sub experience from a disappointment. Oh, our teacher is absent to an opportunity. We get to share our practice with a new perspective. We get to learn something new. After class, taking a few minutes for a reflection can help you grow as a teacher. This is how you evolve your voice. You note what worked well and what you would do differently next time. Were there any particularly challenging moments, and if so, how did you handle them? I keep a teaching journal where I note these reflections, especially for sub experiences. Over time, I've developed a better sense of how to adapt my teaching for different class cultures and for student expectations. If appropriate, sending a brief follow-up note to the regular teacher can strengthen your professional relationship. Something simple like, thanks for the opportunity to sub your class. I'm so grateful you thought of me and asked me to cover. Your students were wonderful to work with, and we explored this sequence or this theme. As you suggested. Let me know if you'd like any specific feedback or if you hear any specific feedback to pass along. This professional courtesy builds goodwill and often leads to more subbing opportunities in the future. Of course, it also demonstrates your respect for the teacher-student relationship that the regular teacher has established. Finally, let's talk about how to create positive sub experiences when you are the regular teacher asking a sub for coverage. The groundwork for successful subbing actually begins long before you need a substitute. So first, maintain organized lesson plans that you can easily share. These organized lesson plans don't need to be elaborate. Even a simple outline of your typical class structure, key sequences and any current themes or focus areas can be incredibly helpful for a sub. Now, this is something that we will work on together when you join, um, MMM, my mentorship, membership on mastering the Art of yoga sequencing. I'll help you build a recipe box and you can just pull out a recipe card and share with your sub. Second, cultivate a sub list of go-to teachers whose style is compatible with yours. Now, they don't need to be identical. In fact, some stylistic variety is really good for your students, but having a roster of subs who understand your general approach creates more consistency for your students. Third, prepare your students for the reality of substitutes. Occasionally mention other teachers that you respect or reference techniques you've learned from your colleagues classes. This subtly communicates that the yoga world is bigger than just your teaching, and that helps keep your students open to different perspectives. When you do need a sub, provide as much information as you can the class level, the typical student attendance, any regulars with special considerations, your recent class themes, your recent lesson plans, if you have them written out, sharing them is invaluable. I. After your sub teaches, follow up with both the substitute teacher and with your students. Thank the sub for covering your class. Ask if there were any notable moments or questions from students and when you return to your class, acknowledge the substitute's contribution. I heard Chris led a wonderful class on balance poses while I was away. This entire process normalizes the substitute experience, and it creates a community of teachers supporting each other rather than isolated teacher-student relationships that are incapable of accommodating change. Let me leave you with this thought. Subbing is not just a professional necessity in the yoga world. It's a major opportunity for growth, both for you as a teacher and for the students you encounter. Each sub experience challenges you to communicate clearly, to adapt skillfully, and to bring your authentic teaching to a new context. For students experiencing different teachers offers them fresh perspectives on familiar poses. It introduces new techniques and it prevents their practice from becoming rote or stagnant. It's easy to check out when you always are doing the same thing with the same teacher. Many of us can point to aha moments that came from a substitute teacher who explained something in just the right way for us to understand it. So the next time you're asked to sub, remember, you don't need to be Bryan. You need to be you your most prepared, adaptable, and authentic teaching self. That's exactly what the students need, even if they don't know it yet. Here's an affirmation to help you remember. I bring my unique gifts to every class I teach, including when I sub. I bring my unique gifts to every class I teach, including when I sub. If you have stories about successful or challenging subbing experiences, I would love to hear them. Join our discussion at comfortzoneyoga.com in our free community for teachers called The Zone, there's a link for you in the show notes. Thank you for listening to Yoga Teacher Confidential. I'm Sage Rountree, and I'll see you next time.
