I’m a beginners’ yoga teacher and I want to teach more advanced students, but I don’t think I’m going to ever be able to reach certain poses. What options do I have for teaching in the future?

Duncan Peak’s response:

The question, “Can you teach a pose you can’t do?” has concerned newer teachers’ psyches for eons. What’s the answer? There is evidence to support both opinions so ultimately you have to decide for yourself, but consider this: the head coach of an Olympic gymnastics team or a star basketball team probably can’t perform the way the athletes are, but they still are able to coach them. The reason is because they have committed themselves to developing the knowledge and wisdom required to understand how an athlete’s body needs to function, train and perform even if they can’t compete like them.

Similarly, as yoga teachers it is not important how flexible or strong you are; what’s important is whether you know what you are talking about. When I train teachers I don’t look for one who can do all the poses, I look for the ones that competently understand asana and can speak to the hearts and minds of students to inspire growth and inquiry within them. You need to keep lessons safe always but in my opinion (and I have done this myself), you can certainly teach and hold space for more advanced students to explore poses you are not ready for.

Duncan Peak is the founder of Power Living Australia, a Power Yoga-inspired yogaand personal development school based in Sydney. He has been teaching locally andinternationally for ten years. www.powerliving.com.au

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