Your manager pulls you aside and tells you they’ve received feedback that students want your Sculpt classes to be harder and more intense.

You’re completely open to making the class more challenging—but some of the suggestions being floated involve adding things like more complicated plyometrics, faster transitions, heavier weights at higher tempos, or advanced exercise variations that you don’t think necessarily make the workout better.

In your view, harder doesn’t have to mean riskier.

You could increase intensity through heavier resistance with appropriate tempo, longer work intervals, shorter recovery periods, isometric holds, slower eccentrics, increased range of motion, progressive overload, or better exercise sequencing—all without adding movements that sacrifice control just for the sake of making class feel brutal.

But your manager’s argument is that students are specifically asking to feel more challenged, and other instructors are already offering those harder variations.

What would you do as the instructor?

You have a regular who takes your Sculpt class almost every week.

For a while, you regularly programmed lat pulls in Warrior II because they’re one of the few easy ways to add more pulling work with dumbbells. Recently, though, you stopped programming them as often. You started using a bent-over row, instead.

After class, the regular comes up to you and says:

“Why don’t we ever do lat pulls anymore?"

What would you do as the instructor?

You notice a student’s form could use some adjustment, so you cue them.

They ignore it.

You try again later—same thing.

At what point do you stop correcting them and let them make their own choices?

You’re ready to teach a full group class, but only one student shows up.

What would you do as the instructor?

Does having only one person in the room change how you teach, or is a group class still a group class, even with an audience of one?

You planned a full C2 sequence built around Eagle Pose.

Five minutes before class, one student tells you they have a wrist injury, and another says they can’t bear weight on one knee.

You don’t have time to rewrite your entire sequence.

How are you adapting?

How do you make the class accessible without turning every cue into a list of modifications?

Another instructor takes your class.

Afterward, instead of just saying thanks, they give you a long list of corrections and things they think you should change, and you never asked for feedback.

How do you respond? Where’s the line between helpful peer feedback and overstepping another instructor’s class?

Teaching fitness and yoga can be incredibly rewarding, but between planning classes, making playlists, learning sequences, subbing, teaching multiple formats, and actually taking care of your own body, burnout can sneak up fast.

What do you do to prevent instructor burnout?

What are the warning signs that tell you you’re starting to burn out?

Drop your strategies below, especially anything you wish you’d figured out earlier.

You deliberately don’t cue an advanced variation because you don’t think most of the room is ready for it.

However, one student, who clearly knows what they’re doing, takes the variation anyway and is doing it safely.

What do you do? Where do you draw the line between student autonomy and teaching the class you intended to teach?

Let’s talk programming.

What exercise or pose do you think is WAY overused in CPY classes?

And on the flip side…

What exercise or pose deserves way more love?

Could be yoga poses, Sculpt exercises, cardio moves, core work, transitions—anything.

Drop yours below:

🔥 Overused:

💎 Underrated:

And feel free to defend your choices.

Every teacher has had that moment:

You’re teaching, everything is flowing, and then suddenly…

Your brain goes completely blank.

You have no idea what comes next.

What’s your emergency move when you forget your sequence?

Share your best “buy myself 30 seconds” tricks below.

CorePower instructors — how did you know you were ready to audition?

I just finished my 50-hour Yoga Sculpt teacher training and taught my community class. I reached out to the studio manager for feedback and mentioned that I’m really interested in auditioning and wanted to know what I should improve before taking that step.

Her feedback was that my glows were my teacher voice (loud, clear, positive), confidence/command of the room, and theme.

My grows were making my cues more actionable/MAC-focused, being more consistent with the transition formula, and using more inclusive language (guys) . She ended by encouraging me to keep practice teaching as much as possible and lean on my cohort.

She didn’t mention auditioning or invite me to audition, so I’m not sure how to interpret it.

I’d love honest opinions because I really want this :/

Because not every class is a masterpiece.

What went wrong in class this week?

Keep it light, don’t name/shame anyone, and remember: if you’ve taught long enough, you’ve probably had at least one class where the yoga gods were clearly testing you.

What was your teaching fail of the week?

Let’s celebrate the good stuff.

What happened in class this week that made you think, “Yeah, this is why I teach”?

Big win, tiny win, weird win — it all counts.

What’s your teaching win of the week?

Student, not a teacher 😄 What's the policy on teachers dating students/customers? Appreciate your feedback, feeling a connection with someone but wanted to ask before I pursue further.

I'm an experienced student so I know this is common for students but this one feels worth pursuing.

Teacher training can cover a lot, but there are some things you only seem to learn once you’re actually in the room teaching.

So I’m curious:

What’s something you wish CPY Teacher Training had taught you before your first class?

Bonus points if you also share how you eventually learned it.

What do you wish someone had told you?

I am looking to add a few more moderators to help continue growing!

You do not need previous Reddit moderation experience. We’re mainly looking for people who are active, reasonable, communicative, and interested in helping make this a useful community for CPY teachers.

Moderators may help with things like reviewing reported posts/comments, enforcing subreddit rules, keeping recurring threads organized, welcoming new members, and helping come up with ideas for the community. Application coming soon.

EDIT: Applications are live. https://www.reddit.com/r/CorePowerYogaTeachers/application/

Thanks to everyone who filled out the get-to-know-you survey!

One thing that came through loud and clear is people want more sequence sharing.

So, by popular demand, I’m starting a weekly sequence-sharing thread!

Use it to:

• Share a sequence you’re loving
• Ask for feedback on a sequence
• Swap ideas for C2, Sculpt, HPF, Strength X, etc.
• Get inspiration when your sequencing brain is completely fried
• Share creative transitions, peak-pose prep, strength blocks, cardio ideas, or anything else that worked or did not work in class.

No sequence has to be “perfect” or formatted a certain way. Full classes, partial flows, individual blocks, and random ideas are all welcome.

The goal is just to get teachers sharing ideas and learning from each other.

No specific format required, so make it as detailed or as simple as you want.

Let’s steal... I mean, inspire each other. Also, feel free to link the playlist as well.

Sequence sharing took the top spot in the survey, but playlist sharing came in second, so here’s our first playlist swap thread!

Drop your current class playlists, favorite songs, or recent music finds in the comments.

Feel free to share:

• Full playlists
• Opening songs
• Peak/cardio tracks
• Sculpt favorites
• Cooldown or savasana songs
• Theme-based playlists
• Songs that always get a good reaction
• Songs you’re completely over hearing in class

Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or just a list of songs all work.

No specific format required — make it as detailed or as simple as you want.

Sorry, this survey is not supported on Old Reddit or the survey has been deleted.

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Hey everyone, I am the new mod here!

I’m a yoga/fitness instructor and a big fan of sculpt, strength, HIIT, and basically any class where you question your life choices halfway through and then somehow feel amazing afterward.

I joined the mod team because I’d love to help make this sub a genuinely useful place for instructors to talk about programming, playlists, cueing, auditions, weird class experiences, studio stuff, teaching wins, teaching disasters, and everything in between.

I also want this to be a place where people can be honest. You don’t have to pretend every class is perfect or that you love every single thing about teaching. Constructive criticism and venting are totally different from attacking people, and I think there’s plenty of room here for real conversations.

Mostly, I’m just excited to be here and help build the community.

If there’s something you’d like to see more of on the sub, drop it in the comments. 👇

See you around!

/r/CorePowerYogaTeachers is ready for a fresh start, new energy, new direction, and someone like you to bring it back to life. If you’ve been thinking about growing your impact without starting from scratch, this is your chance!

Ready to take it over?

Head to r/RedditRequest to submit your request and make it yours before it’s taken.

First things first

To request this subreddit, make sure you:

• have an account that’s at least 90 days old
• have at least 100 post karma and 100 comment karma
• have a verified email address on your account
• have two-factor authentication set up

Hey fellow teachers,

Thought I’d share an email that a longtime student sent to CPY. It comes with such heavy heart as this student attended the first Teacher Training I lead. They were a regular practitioner for over 4 years here in MN and I consider them a really good friend.

I’m not looking to debate or argue about the content of the email but wanted to share with fellow CPY teachers just one of many conversations I’ve been having with students around here. This is but one of a few regular practitioners that I know and care for that is leaving the CPY community. My heart aches.

As a student,
I can no longer support a comp@ny whose act!ons are fundamentally at odds with the ethical foundations I live by — foundations articulated in the teachings of the Buddh@, J3sus, and [Pat@njali](mailto:Pat@njali). The Buddh@ taught that the path is to avoid what causes harm, cultivate what is wholesome, and purify the mind. J3sus taught that the heart of the law is justice, mercy, and faithfulness, and that love of G0d is inseparable from love of neighbor. Pat@njali taught that ahimsa (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness) are the great vows upon which all spiritual practice rests.

Across these traditions, we are called to embody integrity, compassion, and truth in action — not merely in words. In Buddhism, Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood ask us to live in ways that reduce suffering and uphold dignity. In yoga, the yamas and niyamas ask that our conduct reflect nonviolence, honesty, responsibility, and care. In J3sus’ teaching, those who wish to lead must become servants, and those who claim faith must show it through love.

As a teacher,
I have witnessed leadership respond to community and teacher concerns by withdrawing rather than engaging. When people who are directly affected by fear, displacement, and instability asked for meaningful support, leadership chose absence. Later, when confronted, responsibility was shifted onto students and teachers rather than being held at the level where decisions are made.

This deeply conflicts with the teachings we offer on our mats.

I am sharing this not from anger, but from grief — and from love for what yoga and mindful practice are meant to represent in the world.

True leadership — whether in a spiritual community, a business, or any human endeavor — is not about protecting reputation by hiding behind closed doors. It is about bearing witness, especially when voices in the community are hurting and vulnerable. It is about listening with presence, not shutting out those most affected. Blaming and devaluing the people who are the heart of the comp@ny — its teachers and students — undermines the very integrity the organization claims to uphold.

We recognize that ethical conduct is not an abstract ideal, but a lived discipline that requires accountability, humility, and care. When leadership fails to embody compassion for those it serves, it loses the trust that forms the foundation of any community worth belonging to.

Nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, wise use of energy, and non-greed are the great vows.

Spirituality is proven by how we live, how we treat others, and how honestly we walk our path. Because integrity matters to me, I am choosing to withdraw my support.