As a yoga teacher, I’ve encountered them all: the student who chats throughout class, the one who modifies every pose beyond recognition, or the person who chronically arrives late and disrupts everyone’s focus. No matter how experienced you are, challenging student behaviors can test your equanimity and teaching skills.
Understanding Challenging Behaviors in the Yoga Classroom
In my two decades of teaching yoga, I’ve seen challenging student behaviors take many forms, from students completely disregarding instruction to do their own thing, to those who create distractions for others. I’ve worked with students who insist on following their own sequence regardless of what I’m teaching, and I understand how frustrating this can be.
In my experience, difficult behaviors generally fall into several categories:
- Disruptive talkers: Students who chat during class or comment throughout your instructions
- Independent practitioners: Those who modify extensively or completely ignore your sequence
- Chronic late arrivals/early departures: Students who disrupt the container you’ve created
- Disengaged participants: Those who appear bored, angry, or disconnected
- Amateur teachers: Students who correct others or try to teach parts of your class
- Strong scent carriers: Whether body odor, perfume, or smoke, students whose smell affects others
Understanding that these behaviors rarely represent personal attacks is your first step toward managing them effectively. Most challenging behaviors stem from the student’s own discomfort, anxiety, habits, or simple unawareness of how their actions affect others.
Why Your Reaction Matters
I’ve learned that how I respond to difficult behaviors directly impacts the entire classroom. If I’m prepared for the unexpected and remain unperturbed, my students will follow suit. If I carry on professionally when something awkward happens, everyone benefits from that steadiness.
Your reaction to difficult behaviors directly impacts:
- Your teaching effectiveness: Calm, centered responses maintain the classroom energy
- Your personal wellbeing: Reactivity creates stress and can contribute to burnout
- The experience of all students: How you handle disruptions affects everyone’s practice
When you react with frustration, embarrassment, or anxiety to challenging behavior, you risk escalating the situation. Students will notice your discomfort, and the disruption becomes magnified.
The yoga classroom should be a safe container where all students feel welcome to explore and grow without judgment. When you visibly lose your composure with one student, you signal to everyone that the space might not be as safe as they thought.
Practical Approaches to Yoga Classroom Management
Prevention through Clear Expectations
In my classes, I’ve found that being clear with expectations from the start prevents many issues before they arise. As teachers, we must remember that students can meet expectations only when they know what those expectations are. This applies to children and adults alike.
Setting clear expectations at the beginning of class prevents many issues before they arise. In your welcome, mention studio policies about:
- Cell phones and electronic devices
- Coming and going during class
- Conversations during practice
- Personal space considerations
- Modifications and options
For example, you might say, “If you need to leave early, please set up near the door and let me know before we begin.” This creates clarity from the start.
Addressing Disruptive Behaviors with Compassion
For students who talk during class, I suggest a gentle, general reminder: “Let’s keep our focus internal for now. There will be time to connect after class.” This redirects without singling anyone out.
When students go off-book with their practice, assess whether they’re simply following their body’s needs or creating a disruptive environment. If safety or class flow is compromised, you might say, “I notice you’re exploring some variations. For safety and space reasons, I’d like to suggest [alternative] during this part of class.”
For students who seem emotionally dysregulated, I’ve found that simple practices like child’s pose can help them regulate big emotions and find calm. Offering appropriate modifications can provide that regulation they need without disrupting the flow for others.
For students with strong odors, have a private, compassionate conversation after class. Approach it as collaborative problem-solving: “I wanted to check in about something delicate. I’ve noticed a strong scent during class that might be affecting others. Could we brainstorm some solutions together?”
Timing and Tone Matter
Minor issues can often wait until after class. Major disruptions may need immediate attention, but try to handle them discreetly.
Your tone is equally important. Stay neutral, calm, and kind. Frame your comments as observations and requests rather than criticisms: “I notice that . . . ” or “Would you be willing to . . . ” tends to be received better than “You need to . . . ” or “You shouldn’t . . . “
Sometimes, the wisest response is no response at all. Ask yourself: Is this behavior actually harmful or just different from what I expected? Is it affecting others or just bothering me?
When to Involve Others
In my years as both a studio owner and teacher, I’ve seen the increase in disruptive classroom behaviors, and I understand that many teachers feel ill-equipped to manage these situations. Don’t hesitate to seek support when needed.
For truly difficult situations—like a student who becomes confrontational or refuses to respect boundaries—involve your studio manager or owner. That’s what they’re there for, and some situations require support beyond what you can provide in the moment.
After challenging interactions, take time to reflect. What triggered the behavior? How did you respond? What worked and what didn’t? Each difficult situation offers an opportunity to refine your teaching.
Maintaining Your Center through It All
Remember this three-part affirmation I use for moments when I face challenging behaviors:
“I respond rather than react. I set boundaries with compassion. I serve all my students through my equanimity.”
The most masterful yoga teachers aren’t those who never face difficulties—they’re those who handle difficulties with grace. Your students will forget exactly what pose you taught, but they’ll remember how you made them feel and how you responded when things got tough.
When you encounter challenging behavior, take a breath before responding. What looks like resistance might be a call for connection or an expression of discomfort. Approach with curiosity rather than judgment.
Your capacity to maintain your center amidst difficulty is one of your most powerful teachings—far more impactful than any perfectly sequenced class.
Looking for more support with yoga classroom management? Join my free community for teachers at comfortzoneyoga.com and access our upcoming live training: “Handling the Unexpected: When Students Struggle, Resist, or Challenge You” on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Seeing this after the fact? There’s a recording in the Zone plus a private podcast feed with all our community calls!
