Safe Practice Matters & So Does The Teacher

Why Safe Practice Matters: The Value of a Well-Trained Yoga Teacher

Yoga has become incredibly popular in recent years—and for good reason. It offers strength, mobility, resilience, and a sense of peace we can carry into our everyday lives. But with its growing popularity comes an important truth that’s often overlooked:

How you practice and who guides you matters. A lot.

At Amanda Fawcett Yoga, safety, integrity, and lifelong learning are at the heart of everything I do. Yoga is not simply a series of shapes; it’s a practice grounded in tradition, anatomy, responsibility, and mindful awareness. This is why choosing a well-qualified, experienced teacher is essential for your long-term wellbeing. 

Training That Goes Beyond the Basics

In the modern yoga industry, it’s becoming common to see “teachers” trained in a matter of months or even weekends. Yet true yoga teaching requires years of study and commitment. 

I was told by my teacher that we couldn’t and wouldn’t qualify in less than three years. 

Professional yoga training involves: 

• 500+  hours of accredited study 
• Extensive  anatomy and physiology - understanding how bodies work and how they differ 
• Safe and informed adjustments 
• Annual first-aid certification 
• Yoga philosophy
• Training  to teach people with real conditions such as hip replacements, scoliosis, cancer recovery, chronic pain, anxiety, and more 

Teaching yoga isn’t about memorising sequences. It’s about understanding people, their needs, and how to guide them safely with compassion and clarity. 

It’s In Your Hands: The Teacher’s Personal Practice

A yoga teacher’s personal practice is non-negotiable. To teach authentically, your teacher must first experience the work ourselves. Your teacher should always have their own teacher. Your teacher should always be practicing. Your teacher should always be learning. This isn’t just tradition - it’s essential. Practicing outside of our own teaching helps us:

• See what works and what doesn’t 
• Understand new approaches 
• Stay connected to the “beginners’ mind” 
• Remain grounded in the experience of being guided, not just guiding 

Yoga mentoring is a vital part of this process. A mentor helps refine our skills, question our habits, and continue growing because yoga is a lifelong path, not a final destination. I have never been without a couple to allow continuous refining my skills.

Seeing What Works: Adapting for Real Bodies

No two students are alike, and no class should be either.Experienced teachers continually adapt their classes based on:

• Who is in the room 
• How people are moving that day 
• What energy, ability, or limitations each person brings 
• What is safe and what isn’t 

This ability only comes with time, training, and a sincere commitment to each student’s wellbeing. What you see in a class is just the surface. Underneath is observation, anatomy knowledge, sequencing skill, and a deep sense of responsibility. 

Staying a Student: Maintaining Beginner’s Mind

Great teachers remain great students.We never “arrive” in yoga. We never know everything. We never stop learning. Remaining open, curious, and humble keeps our teaching fresh and honest. It allows us to meet students where they are, rather than teaching from ego or habit. Beginner’s mind keeps us awake and aware and that presence is felt in every class. 

Taking Care of Ourselves to Fully Show Up

What makes yoga teachers good at what they do?It’s not flexibility. It’s not Instagram-worthy postures. It’s not fancy sequencing. It’s the ability to show up fully, with kindness, clarity, patience, and confidence. This requires teachers to care for themselves, physically, mentally, emotionally. When teachers nurture their own practice, rest, and wellbeing, they can create a safer, more supportive space for everyone else. 

A Safe Practice Is an Empowered Practice

Yoga is for everybody but it must be taught responsibly. Choosing a well-trained teacher with years of experience ensures:

• You practice safely
• You learn effectively
• You feel supported
• You grow in a way that honours your body and your life