How Barry Rates A Student's Yoga Practice
I have not seen other yoga instructors discuss this subject with their students publicly, but here is my very subjective framework and guidelines.
Part 1: Yoga Practitioners, Yoga Students, and Gym Members
I want to set the context straight before we go into the details of this subject.
I consider myself a yoga student as well as a yoga practitioner.
In yoga philosophy, a practitioner (Sadhaka) is someone who actively applies yoga logic, principles, breathing, and philosophy to their daily life.
A yoga student typically implies someone enrolled in a structured class, taking instruction from a teacher, or still trying to master the physical poses (Asanas).
People who come to yoga classes just to exercise (gym members, for example) may not care about yoga philosophy, breathing, or the perfection of yoga asanas.
A yoga practitioner can absolutely not be a yoga student.
However, in my opinion, a yoga student must be a yoga practitioner.
In this article, I am only going to explain how I will grade yoga practice for yoga practitioners and yoga students.
To have a good yoga practice as a student, you must first be a good yoga student. Click HERE for details on what makes a good yoga student in my YTT program.
Part 2: Willingness to Learn and Practice
I will not grade someone as having bad yoga practice simply because they are inflexible or inexperienced. At this level, what matters is: listening to instructions, trying to understand, and moving the way you're instructed.
I understand there can be reasons—injury, inflexibility, lack of athletic ability, poor instruction. But I don't use these as reasons for bad grading.
What I look for is willingness: the willingness to listen, try, and learn. Even people with physical constraints—if they show willingness, that matters.
Remember: none of the greatest yogis were born knowing how to practice yoga. They all started somewhere. Willingness is how practice begins.
Part 3: Physical Capability vs. Real Practice
I will not grade someone as having good yoga practice simply because they can perform all the yoga poses.
Why? Physical advantage. They may be naturally flexible or have a dance or gymnastics background. Just because you can do a pose doesn't mean you're practicing yoga.
Example: Someone with a flexible body can perform all the poses with ease. But they don't breathe properly. They don't concentrate. They don't extend to their full capability. This is not good practice.
Part 4: Mind and Body Connection (True Yoga Practice)
By definition, yoga is joining the mind and body together.
It doesn't matter if you can perform the poses or not. If you look around without proper drishti (eye gaze), don't breathe correctly, don't concentrate, make noise, or are disruptive—you are not practicing yoga. You are just performing poses.
True yoga practice requires: concentration, correct breathing, proper drishti (eye gaze), and mind-body connection.
I will grade someone as having not so good yoga practice because they don't have a mind-body connection when practicing.
Part 5: How to Have a Great Yoga Practice?
If one's practice is good based on the four parts that I mentioned, how can their practice become "above and beyond" and graded as "great practice"?
Have you ever practiced next to somebody whose practice made you think, "Wow, I want my practice to be that good"? That's the inspiration I'm talking about. Their practice makes others want to practice better and harder.
When you see people with that level of practice, you know it. You will know.
Summary
Great yoga practice for a yoga student is not just about practicing advanced poses. It's about willingness, breath, concentration, mind-body connection, and inspiration.
I hope this blog helps you understand things the yoga industry rarely discusses. I spent a lot of time writing this article, and I hope it is useful for you. If you like what I have done, please share, like, and comment so I know it is useful.
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