Read This If You Want To Date Your Yoga Teacher

Take it from an instructor who has been in more than one long-term relationship that started in a class: Yoga studios can be great places to meet women. They’re packed with healthy, beautiful people dedicated to a mindful, confidence-boosting practice. It’s the perfect foundation from which to launch an intimate connection. I have, and I know plenty of couples that developed out of a teacher-student context. So, yes, you can ask your yoga teacher out on a date — if you play your cards right. Here’s your guide.

Show up. Yoga teachers love to see their students each week because it allows us an opportunity to witness growth. Show up regularly. Demonstrate commitment to your practice because it reflects an ability to make commitments in your life, and we ladies appreciate that quality in a man.

Connect over yoga, not yoga bodies. Spandex is the uniform for most yoga instructors, and because we’re moving our bodies so much, most of us look pretty good in it. Tempting though it may be, don’t undress the teacher with your eyes, and definitely don’t make comments about a yoga butt or body.

And don’t ask for a private lesson. Some men think that paying for a private lesson might turn into a date. Generally speaking, this is a bad idea. If you start paying for a woman’s time, and then expect it to get hot and heavy, don’t be surprised when she gets offended. Besides, that’s no way to launch a relationship.

Ask questions. If you want to understand the proper alignment in plank pose, or how to better stabilize in an inversion, wait until after class and ask your teacher. Good instructors are always happy to share their knowledge, so your query guarantees a one-on-one exchange. All of a sudden, you’re no longer another body in the room. You’re a name with a face and a body that your teacher now knows.

Then ask her out. After you’ve shared about yourself and asked her personal questions. Make sure she’s single before you petition for drinks or dinner. But once you’ve spent some time over poses and chat, you are ready to take the connection off the mat. Ask her out. Don’t complicate it, and don’t overthink it. If she says no, get over it like you would a girl in a bar. Keep going to her class if you like it too.