At an age when most children are just starting school, Phoenix Giselle Hicks from the United States was already standing at the front of a classroom, teaching yoga.
At just 5 years and 337 days old, Phoenix became the youngest female yoga instructor in the world after completing a full 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training course. Her remarkable achievement has earned her a place in the Guinness World Records 2027 book.
Phoenix’s connection with yoga began when she was only three months old, attending ‘Mummy and Me’ classes with her mother.
What began as play gradually grew into a deep passion. Now eight years old, she regularly leads classes for children and adults alongside her mum in Houston, Texas.
Earning a yoga teaching certificate is challenging even for adults. Phoenix was the only child in a class full of grown-ups. She studied anatomy, read extensively, wrote papers, attended daily classes, and completed practice teaching hours.
Her favourite pose is the tree pose, and she often encourages her students with a simple message: ‘It’s okay if you wobble or fall; just try your best.’
Phoenix is also a young author. She recently published a book teaching children how to use breathing techniques to manage big emotions.
Beyond yoga, she trains in ballet, plays the piano, and is part of a robotics team. She even dreams of becoming an astronaut one day – and jokes about being the first to do yoga in outer space.
Her mother, Sydney Hicks, is immensely proud: ‘Through her playful yet powerful teaching style, Phoenix is not just guiding yoga sessions – she’s nurturing a movement. A movement that says you’re never too young to breathe deeply, move intentionally, and change the world.’
Phoenix’s story is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to passion, discipline, and inspiring others.