Chapters
- 01. Why Become a Yoga Teacher?
- 02. 21 Reasons To Do Yoga Teacher Training
- 03. How To Recognize Good Yoga Training?
- 04. Long Training To Teach Yoga
- 05. Other Ways To Teach Yoga
- 06. Complete Your Learning As A Future Yoga Teacher
- 07. Definitions: "Yoga Teacher"
- 08. Ways To Develop Your Yoga Teacher Training
"Give to others by understanding the effects of your present experience" Taittiriya Upanishad
Teaching yoga is becoming more and more trendy: in just 5 years, the number of students taking yoga classes has increased by 110%! This certainly shows there is a craze for this discipline advocating well-being and self-control.
While many choose to go abroad to train (most notably for yoga classes in India), this is not a prerequisite for teaching. There are a large number of courses available in the US, sometimes even online, for everyone to find what suits them best.
We're about to give you some tips to find the yoga teacher training best adapted to your needs and the yoga instruction to suit you!
Why Become a Yoga Teacher?
The practice of Yoga is not only for the privilege of a perfect yogi: pregnant women, children, or the elderly can also partake! It can be difficult to describe in a few words the role that a yoga teacher plays in teaching the methods to his fellow yogists:
- He is a spiritual guide
- a physical and postural guide
- an emotional guide
- a reference for self-development and the attainment of mindfulness
Yoga teaching can occur at different levels, not just through the practice itself:
- Knowledge of asanas, bandhas, mudra and pranayamas
- Control of breathing, emotions, or stress
For this, you must know the body's anatomy, which muscles work, and which allow relaxation or inner meditation. This is why a yoga teacher must have certain essential qualities, which will also help during your training:
- Patience, with oneself and others
- Perseverance, never giving up
- The sense of listening, of the heart, of the body, of the spirit
- A form of serenity, since Yoga is based on gentle techniques
- A lot of knowledge for tailor-made teaching
On the other hand, to teach proper yoga postures and get the asanas to perform correctly, a yoga teacher must have theoretical and practical knowledge: this is why training is often necessary before becoming a full-time teacher. A yoga class is not just a sequence of positions; it's part of a whole logic to help instill in your future students.
Before you start training in the US, know that your yoga teacher training courses are run through Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance is an American organization with registered schools all over the world.
But you can have several goals by following a yoga teacher training:
- Deepen your spiritual and philosophical formation
- Practice daily traditional Yoga
- Give lessons to confirmed neophytes or yogis
- Open your own yoga school
This is where you probably wonder: how to become a yoga teacher?
21 Reasons To Do Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga teacher training should be deemed as an inward journey. They will teach you helpful yoga skills such as alignment and body awareness that will help you escape injury. Also, yoga training will not only help you get in shape but also assist you emotionally.
Wondering why should you take yoga training? Here are a few reasons to do yoga teacher training:
- Ready for the change: Once you graduate, you'll be a changed person. Yoga teacher training spark a change in the individual's life, and mostly, the change is different than what you anticipate
- Want to increase your practice: the accuracy, long practice sittings, and newfound alignment awareness will help you take your yoga practice to another level. There's a fair chance that you'll emerge from your teacher training expressing poses you never dreamt you could ever do
- Looking to make new relationships: believe it or not but there's nothing like the experience of yoga training, and people you meet in your teacher training classes will hold a particular spot in the heart. You'll uniquely understand one another so much so that you'll make relationships that last long, probably a lifetime
- Want to encounter your demons: during yoga teacher training, you'll uncover the most adverse self-talk and judgments, and you'll have an opportunity to let it go
- Want more than just physical benefits: yoga training will help you learn everything about Yoga, including its psychological effects. After all, Yoga is more than just asana, and you'll find out why and how
- Want to study the oldest and most important yoga text: through your training, you'll explore the philosophy behind Yoga. Not only this, but more such as yoga history, where it was invented, why learn it today, and more. In short, you'll learn every important aspect of Yoga, including the Sanskrit language
- You intend to find how to become a better family/friend member: yoga training will teach you about handy ways to listen to what other people say in a feasible, intuitive way
- Intend to share your yoga teaching with other people: the ideal approach to share anything, especially Yoga, is by learning how to coach it
- Looking for alternative methods to heal hearts and bodies: people who are looking for psychological and physical therapy, yoga teacher coaching is highly beneficial
- Want to study Ayurveda: through a yoga teaching program, you'll learn about Ayurveda or Ayurveda medicine. It focuses on a healthy lifestyle, prevention, and curing of illnesses via lifestyle practices like massage, Yoga, dietary changes, and meditation
- Wish to help other people with hands: proving practical adjustments can really be scary. However, with yoga teacher training, you'll learn about ways to gently lead bodies into supportive and safe postures
- Want to know where it came from: It's very hard to learn and share something with deep, strong roots, especially when you know little about it and where it started from. Also, how it entered into the west
- Intend to hold area for all and sundry: holding area is a key to become an excellent yoga instructor. If you learn it, you'll become a better person, professional, parent, friend, partner, better half, and family member
- Wish to burst yoga folklore: there's a large amount of misinformation on the internet about Yoga. Good yoga teacher coaching will assist you to know what is fiction and factual
- Yoga teacher coaching will help figure what you're meant to do: by paying good attention to yoga teacher training, you'll learn to understand the true meaning of life and what you're destined to do. It's something many people are unable to find in their lifetime
- Want to study Yoga from the best teachers: The perfect way to be around your favorite coaches is to join teacher training programs offered by them
- Want to perform various styles of meditation or Yoga: through yoga teacher training program, you'll come to know about different kinds of meditations and Yoga
- Wish to live a balanced life: though teaching training has many benefits, living a balanced life is arguably one of the best among all
- Want to stop blaming others: with yoga teacher coaching, you'll learn to own your plusses and shortcomings. You'll stop blaming things on other people
- Want to look at how diverse this world is: when you'll teach Yoga, you're not going to teach a room replete with athletic models. In fact, you'll teach people with varying backgrounds, cultures, religions, caste, and ethnicity
- Want to love yourself: once you'll finish your tiring and exhaustive yoga teacher training classes, you'll learn to love not only others but yourself as well
How To Recognize Good Yoga Training?
If you're looking to pursue yoga teaching training, please ensure that you have hired the right tutor for the job. But what characteristics should one look for in a perfect tutor?
Don't fret; here's what you have to know to recognize proper yoga teaching training.
Firstly, the said teacher should practice Yoga routinely for their mindfulness. It's the best way to better themselves at teaching.
Yoga is different from other exercises because apart from the physical aspects, a lot of meditation is involved.
Your yoga teacher will teach you technical and theoretical elements. It's crucial if you intend to be a yoga teacher yourself.
Indeed, knowledge of yoga history can pave the way for a better future. It helps you realize your goals better, leading to clarity and overall betterment.
And it goes without saying that any good instructor should consider their learner's safety and security first. The postures involved require flexibility. Therefore, yoga instructors should judge the level of their students and refrain from asking to perform workouts that may harm them.
Apart from physical dangers, a good yoga teacher knows fully well how to organize and pace their lessons. They should begin the workout with proper warm-up exercises along with stretches, considering the amount of flexibility required during Yoga.
In addition to that, the instructor should provide real-time feedback, correcting students as they learn. The criticism should be constructive, motivating, and encouraging.
On the other hand, it's impossible to relish all the advantages of Yoga if you have a lousy teacher for training. Choosing your teacher via online platforms can increase your odds of getting a proper instructor.
Above all, a good yoga teacher should adapt to your level and help you advance at your pace while providing much-needed motivation to achieve your goals.
Long Training To Teach Yoga
Choosing your training is sometimes a challenge: there are so many formulas, picking between intensive training, specific training, and diploma training, you can get lost quickly.
Unlike the usual courses of teachers, the yoga teacher must follow suitable independent training. Yoga teacher training is essential to learn to convey all the benefits of Yoga, both mentally and physically.
Complete and profound training for teachers lasts between 200hrs and 500hrs, spread over several weeks, months, even years. The training can indeed last between 4 and 5 years (yes, it is a sacred personal investment), but it can be done in parallel with another activity. The training program is as follows:
- Some weekly classes of theoretical knowledge
- Some practical classes
- Speakers explain gentle and innovative methods
- Indian philosophy courses
- A system of examinations and writing of a thesis
- A practical internship (usually the last year)
And the price for all this? This will depend on the duration of your training and the reputation of your school: but you can count on about $1362.26 for basic training!
A training cycle of 200 hrs is enough to prove your ability to teach Yoga. That being said, the more you explore, the more you can distinguish yourself in the relatively competitive job market. Here are some examples of complementary activities you could partake in during your training:
- See the demonstration of many postures, between 85 and 150
- Breathing exercises, relaxation, meditation
- Study of Sanskrit texts (translated) on the theory of Yoga and its benefits
- Learning the Hindi language
Most yoga teacher training programs will offer you the ability to teach mainstream Yoga, some of them will be focused on yoga specialties. You can choose from a wide variety of yoga classes, such as yoga nidra, vinyasa flow, hatha Yoga, yoga therapy, and even Bikram yoga.
Many of the teacher training programs will be run a lot like a yoga retreat, where you can meet like-minded people from all over the world. Many students not only end up teaching Yoga but also drastically improving their health and well-being.
Wondering if there is an age to become a yoga teacher? Not really, but at least two years of practice behind you are needed if you want to be taken seriously as a teacher.
Not to mention that you have to be passionate, willing, and determined ... The journey is still long before reaching your pinnacle! The only requirement for schools is that you are at least 18 years old when you enter the training.
Get access to numerous online tutoring jobs in the US here.
Other Ways To Teach Yoga
The only way to validate your knowledge of Yoga is to get training recognized by Yoga Alliance, the body responsible for training in the field.
This training needs to be in line with Yoga Alliance's theory, format, philosophy, and practice requirements. Be careful to check the relevance of your training!
First of all, ask yourself: what kind of yoga teacher do I want to be?
After an initial training giving you the title of "yoga teacher," you may feel the urge to continue your learning. This is also sometimes called "post-training" Yoga: it consists of choosing a specialization, which may require 2 to 3 years of additional training.
Among the yoga specialties, we find:
- Yoga therapy training
- Child yoga training
- Prenatal yoga training
- Integral yoga training
- Hypno-Meditation.
You can also choose to focus on methods:
- Green Yoga
- Kundalini Yoga
- Yoga Nidra
- Yoga Tantra
- Karma yoga
This additional training is well worth checking out if you want to distinguish yourself from other teachers. In general, these recognized formations represent an hourly volume from 50hrs to 200hrs, divided in different ways:
- Night classes
- Weekend classes
- Group lessons
- Individual lessons
- Distance courses (via Skype, for example)
- Intensive courses
Complimentary classes can be taken at a yoga center or yoga school.
Another way to become a yoga teacher is to take intensive training abroad. It calls to many followers and gives envy to many yogis wanting to take the steps to become a teacher... But watch out for scams! You must differentiate between:
- Training for students who want to improve
- Training for students wishing to become a teacher
The recognition of these immersion courses is not automatic, and in the USA, it is only seen as experience. Count between $613.02 and $2724.52 for these courses (make sure you get informed before spending such a sum!).
I had a relatively young yoga teacher, but so dynamic and serene at the same time. She had trained to become a yoga teacher for 4 years while giving classes in a yoga school here and there. Her spirituality, path, and methodology of yoga exercises have been a huge plus for my practice.
Complete Your Learning As A Future Yoga Teacher
Practicing Yoga every day is essential to progress as a teacher, and this includes a regular practicum during a yoga session. Diversify your horizons, take inspiration from other techniques, enrich your method.
In addition, taking additional classes with experienced yoga teachers can help you find your own way of working: compare the approaches at the beginning of the lesson, during the first class, during the session, and find a balance. Platforms like Superprof put students and teachers in touch: don't hesitate to tell them about your teaching project; they will be more than happy to help you!
How much does a particular course cost with an experienced yoga teacher? Between $20.43 and $54.49 per hour in the US!
Also, know that Yoga requires life-long training: like any profession, the world of Yoga evolves, and expectations do too. You must know how to stay up to date, especially since students are generally very demanding, especially when it comes to yoga classes at home.
In the US alone, there are almost one million yoga practitioners: this is a pool of future students to search from upon graduation or yoga certification!
Definitions: "Yoga Teacher"
What is the difference between Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa?
These are all three of the traditional forms of Yoga. While Hatha is softer, the other two versions are more dynamic. If you want to teach beginners, it is best to opt for teaching Hatha Yoga.
Ways To Develop Your Yoga Teacher Training
Generally, qualified yoga instructors are sought after for full-time positions in schools, yoga centers, and several other fitness and health facilities. However, there's no limitation to apply for jobs even though you lack professional certifications.
Whichever category you choose, the main thing you need to bear in mind is that your resume should show a few years of experience in a similar area. It could be:
Volunteering Work
NGOs and community centers frequently organize yoga classes for children, adults, and the elderly under their social security programs. They seek yoga teachers to volunteer against such jobs. If you take up volunteering work, it will work wonders.
Online Presence
Make sure to take advantage of social media channels — believe it or not, content marketing can work miracles to develop your brand.
You can share helpful tips and techniques, snippets of exercise you perform daily, and content capsules related to lifestyle and diet to keep the feed exciting and engaging. If you post regularly, chances are you may become a social media influencer in this area and may earn more than working in a yoga studio.
Private Teaching
There's a dire need for personal yoga teachers. Practicing in yoga studios with many other people around isn't everyone's cup of tea; many want private yoga classes.
They require yoga instructors that visit 3 to 4 times per week to train. If this type of job is available in your locality, opt for it. If your services are as good as advertised, you will be seeing many clients, thanks to the positive word-of-mouth spread by your current and past students.
Don't be hesitant in getting the word out, and do ask others for suggestions on how to market your services.
Virtual Classes
With online lessons becoming a "new normal" primarily due to the pandemic, more people resort to virtual lessons as a safe and reliable way for learning. Now is the best time to benefit from the trend.
You can register your yoga services on Superprof — the best online tutoring platform in the US and the world. Also, package your services well and map out what you'll teach in every class so that learners can make the most of their practicing hours.
Yoga is a popular fitness activity. The popularity is so immense that it has created a need for certified yoga instructors that can help learners learn and enjoy the benefits it offers.
If you really want to become a yoga instructor, take a gradual approach to attain your goal. And if you do it firmly, rest assured you'll find many exciting opportunities in the future. Above all, you'll help people live better lives.
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