Decide What Type Of Yoga Teacher You Want To Be
There are several different types of yoga teachers. Some yoga teachers cater their classes to specific groups while others hold classes in specific locations. For example, a yoga teacher may decide to target a niche market such as providing yoga instruction to professional athletes or they may decide to offer classes through a yoga studio or online.
Commit Fully To Your Own Practice
Self-practice is something that distinguishes a good teacher from a great one. To hold space for an amazing yoga class, its crucial to invest time in your own practice. Inner work and committing fully to your own practice encourages you to continuously grow in your teaching. The more you show integrity in your yoga journey, the more authentic you will be to your students.; Self-practice helps you connect internally and believe in yourself fully. And remember, people will only trust and believe in you once you start trusting yourself, and giving time to your own practice is the best way to achieve this level of self-trust.
How Do You Make A Career In Yoga
Aside from getting a certification how does one begin a yoga instructor career?
Start by practice teaching everyone and everywhere. Seriously. Your mom, dad, grandma, dog, and best friends. Build up a network of loyal followers and step up your marketing game.
Create a yoga specific resume and get yourself out there!
Success in the yoga industry is 20 percent knowledge and technique, 80 percent marketing and networking. Communication is key so things like building a website, mailing list, business cards, flyers and a social media following are important.
It takes time to build confidence and a following, different outlets to help are:
- offer online yoga videos
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How To Become A Yoga Instructor Nyc Yoga Teacher Training Review
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Fully updated in 2021
Should I become a yoga teacher? Am I ready for yoga teacher training? I want to become a yoga teacher, how do I choose my training? These are questions I always get after I teach a class since Ive started teaching.
I completed my 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in NYC at Yoga Vida, and I am still feeling the positive impact of this training on my life.
If you’re thinking about yoga instructor training, you’re probably wondering if you really should become a yoga teacher, what type you should choose, what to expect, or what you should do after graduation. Don’t worry, I’ll break it all down here and share my personal experience on how to find a yoga teacher training program and how to become a yoga instructor.
Dont forget to save the worksheet at the end of the article on how to choose your Yoga Teacher Training!
How To Become A Yoga Instructor In The Traditional Way
Formal yoga schools only made their apparition in the last century. Before that, and for 5000 years, learning how to become a yoga instructor was akin to an apprenticeship. Pupils would follow their guru or gurus for years, absorb their knowledge and follow their teachings, until one day, the guru would send them into the world to start spreading their knowledge.
Established in the 1940s, the K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore India was among the first institutions that formalized yoga instructor certifications through this format. Ashtangis, invited to Mysore to practice at the KPJAYI year after year, for weeks or months at a time, may one day receive the instructors blessing to be an authorized Ashtanga teacher. Now headed by Pattabhi Jois daughter and granddaughter, the school still operates with this model.
Aside from Ashtanga yoga, you can learn to become a yoga instructor through an apprenticeship in any yoga style by following an expert instructor or gurus teaching over several years. Learning how to become a yoga instructor through this model can provide in-depth learning of the practice and pedagogy through mirroring the instructor.
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Workshops & Teacher Training
Register for YAA Workshops
The YAA offers a province-wide Calendar of Events, and sponsors top quality Workshops by internationally recognized teachers.
The YAA Teacher Training Program;is recognized as having some of the highest standards of training in North America, and Advanced Training Levels are offered at the 500-, 750- and 1,000-Hour Levels.
The YAA Equivalency Certification Program offers individualized assessment, credit for previous training and upgrading opportunities, encouraging all yoga teachers in Alberta to join the YAA family, a thriving community of mutual inspiration and cooperative peer support. ;;
Why Certify? If you are a yoga teacher, or are considering Teacher Training, see this article from the Yoga Bridge.
Find a; yoga teacher in your community who has a high level of certification, ensuring you are provided with a safe and consistent yoga practice.
What Do You Enjoy Most About Being A Yoga Instructor
The accountability. Its certainly what I gain most from being a yoga instructor. There is no denying that if you are to show up and guide fellow yoga practitioners through a practice with integrity, you have to practice what you preach.
Its imperative to keep studying , to say dedicated to your self-practice , and to leave behind your own personal issues to be able to share this practice responsibly.
So I always thank my students sincerely because even if they dont know it, they are the ones that keep me accountable to my personal practice. – Adell Bridges, who travels the world to teach yoga.
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Teaching Authentic Yoga Not Fitness
Although most yoga classes nowadays are focused on cultivating a flexible and strong body, yoga is much more than a workout. Developed thousands of years ago, the purpose of yoga is self-realization, a state of oneness where ones true nature is revealed. The yoga postures are only one of eight limbs that help us transcend the confines of the ego and realize our true essence.
While each yoga teacher will find their own focus and teaching style, understanding the origin and deeper meaning of yoga is crucial to honoring this ancient practice. A good YTT will introduce you to yogic philosophy, allowing you to incorporate authentic practices into your teaching and work with subtle energies beyond the physical body.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Yoga Instructor
A yoga teachers journey begins even before signing up for a teacher training course. Indeed, it is ideal to have already developed a consistent yoga practice prior to attending a 200-hour program. This way, your body will already be reasonably fit for the physical rigor, and your mind will be prepared with an idea of the asanas and what goes on during class. Is There Anything You Can Do Before A YTTC To Better Prepare Yourself?
Your first official step to becoming a certified teacher will be completing a 200-hour program. After that, if you wish to continue on and become a 500-hour RYT, you can go for a 300-hour program.
Ideally, youd be able to assist a senior yoga teacher for a few months. Learning directly from someone will definitely fast-track your path to expertise.
In short, there is no definitive timeframe whereby after x amount of time, you will become a yoga teacher. Yoga is very hands-on, and the more experience you have with itregardless of whether its with asanas, philosophy, or meditation; the better equipped you will be to teach.
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Work Out A Legal Structure For Your Yoga Business
Yoga teachers are often self-employed as you could be working at a range of fitness centres, studios, and gyms, but also running your own private classes. Many are sole traders, but you might choose to set up a limited company for your yoga business. Our guide on the difference between a sole trader and limited company goes into more detail on this.
One of the first things you need to do is register with HMRC so you can pay your taxes. Heres a summary of key tax year dates and guidance on how to do your tax return.
How Long Does It Take To Get Yoga Certified
This depends on the level of training that you get, including continuing education courses. It also depends on where you complete your training. A standard 200-hour immersion course will be about a month long, whereas your local yoga studio likely offers courses over weekends over the course of 6 months.
Read more:200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: What To Expect, How To Prepare, Where To Do It
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How Can I Expand My Career
Once you have completed your training and acquired some teaching experience, there are many things you can do to build your business.
Assisting/Mentoring With Established Teachers. One of the best ways to receive free, ongoing training is to assist an established teacher. Assistants help out in classes and workshops or handle administrative details. Although assistants are typically not paid, what you learn from observing and working with a senior teacher is worth the time. You will also gain credibility in the yoga community as someone who can teach in a specific style and has the stamp of approval of a respected teacher. Before asking to assist or mentor with a teacher, become a familiar face. Take classes from the teacher and observe how she relates to her students. Think about ways to help, such as serving as the check-in and payment person for an instructor who runs his own class/workshop space; offering hands-on touch in large classes; or making sure all participants have the props they need and know what to do with them.
Yoga therapyfor people with significant mental or physical health challengesis a subspecialty that requires considerably more advanced training. A 500-hour program over one to two years would be appropriate. More information about yoga therapy training is available from the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
How To Become A Yoga Instructor In The 21st Century
To understand how becoming a yoga teacher has evolved from years of apprenticeship to month-long training, we need to look at yogas evolution in the last century. During the first half of the 20th century, two critical shifts happened: Yoga became more focused on asanas physical practice. Over the same period, this new physical yoga made its way to the West, gaining fast-growing popularity.
To respond to the increasing demand for yoga teachers, yoga schools started appearing worldwide, and programs were developed to mass-produce yoga instructors. In the 1990s, a group of instructors began to discuss the need to establish a national standard for yoga instructor training, and from this, Yoga Alliance US was born.
Today, the typical path to becoming a yoga instructor is to follow a 200 or 500-hour yoga teacher training with a reputed yoga school. These are offered in various formats, last from a few weeks to a few years, and are delivered in-person or online. Selecting the right training involves considering the style of yoga you wish to learn, the time you are willing to dedicate, and the learning environment you want to surround yourself with.Also Read>>>10 Things to Consider when Choosing your online yoga teacher training
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Online Yoga Various Online Training Options
Cost: $385
Based in the United States, Online Yoga offer a range of course options including a 200-hour Yoga Instructor Training Online Certification.
As with all the other online courses I have already mentioned, this is self-study at your own pace using the study portal offered by online yoga. The course itself is broken down into various lessons.
The curriculum covers yoga concepts such as:
- The history of yoga
- The Anatomy of yoga
- The methodology of teaching yoga
Students receive lifetime access to the Online Yoga community as well as all course materials. Note, a range of study materials that are needed for the course will need to be purchased separately.
Is Online Yoga Teacher Training Worth It
This totally depends on the training courses that youre looking at and who the lead trainers are. Some yoga companies are just churning out training courses without offering much hands-on experience, personalized guidance from the trainers, or even quality education. These kinds of training courses are often sold for less than $500 and are more for those interested in a quick and dirty pseudo yoga teacher certificate than for those who are genuinely interested in learning the history of yoga, proper asana technique, teaching methodology from an experienced yoga instructor, or pranayama breathing techniques.
My online teacher training program, for example, provides TONS of hands-on experience through live Zoom calls and opportunities for teaching experience. I offer quality pre-recorded lessons on human anatomy, pranayama breathing, teaching methodology, and alignment and THEN we come together to discuss it all. In an online program like mine, you get teaching experience and quality feedback from an experienced yoga instructor , which is quite uncommon for most online programs.
Read more:Is An Online Yoga Teacher Training Worth The Investment?
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Look At Your Own Personal Interests
A final consideration is to look at your own personal interests. What is it that you really enjoy doing? Chances are, if you are doing something you truly enjoy, then you will do it better if you have a reason to do so. If you want to teach more than one type of exercise, then you might want to do some training programs. The Yoga Alliance also offers training programs for teachers. These are great because they can help yoga studios and schools expand their offerings by offering classes that fit the needs of each studio.
Tips To Become A Certified Yoga Teacher
Becoming a certified yoga teacher is not difficult. Make sure to consider these tips in order to become a certified yoga teacher:;
Learn yoga basics and styles;
In the last century, a lot of yoga forms appeared across the map. While some are focused on healing, others are focused on fitness and wellness. So, you have to decide which style works the best for you.;
Prepare a list of yoga styles you like. Do thorough research on these styles and pick one style that best fits your personal preference. Learn the basics by reading books or watching videos. This will help you understand if yoga is for you or not.
Join yoga teacher training course
Just like an aspiring engineer needs to earn a college degree, you must join a YTT program to become a certified yoga teacher. Here are popular yoga teacher training programs:;
- 100-hours YTT
- 300-hours YTT
- 500-hours YTT;
We suggest starting with 200 hours of yoga teacher training program if you have a basic understanding of yoga. It will equip you with comprehensive know-how of yoga history, postures, anatomy, and philosophy.;
Ekattvas 200 hour yoga teacher training course in Rishikesh will teach you everything about yoga and help you emerge as a confident yoga teacher.;
Contact us today to learn about our curriculum and yoga school.;
Get registered;
Getting registered as a certified 200 hours yoga teacher with the US Yoga Alliance is important if you want to grow your practice, acquire students, or start your own yoga school.;
There you go!;
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What Kind Of Insurance Do You Need For Teaching Yoga
As a yoga teacher, it is most likely that you will work as a freelancer or an entrepreneur. The rules for insurance might be different in each country, and it is not an easy task to get an overview in the regulations. One thing that is very important to consider, is liability insurance. Some reasons to get an insurance for yoga teachers are:
- You will be working with a variety of people in your classes and some might be at risk of injuries.
- An insurance might also protect you for any damage done while working in studios, gyms or other locations.
- Liability insurances protect you for the financial risk of a lawsuit or other legal processes.
Some alliances for yoga teachers offer the possibility to join a collective liability insurance, which might be one reason to become a member. However, you can also choose to get your own liability insurance, independent of any yoga alliance .
Tips for getting your insurance:
- Instead of searching for a specific yoga teacher insurance, look for physical instructor liability insurance. Since yoga has been rising in popularity over the past few years, yoga teacher insurance fees have become inflated.
- If you are teaching at studios and gyms, you might be covered by their insurance. Ask the owner about their regulations.
- Also take a legal aid insurance, which covers the costs of legal procedures and often also offers the help of jurists and lawyers.
Yoga Teacher Versus Yoga Instructor
Being a teacher means that you are irreplaceable. Instructions and demonstrations can be found anywhere, but a good teacher can eventually motivates students to aspire more. You will know how to give your students the right answers at the end of a class. This is the moment that you can pass on knowledge and advice in a personal way. Being a teacher means knowing how to help others to acquire knowledge, competence and virtue. Its more than demonstrating and instructing students into poses. Its providing students with a challenge, giving the right information to increase body awareness and to be there to prevent any injuries. These are the tools that are handed through a teacher training and they do not require the teacher to perform the outcome.
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