Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Thanks Julie. This is a good reminder for some of us and and education for new teachers who think that it's all about the studios.

The 200 hour standard is a good one. Many teachers have been teaching for thousands of hours, which makes the 200 hour designation a modest label at best. Yet, we had to find some kind of a label. About opportunities: Most are outside of the studios. Corporate yoga, wellness centers, spas, health clubs, teaching sports teams, preschools, senior centers, recreation centers and many more clubs have yoga classes.

Julie, you are brilliant. Some teachers have classes on cruises and vacation spots around the world. Any place that is a vacation or business spot is a good place for yoga.

I agree. Sometimes, traveling is very stressful.

Five Things to Know About Teaching Yoga

With the recent influx of health conscious consumers, yoga has become a very popular hobby and profession. Many people are turning to yoga to help manage their health and enjoy their overall well being. This has also increased the demand for yoga instructors. If you are looking to enter the yoga professional field then this is a very productive career path to go in to. A commonly asked question is: Do I really need to obtain a yoga certification in order to teach? The answer is no. In reality, everyone can teach yoga. However, having credentials does help to reach a larger amount of students. Yoga instruction is not something that you should go into lightly. A person's health and wellness will be in your hands, and if yoga is not properly instructed then it can result in injury for the student. There are 5 ways that you can actually waste money by obtaining a yoga certificate:

1. The Cost and Delay: In order to obtain a certification, you have to study a required amount of 200 hours. The cost for this certificate ranges anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000. In some cases, a person is not at the right point in their life to totally dedicate their life to yoga. If you are that person, then spending this large amount of money would not only be wasting your time but also your money.
2. Change of Heart: In order to help your students shine, you must apply the eight limbs of yoga to your daily life. Practicing the bliss of yoga only in front of your students will not balance your life. A student can usually see through a fake yoga instructor and if you are not applying the happiness rule in the rest of your life then it will show through. You have to be dedicated not only to the well being of your students but also to your own life. Eating healthy and practicing good habits is essential. If this is not something that you are prepared to tackle, then you will be wasting your money with a certificate.
3. Accredited Program: In yoga this word is a joke. The word is tossed around, but have you ever checked into who accredited the alliance? You might want to Google that one. When researching different certification programs, you will first want to make sure that the program is well developed. Research the training that they offer, look at the books that you will have to study, and learn about the overall certification requirements. Investigating the guest teachers also helps to find out if the school is legitimate. Unfortunately, some teachers are more interested in your money instead of helping you become certified. Reviews from other yoga students can help you find out the truth.

4. Choose the Right Style: There are many different types of yoga available, with numerous training options. Try out different styles before you waste time on training for one that is not suited for you. You might surprise yourself by learning a new style that you never expected to love, and decide to master that instead. After you find the type of yoga that suits you best, you can then find a school or instructor that will help you meet your certification.
5. Time Will Tell: Before wasting your money on an expensive certification, decide what type of time limit you are on. If you would rather learn over a longer period of time then be sure that the certification program works at this tempo. Figure out what would work best for your lifestyle.

Some of the yoga certification programs will let you take the courses no matter who you are or how well you are able to handle the final results. Anyone can pay to get the certificate. However, not everyone will use his or her educated experiences to become an instructor. The yoga instructor success process is thought of with an 80/20 ratio. Twenty percent of the process is learning the facts, or in your case: earning the certification. The other 80 percent is being business knowledgeable, and being skilled at obtaining trusting student relationships. 

Another factor to keep in mind is the payment process of charging for your classes. If you are starting out by teaching at someone else's studio then find out if you are paid per class or per student that attends your class. You should also make sure the studio advertises the classes effectively. One of the biggest issues for a yoga instructor is a student who attends class consistently. Knowing how you are going to market your talents, via fliers and a website will guarantee that you are on the right path to gaining a revenue return on your certification fees.