Becoming a certified yoga instructor can seem like a daunting task. But I promise you that it is not. So How To Become A Yoga Instructor
Getting your yoga instructor certification can be incredibly rewarding. Even if you ultimately decide not to use your RYT status to teach yoga. A good teacher training program will not only prepare you for teaching yoga. But it also will also facilitate tremendous personal growth. So here is some explanation about how to become a yoga instructor.
Yoga Is Not Just For The Experts
Firstly, how to become a yoga instructor is this. Number one, being a yoga teacher is not about being able to do all the fancy. And complicated poses, like headstand, or forearm stand, or some of the arm balances.
What it’s actually about is cuing, which means effectively using your voice to tell people what to do with their bodies and compassion.
Understand The Yoga Alliance
Secondly, how to become a yoga instructor is understanding Yoga Alliance. Number two, certification in the yoga world is something that’s very much in flux. Yoga’s not really regulated by the state or at the national level.
So you can pay Yoga Alliance for permission to use their RYT trademark after your name, but it doesn’t actually, really mean anything at the government, state, or national level.
So it may or may not be worth doing, based on your personal goals. If you wanna deep-dive with me into what certification really means, I absolutely suggest you listen to this podcast, where I go into a lot more detail.
Choose A Teacher Training Program
Number three, you definitely wanna do some kind of training. Yes, you want to do yoga teacher training. And the most common format is to do what’s called 200-hour teacher training. This is the next answer to how to become a yoga instructor.
So you cover a lot of material in 200 hours. Everything from teaching, anatomy, philosophy. You wanna do research on where you do this 200-hour training. Because it’s really gonna teach you everything. Everything that you need to know about how to be a successful teacher.
While most yoga studios will focus on vinyasa yoga or vinyasa. Flow in their certification program, you can totally choose a yoga instructor training. That focuses on the yoga and meditation style that most interests you. There are many types of yoga, from restorative yoga, prenatal yoga, yoga Nidra. And Ashtanga yoga, to yin yoga, you definitely have a lot to choose from.
You can do a 200-hour training all at once. In a month-long in-person intensive, over the course of many weekends. Or you can even do a 200-hour training online.
There are a lot of different types of training depending on the style of yoga, like:
- Hatha Yoga Teacher Training
- Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training
- Yin Yoga Teacher Training
- Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training
- Kids Yoga Teacher Training
Get Some Practice Teaching Yoga
Next up, how to become a yoga instructor is to get some practice teaching yoga. Step number four is, you want to practice so teach. I think a lot of people think they’re gonna do their 200-hour certification. And feel really confident right off the bat.
The reality is it takes years to build up that confidence. To have a presence in your teaching, to really have a strong voice.
So you wanna start practice teaching everyone you can. Teach your mom, your dog, anyone who’ll listen to you. Offer free yoga classes and practice yoga both on and off the yoga mat. Just start logging those teaching hours, because, just like anything in life. The more you do it, the better you’re gonna get.
Start Making Money Teaching Yoga
Lastly, how to become a yoga instructor is to start making money and teaching yoga. Step five is charging money for people to take your classes. This could mean that you’re teaching in a studio. Or maybe you’re hosting events in your home.
Maybe you’re teaching in corporations. Like you’re going into businesses and teaching there. Or partnering with local restaurants to have yoga and wine nights.
You could lead to retreats. You could teach yoga online, like me. There have never been more opportunities to find success as a yoga teacher. And in a way that you really enjoy and are passionate about.
And, of course, I offer a yoga teacher training course that will walk you through all of it.
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