The benefits of regular yoga practice are becoming known to more people every day.
The ways and means to launch a successful yoga instructor career are varied and personal, but a yoga instructor license and good yoga instructor liability insurance will help any yogi launch their teaching career.
Further, if you plan on teaching in a studio or fitness center, you will be need to have both.
The cost of a yoga instructor license can be substantial. Picking the best certification for your budget and your goals is one of the first and most important business decisions you will make as you embark on a yoga instructor career.
Yoga teacher training programs are not regulated by the state or federal government. Therefore, they can vary widely both in cost and content. However, how much you pay for your yoga teacher certification depends on where you chose to take your training and what kind of training you select.
How Much is a Yoga Certification and What to Avail?
As discussed, the cost and content of yoga instructor certification programs vary, but there is surely a program to fit every need and budget. You can complete a certification online through self-paced modules and video instruction, or you can fly to India to earn a yoga instructor certification in the birthplace of the practice.
The right certification for you depends on your reason for seeking a yoga instructor certification. Are you in it for fun, self-improvement, or are you launching a career as a yoga instructor?
The Yoga Alliance
The most recognized and accepted yoga instructor training programs in the United States are those that are certificated by the Yoga Alliance. The Yoga Alliance is a United States-based nonprofit membership and trade organization made up of yoga teachers and professionals.
The Yoga Alliance has set standards for yoga teacher training schools that are commonly considered the best. Students who attend a Yoga Alliance certified teaching program can secure a designation such as RYT 200[1] which is a Registered Yoga Teacher who completed a 200-hour training course. This is often one of the minimum requirements for teaching in a studio or fitness center.
If you participate in a Yoga Alliance certified program, you can expect a certain class makes up. The yoga teacher instructor training includes:
- 100 hours of techniques, training, and practice to include analytical study and guided practice of asanas, pranayama, and kriyas
- 25 hours of teaching methodology to include communication, teaching styles, teacher qualities, learning processes, and business principles
- 20 hours of anatomy and physiology to include instruction on the human anatomy including organs, systems, chakras, and the benefits and contraindications of yoga asanas
- 30 hours of yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics for yoga teachers to include the study of traditional yoga texts, yoga teacher ethics, yoga precepts, and philosophies
- 10 hours of practicum to include practice teaching, receiving and giving feedback, observation of other teachers, assisting students during another instructor’s class
The cost of a Yoga Alliance certified teacher training program varies from about $1,000 – $3,000, depending on the location. It isn’t the least expensive option for a yoga instructor certification, but there are some benefits:
- A thorough and regulated curriculum
- Practical teaching experience
- Opportunity to register with the Yoga Alliance
- Affordable options
How to Become a Yoga Instructor
To launch a yoga instructor career, certification is only your first step. You must also purchase yoga instructor liability insurance and exercise a few business principles. Every yoga teacher will take a different path, but here are some basics to follow when you begin.
Choose your certification program carefully: To be successful, you need a certification program that fits your budget but also prepares you to teach on completion. If you don’t choose a Yoga Alliance program, make sure the curriculum is thorough and includes hands-on practice teaching, a deep dive into anatomy, and yoga philosophy. Vet your program carefully.
Consider yoga instructor liability insurance: Protecting yourself with insurance is the next step after getting your yoga instructor certification. Some studios will require you to have it before they will allow you to teach. The yoga instructor liability cost is affordable and has some weighty benefits. Click here for a quick and easy quote on affordable professional liability insurance policies.
Teach: As you know, practice makes perfect, so the more you teach the better. Your certification and professional liability insurance will give you an edge when bidding on classes and seek job opportunities. In most cases, both will be required. Put those in place before you begin looking for teaching gigs.
Market: Marketing is a must for successful yoga instructors. Harness social media and the reach of the web to market yourself on a budget. You can tweet, post, blog, and share your teaching.
Give Back: If you are philanthropic at heart, look for opportunities to serve. The best opportunities for teaching and service are available if you are certified and insured.
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