Being an online yoga teacher training 200 hours is a very rewarding career, especially if you have a passion for helping others grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
It is your opportunity to touch someone’s life in a positive way, teaching them to be flexible, how to build their strength and how to enhance their life, through a feeling of unity with all life.
Teaching yoga to others is a form of service, and while it may seem like a fun job, it is a very serious and focused career as well. Many people who want to become yoga instructors often wonder how long training takes in order to become a certified instructor. The answer varies; depending on your level of commitment to learning. Outlined below are the general criteria needed to become certified.
What is a 200-hour yoga teacher training program?
First, let’s address exactly what a 200-hour yoga teacher training is. You spend 200 hours learning about the following topics with experienced teachers/trainers who run a Registered Yoga School (RYS) through Yoga Alliance.
1. Techniques, Training, and Practice
2 Teaching Methodology
3. Anatomy & Physiology
4. Yoga Philosophy/Ethics/Lifestyle
5. Practicum
180 of those hours must be “contact hours,” meaning they are done in the presence of your teacher/trainer. The remaining 20 can be completed through things like observation, homework, book reports, etc.
The idea is that when you graduate, you are ready to teach a class to a general adult population. Note, if you want to teach kids, seniors, prenatal, or a specific style/audience you’ll probably need to do more training (a weekend certification might work for this versus another 200-hour).
What is the schedule/flow of the training? How do you fit in online yoga teacher training 200 hours?
At our studio, we offer two pieces of training per year. Our winter training takes place over the course of four months in 8-weekend sessions and our summer training takes place over the course of three months in 5-weekend sessions. For most studios that offer weekend programming like this, you can expect to have an evening session on Thursday or Friday night (depending on how early your weekend starts) and then all-day sessions on Friday (if it’s a 3-day weekend)/Saturday/Sunday with plenty of time built-in for breaks for showers/food/etc. The weekends are long, immersive, and draining at times but also so wonderful, rewarding, and fulfilling.
I definitely recommend bringing things like jackets/blankets/wraps, bolsters, snacks, etc. to make your days more comfortable.
Here are some of the things you might do regularly during your 200-hour training:
1. Daily class/practice together
2. Learn about the history of yoga
3. Discuss the Yoga Sutras
4. Learn about the yamas, niyamas, chakras, vayus, koshas, etc.
5. Anatomy lectures
6. Yoga class sequencing deep dives
7. Learn how to provide different types of assists
8. Brush up on your posture alignment, engagement, and how to cue postures effectively to others
9. Practice teaching in small groups
10. Meditation
11. Personal development exercises
12. Book discussions
13. Ayurveda
14. Learn about the business of yoga, running a studio, finding teaching jobs, etc
And much more! Hopefully, this gives you a good idea.
Will you have reading and homework?
Most likely yes but it should be manageable. Most TT programs assign anywhere from 3-6 required reading books and 5-10 optional reading books. Some of them are more reference books than books you have to sit down and read from cover to cover. You may also have homework such as reading and writing book reports, writing class sequences, assisting or observing classes, etc. Again, it shouldn’t be too overwhelming and if the extra work is something that concerns you, be sure to get a clear picture of what’s required before TT.
Tip: if you find yourself short on reading time, audiobooks are SO helpful!
How do I choose a 200-hour yoga teacher training program?
I recommend Yoga Alliance is recommended as a resource for searching for Registered Yoga Schools. Once you’ve made a list of programs that interest you. Be sure to practice at the studio so that you can get a feel for the vibe of the studio/style. Speak to the teachers who will be leading the training and ask any questions you might have. Talk to past graduates to hear about their experience.
How much does teacher training cost?
The tuition for most 200-hour yoga teacher training programs through Registered Yoga Schools is between $2,000-$3,500 with the average being somewhere around $2,700-$3,000.
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