Training for Yoga Teachers

Are you looking to become a yoga instructor? If you have spent a few years learning yoga, absorbing the culture and mindset of the yoga lifestyle, you may feel it is time to take your yoga knowledge to the next level. Yoga training for teachers can offer great benefits to individuals who are looking to continue the yoga traditions by passing down their knowledge to the next generation of yoga enthusiasts. While it may seem intimidating to make that first step towards becoming a yoga instructor, we want to make sure you are confident in yourself and the knowledge you have; making sure you can teach classes and inspire students.

What to Know About Yoga Certifications

Just like any area of expertise, yoga certifications show that you have the level of knowledge and skill to be proficient in a subject. Most yoga studios look for a teacher who has been certified in order to let them teach a class. That being said, you don’t have to go into a yoga certification class exclusively with the intention of teaching. Some individuals getting a yoga certification do so just to enhance their own experience level for personal improvement.

Becoming certified in teaching yoga is not about becoming an expert in every facet of yoga, but rather learning how to effectively lead a class. Leading a class refers to your ability to safely and intelligently sequence and guide students in class. Can you lead students in a safe yet challenging manner? By getting certified in yoga training you are learning how to properly assist others and offer deeper insight into the postures being practiced.

It is important to reiterate that you don’t have to be a yoga master to get a yoga certification. Most yoga teaching programs ask that you have a few years of yoga experience but as long as you are passionate about yoga and willing to continue to learn you can succeed. By having a few years of personal experience you can share your own dedication and knowledge of the practice with your students. Your personal comfort level in yoga is important to being able to provide assistance to others.

Many yoga certification courses are offered with specific methods of yoga in mind. You may participate in a course that focuses on learning Hatha or Ashtanga yoga, but you should be able to apply many of the teaching methods you learn to any yoga class, if need be. We all have our strong suits and areas of expertise, but part of your extended learning should be getting comfortable with any form of yoga.

A great addition to any regular yoga certification is getting practice teaching experience. Practice teaching of short sequences to your fellow students during the training and having a chance to assist one of the regular, trusted yoga instructors at the studio by helping in their regular yoga class can be great opportunities for you to get some real hands on teaching experience early on, as well as. This allows you to get a feel for what personal teaching experience is like for you.

Yoga Instructor Training with Yoga Now

Yoga Now offers its own teacher training course. In alignment with Yoga Alliance’s training requirements, we offer a 200 hour training course that takes place over 28 weeks. Twice a week (Saturdays 11am-4pm and Tuesdays 6:30-9pm) classes are held to provide participants with instruction and insight into yoga methodology and ethics. 

We recommend you have a minimum of one year of yoga experience before starting a yoga instructor training course. The Yoga Now teacher training course focuses on Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga training with an introduction to Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga. There are six main topics which are covered in our course. These topics are as follows:

• Training Technique/Practice

• Teaching Methodology

• Anatomy and Physiology

• Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle, and Ethics

• Practicum

• Introduction to Mysore Style Ashtanga

These topics give participants the knowledge and insight into what a great yoga instructor needs to teach effectively.

Training Technique/Practice

In order to teach yoga you need to know what’s going on. By learning all of the asanas, pranayamas, kriyas, chants, mantras, forms of meditation, and other traditional yoga techniques you will have the tools needed to structure a course. As someone with prior yoga experience, you should already be accustomed to most of these techniques, but you will now be asked to go deeper and learn them for the purpose of leading others, rather than just participating with a group.

Teaching Methodology

This is where you build your teaching skills. It’s one thing to know a lot about yoga, it’s another thing to be able to teach it. We will cover the principles of demonstration observation, assisting/correcting, instruction, teaching styles, qualities of a teacher, the student’s process of learning, and business aspects of teaching yoga. There’s a lot that goes into teaching and it is more than just directing the class. In this step we plan to cover everything you will need to know to teach and operate an enjoyable and effective class.

Anatomy and Physiology

So much of yoga is understanding the mind and body. In order to teach a class you will need to have a clear understanding of the mind and body and what is best for it. By understanding the physical anatomy and physiology as well as the energy anatomy and physiology you can provide your students with the proper assessments.

Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle, and Ethics

Yoga has a detailed history and profound philosophy. If you are looking to get certified, chances are you already have an interest in the philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics of yoga. We will go further in depth to make sure participants understand the role a yoga teacher plays in the practice of yoga as well as the cautions and boundaries to observe.

Practicum

This is where you get hands on experience teaching. You will start by observing other teachers. Then, you will be given the chance to assist students while someone is teaching. Next, we will offer feedback while you are practice teaching.  This direct involvement will give you the chance to see what areas are your strong suits and which areas need improvement, so you can hone your skills before you start teaching your first class.

Introduction to Mysore Style Ashtanga

Whether you have a background in Mysore Yoga or not we will provide you with a knowledge of the essentials. Mysore Yoga is a form of yoga that focuses on the individual experience.  Learning an introduction to Mysore style Ashtanga yoga will allow you to learn and memorize a sequence of postures that you can practice anywhere at any time.  

If you are looking to complete your yoga instructor training, consider our program, for pricing and further details please inquire and if you have any further questions feel free to contact us.