Are You Thinking About Becoming a Yoga Teacher, or Looking to Deepen Your Practice? Either way, becoming a teacher can be an incredibly fulfilling journey – both on and off of the mat! Though it takes time and confidence-building exercises to reach that stage. But the rewards make it worth while.
Finding an appropriate studio will be the cornerstone of your future success as an actor or actress.
Start With Yourself
Yoga practice offers many benefits, and there are multiple ways it can fit into daily life. Yoga can help people manage stress and build stronger relationships, increase flexibility and strength, decrease pain, improve posture, and provide spiritual connection. Beginners looking to ease back discomfort as well as advanced students interested in exploring its mystical dimensions should begin their practice by exploring its fundamentals.
Before signing on for yoga teacher training, it’s essential that your intentions are crystal clear. “Why do you want to teach yoga?” will allow you to determine whether this truly is what you want and give the motivation necessary for sticking with it,” according to Powers.
At this time, it is also worthwhile to reflect upon your yoga practice and determine its impact. If you already take classes regularly, try making home practice part of a daily or biweekly practice regime; doing this will provide better feedback than occasional dabbling, helping both body and mind develop through consistent repetition.
Start out with an online yoga course to familiarize yourself with basic poses and movements, typically featuring videos with various difficulty levels to walk you through fundamental movements. There are also books and dvds available that will take you through these basics; just make sure that it is registered with Yoga Alliance and offers at least 200 hours of teacher training!
Teacher training that is recognized by the Yoga Alliance allows you to deepen your own yoga practice while teaching others the fundamentals. Coursework covers anatomy, yogic philosophy, and instructional techniques – once completed you could teach yoga classes at a studio, work as a prenatal yoga instructor, certified children’s yoga teacher or even establish yourself online teaching yoga!
Many yoga teachers also utilize their expertise in other professions such as nursing, teaching and personal fitness. Yoga is also an effective tool to use after injury or surgery as physical rehabilitation and can be tailored specifically to specific age groups and abilities.
Decide on a Yoga Style
Based on your goals for yoga, there are various styles you can select. Some are more vigorous than others but all incorporate elements like chanting, physical poses and breathing exercises into their practice. Before enrolling in your first yoga class, identify which style appeals most.
Vinyasa yoga combines breathing with movement through a series of postures that build on one another. Students move quickly from pose to pose without necessarily reaching perfection or overtaxing their bodies; this type of yoga is popular among U.S.-based students seeking physical challenges.
Other styles, like Iyengar yoga and Ashtanga yoga, focus on precision and alignment within the body. In Iyengar classes, props such as blocks, blankets and pillow-like bolsters may be used to help beginners move into poses that might otherwise be too challenging or painful without an instructor present. An Iyengar teacher typically circulates freely within their class to assist students and offer alternatives if a particular pose proves unsuitable for anyone in attendance.
Kundalini yoga focuses on using breath and movement to unlock your energy or life force, stimulating the “chi” (or prana) stored at the base of the spine to reduce stress, tension and depression. Yogi Bhajan is widely recognized for introducing Kundalini to America during his teachings in the 1960s.
Anusara yoga is a more fluid style of yoga that combines elements such as acrobatics and flowing postures with breath work for an enjoyable practice that benefits both body and mind. Although this practice should be enjoyable, Anusara yoga provides a rigorous workout for both mind and body!
Integral yoga combines various disciplines from ancient practices, such as pranayama, deep relaxation, meditation and asana. This style is an excellent way to achieve balance and harmony in life while teaching students that yoga practice should not just involve poses but rather is part of daily living.
Find a Teacher Training Program
Before enrolling in any yoga teacher training program, there are a few factors you need to keep in mind. With the yoga scene constantly shifting and evolving, it’s advisable to conduct some research in order to maximize your budget while avoiding programs of inferior quality.
First and foremost, determine how much time is available for yoga education. Your available time could have an incredible effect on how quickly you master this ancient art form.
One factor to keep in mind when choosing your yoga teacher certification is what kind of teacher you plan on being. If you prefer leading from the front without much correction or providing students with individual attention, an instructor certification may suffice; otherwise, an RYT designation will likely be more suitable.
Once you know which kind of yoga teacher you want to become, it’s essential that you select a program which offers the training and credentials required for success. Your training should ideally include interactive elements as well as feedback from instructors.
When looking for a yoga teacher training program, it’s essential that it be accredited by a credentialing service such as Yoga Alliance. There are countless yoga teacher training programs out there; some may not meet Yoga Alliance requirements for registration as an RYT (registered yoga teacher).
Once you have achieved 200-hour RYT certification, it is time to teach yoga! Attend workshops or continuing education classes regularly so you can keep growing in knowledge of this practice – and be more prepared when pregnant women or people with physical limitations walk into your class with specific needs that need addressed.
Get a Job
There are various approaches to teaching yoga, with popular options including teaching at studios, offering private sessions and leading retreats. Teachers also often make money through selling yoga-related products such as mats, clothing or books.
Before looking for employment as a yoga instructor, it is essential that you feel comfortable teaching different yoga styles and possess an in-depth knowledge of poses and breathing techniques.
Once your yoga teacher training program is over, the next step should be finding work. Many students start off their careers by reaching out to studios nearby and asking to observe or assist classes; this gives students invaluable hands-on experience while creating connections within the yoga community. Some studios even offer their own teacher training programs which they recruit from.
Step two is to compose a resume that showcases both your experience and education. Also include a sample class you have taught previously to demonstrate that you can lead one effectively and provide students with an exceptional educational experience.
Many new yoga teachers start off teaching at smaller, local studios as a great way to gain experience and build up a student base before progressing onto more prestigious studios. It is important that when starting out it is clear what style of yoga you want to teach, as well as creating an identity and teaching voice consistent with this brand.
As soon as you have gained some experience, it is a wise idea to undergo more advanced yoga instructor training and become certified. This will allow you to advance in your career and earn higher salaries; these courses can be found through various websites or directly contacting yoga schools; depending on what kind of yoga you teach you may even opt for certification in specific areas such as prenatal yoga or children’s yoga.
