The Most Important Things to Look For When Choosing a Yoga Teacher Training Course

If you’re reading this article then the chances are that you are on the look-out for a yoga teacher training course! That means that you have made the amazing decision to pursue a career in yoga. This is a choice that is going to take your life in a whole new and exciting direction, and I would love to talk to you about this!

Choosing a career in yoga is an amazing way to encourage others to fall in love with this spiritual practice, and to spread the associated concepts of self-care, self-love, body confidence, and more! You will be guiding your students towards a life full of positivity and abundance. But, before you get to embark upon your journey as a leader, you must of course receive the necessary guidance yourself. This means that you must find a yoga teacher training course that will teach you all that you need to know!

When you are choosing which course you are going to enroll in, there are several key things to consider. Today I want to share my thoughts on what those things are, in order to guide you to choosing the course that is best suited to you and your individual needs. When you find the course that is perfect for you, then you are much more likely to feel as though you are as prepared as possible to get started in the industry.

Yoga Alliance Certified

One of the first things you should check is whether the course in question is certified by the Yoga Alliance. This is fairly standard for yoga teacher training courses, and won’t be difficult to check for.

Becoming a RYT (registered yoga teacher) through the Yoga Alliance is a mark of professionalism and quality within the industry. It helps studios to know that you gained your qualification from a teacher who is registered and recognised within the yoga world.

The Yoga Alliance is also simply a wonderful community to be a part of, and will support you in many ways as you progress in your career. It is a great place to discover resources, information, and to connect with other yoga teachers.

Dates & Location

When you are looking for a course there may be several limitations placed upon where you are able to go and the dates that you are able to commit to. Choosing a course that is local to you is going to be the sensible option. However, if you find a course that is further afield that you believe is the best course for you, then really try to determine if it is logistically practical for you to attend.

A typical yoga teacher training course is likely to be 200 hours long. You will be able to find intensive courses where you complete this amount of training in two to three months, as well as courses that are spread out, such as across ten months to a year. In either case, you will be giving a great deal of your time to the course, and it is essential that you do not miss out on any of the sessions.

When you are making the final choice on your course, make sure you have checked all of the dates with your existing schedule to make sure there are no conflicts with other arrangements. Once you have actually booked onto a course, then make sure you write all of the dates and times in your diary so that you never double book yourself on these days.

The Teacher

The person leading the course is someone you are going to be spending a lot of time with and learning a lot from. It is therefore important that you feel comfortable in their presence and that you respect them as a yoga teacher.

It is a great idea to go along to a class taught by the prospective teacher of the course you are looking at. If you have the time then you can do this with several different teachers from different courses to get a more informed understanding of who you want to work with most.

It should go without saying that different people have different teaching methods. Bear in mind that what works for one person may not necessarily work best for you. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t inspired by a particular teacher. Try to understand what was missing for you, what you feel they could have done better, and then continue with your search.

The Style of Yoga

Although it is a good idea to be able to teach varying styles of yoga so as not to limit yourself, it is also a good idea to choose a course that focuses on styles that resonate with you most.

Having said that, it is also conducive to your development as a yoga teacher that you try new things and experiment with new styles. Being able to teach a variety of styles well will help you to create classes that are exciting and beneficial to your students. So, spend some time considering what your needs are in relation to this, and how flexible you can be on the styles of yoga that you move forwards with.

Type of Course

When it comes to considering the type of teacher training course that you want to embark upon you have to consider the type of yoga teacher that you want to be!

All accredited courses will teach you the basics of yoga philosophy, and how to teach yoga, but it is also possible to find courses that go above and beyond.

At Whole Self Yoga I like to move beyond just learning about the typical components of yoga. In doing so I want to encourage my students to rediscover themselves, and to learn more about themselves in the process of learning about yoga.

Furthermore, once you have graduated as a yoga teacher, it is always worth continuing your education with additional courses. This will help to ensure that your teaching style doesn’t get stale, as well as helping you to expand upon your own knowledge.

My Mandala and Mentoring course is an example of the type of further training that you may wish to explore. During this four day training, you’ll learn the exact strategies you need to pack your classes and build your dream yoga business.

I will teach you the step by step strategies to help you create your message and brand, land positions in the best studios, and use social media to build your dream online community. You’ll also learn my secret to ensuring I keep my classes creative and fresh!

Choosing a Yoga Teacher Training Course

The final decision of which yoga teacher training course you are going to choose lies only with you, so make sure you have all of the information before making that decision! You may find it helpful to read reviews of the course online from previous students, as well as speaking directly to these people if possible. Finding out where your favourite yoga teachers gained their qualifications could also help you to make your mind up.

Finally, once you have completed your training course, then be sure to pass your recommendation on to other future yogis!