How To Get Certified To Teach Yoga: The Expert Guide
Do you love yoga, and want to earn a living helping others while doing what you love? If you don't know how to get certified to teach yoga, relax. It’s not as difficult as you might think.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the steps you need to follow on your path to becoming a certified yoga instructor.
How To Get Certified To Teach Yoga
Decide Who You Want To Teach Yoga To
Firstly, you need to establish who you would like to teach yoga to. The needs of beginners are different from those who already know and practice it.
Knowing who you want to teach will give you an idea of the direction your yoga instructor training should take.
Where And How Will You Teach Yoga?
This is just as important as knowing who your target market is.
Are you planning on offering online lessons only? If so, you will need the right software to take the hassle out of online memberships, so you can focus on the teaching element.
Do you wish to offer both in-person and online yoga sessions? If you want to teach yoga classes in person, will they be private one-on-one lessons or group lessons?
Perhaps you intend to apply for a post as a yoga instructor at your local gym. Find out what their requirements are to make sure you have the necessary qualifications.
The level of yoga teacher certification required may differ between these teaching options. It helps to have a clear idea of your intentions before setting down the path to becoming certified.
Choose Which Style Of Yoga You Want To Teach
The style of yoga you opt for is not only a matter of personal interest, but it can also lie in your passion for helping others.
You may choose to focus on healing, pregnancy, children, or more advanced yoga techniques.
Consider Joining The Yoga Alliance
Yoga Alliance (YA) is a non-profit organization that serves the training needs of yoga schools and yoga teachers around the world.
Their highly accredited yoga training programs will allow you the flexibility to use your skills the world over, with better prospects of finding employment in this exciting field.
Their teaching methods have proven to be adaptable to the online environment, while still offering world-class yoga instruction and certification.
One of the advantages of joining the YA is that you will be a part of the wider yoga community. This brings a range of benefits in the form of ongoing support, networking prospects, and relationships built.
YA Code Of Conduct
The YA provides internationally recognized credentials, and adheres to a code of conduct designed to unite all Yoga Alliance members around shared principles.
This code of conduct promotes safe and respectful guidelines for yoga teaching.
It outlines ethical behavior such as inclusion, respectful student-teacher relationships, consent-based touch, and honesty.
Best Yoga Teacher Training Courses
Yoga Alliance Programs
The Yoga Alliance is one of the many options available to become a certified yoga instructor.
This company in particular offers three different programs to get you started on your journey to becoming a yogi.
These internationally recognized programs will enable you to become a yoga teacher even if you have no prior knowledge of the practice.
200-Hour Program (Foundational-Level RYT Credentials)
The RYT 200 program is a fantastic place to start your career as a yoga instructor.
This program will teach you everything you need to know about the basics of the different yoga forms and poses. It also delves into all the benefits yoga offers for the body and mind.
It will qualify you as a yoga instructor, and most establishments will accept you upon completion of this program.
Yoga teachers who have successfully graduated from their RYT 200 program and have completed a minimum of 1,000 hours of yoga instruction over a minimum of 2 years, may apply for E-RYT 200 certification.
300-Hour Program (Professional-Level RYT Credentials)
After successfully completing the foundational 200-hour level of training, you may opt to continue to the next level.
The 300-Hour program focuses on advanced yoga techniques. The key areas taught are the assimilation of yoga practice and yoga philosophy into one’s daily life.
You will gain deeper insights into the yoga practice and instruction with this extended program.
500-Hour Program (Specialty-Level RYT Credentials)
Alternatively, you can enroll in this specialty program, which combines the two above-mentioned courses.
This program offers further advanced fundamentals of practicing yoga, including the training of other yoga instructors.
The E-RYT 500 certification is not necessary to get started as a yoga instructor. But it will prepare you for expanding your business in the future by training other instructors to work alongside you.
Yoga teachers who have successfully graduated from their RYT 200 and RYT 300 programs (or who opted for and successfully completed the RYT 500 program) and have given a minimum of 2,000 hours of yoga lessons over a minimum of 4 years, may apply for E-RYT 500 certification.
Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (RCYT)
If you wish to specialize in teaching yoga to children, you may progress on to this course after completing the foundational 200-hour course.
Please be mindful that it consists of a minimum of 95 hours of instruction.
Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT)
Perhaps you’d like to offer yoga classes to pregnant women?
A specialized prenatal yoga course is available and consists of a minimum of 85 instructional hours.
As with the yoga for children program, prior completion of the foundational 200-hour program is required.
Benefits Of RYT Certification
After completing any of the three above Yoga Alliance programs (minimum 200 hours), you can practice as a yoga instructor.
The Yoga Alliance offers various Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) credentials for all yoga teachers who have successfully completed their RYT curriculum.
It is not a requirement to have this certification to practice as a yoga instructor. But there are numerous advantages to completing these certifications.
Here are a few examples of these benefits:
Internationally-recognized credentials
Entry in the RYT Directory, which allows you to market yourself
Access to free online training workshops
Discounts on yoga products and services
Access to yoga publications
Invitations to community events, offering you greater exposure and networking opportunities
Practice Makes Perfect
After you complete your yoga training and obtain certification, an innovative way to gain experience is to teach classes at the studio where you have been training.
This is not only a great way to get the feel for teaching, but will also market your skills as an instructor. This offers an effective form of word-of-mouth advertising for your brand.
If you will be offering your yoga lessons online only, advertise yourself on social media platforms. Be sure to give details of the training and accreditation you have received, as this is a key selling point.
Ongoing Training
Take advantage of ongoing Yoga Alliance training and workshops.
This will keep your yoga classes fresh and engaging by staying up to date with current yoga trends.
By doing so, you will be better able to relate to your community of yoga practitioners.
In Conclusion
You chose to practice yoga to bring harmony and wellbeing into your life. And you chose to teach it to others to bring that sense of peace into theirs.
Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to an exciting and fulfilling career as a certified yoga instructor. And make a difference while you make a living.
