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How to Choose the Right Yoga Teacher Training
So, you’ve decided you’d like to become a yoga teacher. What next?
If you’ve started looking at yoga teacher training courses, you’ll probably have
discovered one thing very quickly…
There are a lot of them!
Different yoga schools. Different styles. Different locations. Different teachers.
Different course lengths. Intensive courses, part-time courses, courses abroad,
courses close to home…
And when you’re looking at them online, it can be tricky to know what really
matters.
A beautiful website and some lovely photographs can only tell you so much.
So, how do you choose the right yoga teacher training for you?
Here are some things I think are worth considering.
Love, Allie x
1. Start with the teachers
One of the most important things to look at when choosing a yoga teacher
training is who is actually teaching you.
Ask to have a call with one of the teachers.
Read about their experience. Watch their videos if they have them. Listen to
their podcasts. Read their words. Ask yourself:
Do I connect with them? What experience do they have?
You don't have to agree with every single thing a teacher says but you should
be curious to learn from them.
Your teacher training is going to be an incredibly formative experience, so the
people guiding you through it really matter.
2. Go and take a class before you book
We really recommend this one.
If the yoga school you're considering has a studio, go and practise there.
Take a class. Ideally, take a few classes with different teachers.
Notice how you feel.
Do you like the style of yoga?
Do you enjoy the way the teachers communicate?
Does the studio feel welcoming?
Do you like the people you've met?
It might sound obvious, but you can learn so much more about a yoga school
by actually stepping through its doors than you can from a website.
And if you're considering training somewhere that you haven't practised
before, ask whether you can speak to a teacher or someone from the training
team.
Get a feel for the place.
3. Think about what you actually want to learn
Not all yoga teacher trainings are exactly the same.
While a foundational 200-hour training will typically cover key areas such as
yoga techniques and practice, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy and
professional or teaching skills, the emphasis and teaching style can vary
between schools.
So have a look at the syllabus.
What does the course actually include?
You might want to ask:
• How much time is spent on asana and physical practice?
• How much anatomy and physiology is covered?
• Will I study yoga philosophy and history?
• How much teaching methodology is included?
• How much time will I spend actually teaching?
• Will I learn about sequencing?
• What happens if I find something difficult?
There isn't necessarily one perfect syllabus.
The question is:
Does this syllabus feel right for you?
4. Look at how much teaching practice you'll
get
This is a big one.
Learning how to teach yoga is very different from simply knowing how to
practise yoga.
You can understand a pose beautifully and still feel completely different when
you have to stand at the front of a room and guide somebody else through it!
So when you're comparing yoga teacher training courses, look at how much
practical teaching experience you'll receive. When do they get you teaching
on the course?
Will you have opportunities to teach your fellow trainees?
Will experienced teachers give you feedback?
Will you practise sequencing and cueing?
Will you learn how to observe students?
Will you have the opportunity to build confidence gradually?
A good teacher training should help you move from:
“I don't know if I can do this…”
to:
“Okay. I can actually teach a class.”
5. Think about how you learn best
This is something people sometimes overlook.
You might find an incredible yoga teacher training, but if the format doesn't
suit the way you learn, it could be hard work.
Ask yourself:
Do I thrive when I'm completely immersed in something?
If so, an intensive training could be wonderful.
Or perhaps you need more time to process information, practise what you've
learnt and come back with questions.
In that case, a training spread over several months could suit you better.
Neither is better.
They're simply different ways of learning.
Remember that a 200-hour teacher training contains a huge amount of
information. Giving yourself enough time to absorb it, practise it and start to
make it your own can be just as important as the number of hours on the
certificate.
6. Intensive or part-time?
This is one of the biggest decisions you'll probably make.
An intensive yoga teacher training
An intensive course can be an amazing way to immerse yourself in yoga.
For a few weeks, your life can revolve around learning, practising, teaching
and connecting with other students. I actually did my first training this way - it
was a 9 week intensive with Bikram in LA back in 2001 - it was a life changing
journey and I loved every moment of it.
There can be something incredibly special about stepping away from your
normal routine and giving yourself the space to focus completely on yoga.
But you have to think about the practical side too.
Can you take the time away from work?
Does the cost work for you?
How will you feel about processing a huge amount of information in a relatively
short period?
A part-time yoga teacher training
A training that runs over six months or a year can offer a completely different
experience.
You can learn something at the weekend, go home and practise it, teach a
friend, think about it, come back and ask questions.
You have time to let things settle.
You can continue working and living your normal life while gradually
developing your teaching skills.
For some people, this is exactly what they need.
Learn - practise - reflect - return.
7. Consider the community
This might be one of the most important things of all.
Who are you going to be learning alongside?
Yoga teacher training can be an incredibly bonding experience. You're learning
something new together, practising together, challenging yourselves together
and, probably, having quite a few moments of “What have I signed up for?!”
together too.
The people you meet during your training can become lifelong friends,
colleagues and part of your yoga community.
So think about whether the school feels like somewhere you would enjoy
belonging.
8. Ask what happens after you graduate
Your relationship with your yoga school doesn't necessarily have to end when
you finish your 200 hours.
Find out what support is available after graduation.
For example:
• Are there opportunities to teach?
• Are there classes you can teach at the studio as a newly qualified
teacher?
• Is there a graduate community?
• Can you continue attending classes?
• Are there workshops or further training?
• Is there mentoring?
• Can you ask questions once you start teaching?
• Are there opportunities to connect with other graduates?
That first step from trainee to teacher can feel like a big one.
You've spent months learning, practising and teaching your fellow trainees —
and suddenly you're standing in front of a room of paying students!
Having the opportunity to gain some real teaching experience in a supportive
environment can make a huge difference to your confidence.
So when you're researching teacher training courses, don't just ask “What
happens when I graduate?”
Ask:
“How will you help me take my first steps as a yoga teacher?”
Yoga teaching is a journey.
Your 200-hour training is a foundation - not the moment you suddenly know
everything there is to know about yoga.
Look for a school that understands that and continues to support you as you
find your feet.
9. Don't choose based on price alone
Of course, budget matters.
A yoga teacher training is a significant investment, and you should absolutely
choose something that works financially for you.
But when you're comparing prices, make sure you're comparing what you're
actually getting.
Look at:
• Number of training hours
• Contact time with teachers
• Course materials
• Teaching practice
• Feedback and mentoring
• Class access
• Community
• Post-graduation support
• The experience and expertise of the teachers
A cheaper course isn't necessarily better value.
And the most expensive course isn't automatically the best one either.
You're looking for the course that offers the right experience and education
for you.
10. Listen to what your gut is telling you
Once you've done all the practical research, there will probably be a few
courses that stand out.
And this is where we think it's worth listening to your intuition.
Maybe there's one teacher whose classes make you feel completely inspired.
Maybe you walk into a particular studio and immediately feel at home.
Maybe one course makes you think:
“I really want to learn this.”
Don't ignore that feeling.
Your yoga teacher training is going to ask a lot of you.
You'll be learning, practising, questioning, teaching, making mistakes and
growing.
So choose somewhere where you feel excited to do all of those things.
There is no perfect yoga teacher training
It's easy to get caught up in trying to find the perfect course.
But perhaps there isn't one.
There is only the course that feels like the right fit for you, at this point in
your journey.
You might choose an intensive course abroad.
You might choose to train close to home over a year.
You might be drawn to one particular style of yoga.
You might start with one intention and discover something completely different
along the way.
And that's okay.
Your teacher training is the beginning of your journey, not the final
destination.
Thinking about training with yogahaven?
At yogahaven, we believe that becoming a yoga teacher is about much more
than learning how to stand at the front of a class and demonstrate yoga poses.
It's about developing your own practice, understanding the foundations of
yoga, learning how to teach with confidence and finding your own voice as a
teacher.
And, perhaps most importantly, it's about becoming part of a community.
If you've been thinking about becoming a yoga teacher, we'd love you to come
and practise with us, meet our teachers and get a feel for the Yogahaven
community before you make your decision.
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