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Your 10-point checklist
1. Start with the teachers
2. Take a class before you book
3. Check what you'll learn
4. Look at the teaching practice
5. Think about how you learn best
6. Choose intensive or part-time
7. Consider the community
8. Ask about life after graduation
9. Compare value, not just price
10. Listen to your gut
Finally
There is no perfect yoga teacher training
There is only the course that feels like the right fit for you, at this point in your journey. You might choose an intensive abroad, or train close to home over a year. 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? Come and practise with us before you decide. We'd love you to meet our teachers and get a feel for yogahaven.
How to Choose the Right Yoga Teacher Training
IN SHORT
So, you've decided you'd like to become a yoga teacher. What next? A beautiful website can only tell you so much, so here are the ten things I think are worth considering before you book.
By Allie, founder of yogahaven · Training yoga teachers for almost 20 years · 1,500+ graduates
Yoga Alliance certified · Flexible payment plans · Teach at our studio
Ready to train?
Choose your 200-hour course
Ask yourself
• Do I connect with them?
• What experience do they have?
• How do they communicate?
• Am I curious to learn from them?
01
Start with the teachers
One of the most important things to look at is who is actually teaching you. Ask to have a call with one of the teachers. Read about their experience. Watch their videos, listen to their podcasts, read their words.
Your teacher training is going to be an incredibly formative experience, so the people guiding you through it really matter.
You don't have to agree with every single thing a teacher says, but you should be curious to learn from them.
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?
02
Go and take a class before you book
We really recommend this one.
If the school you're considering has a studio, go and practise there. Ideally, take a few classes with different teachers, and notice how you feel.
You can learn so much more about a yoga school by stepping through its doors than from a website. Training somewhere you haven't practised? Ask to speak to a teacher or someone from the training team.
You might want to ask
• How much time is spent on 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?
03
Think about what you actually want to learn
A foundational 200-hour training will typically cover yoga techniques and practice, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy and teaching skills, but the emphasis can vary between schools. So have a look at the syllabus.
There isn't one perfect syllabus. The question is: does this one feel right for you?
Questions to ask
• When will I start teaching on the course?
• Will I teach my fellow trainees?
• Will experienced teachers give me feedback?
• Will I practise sequencing and cueing?
• Will I learn how to observe students?
• Can I build my confidence gradually?
04
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 it. You can understand a pose beautifully and still feel completely different when you're at the front of a room guiding somebody else through it!
A good training takes you from "I don't know if I can do this…" to "Okay. I can actually teach a class."
• Do I thrive when I'm completely immersed in something? An intensive training could be wonderful.
• Do I need more time to process and come back with questions? A training spread over several months could suit you better.
05
Think about how you learn best
This is something people sometimes overlook. You might find an incredible training, but if the format doesn't suit the way you learn, it could be hard work.
A 200-hour training contains a huge amount of information. Giving yourself time to absorb it, practise it and make it your own can be just as important as the hours on the certificate.
Neither is better. They're simply different ways of learning.
The practical side
• Can you take the time away from work?
• Does the cost work for you?
• How will you feel taking in so much, so quickly?
• Would you rather learn, practise, reflect and return?
06
Intensive or part-time?
One of the biggest decisions you'll probably make.
An intensive training: for a few weeks, your life revolves around learning, practising, teaching and connecting with other students. There's something special about stepping away from your normal routine. I actually did my first training this way, a two-month intensive with Bikram in LA back in 2001, and it was a life-changing journey.
A part-time training: over six months or a year, you can learn something at the weekend, go home and practise it, teach a friend, think about it, and come back with questions, all while living your normal life.
Together, you'll be
• Learning something new
• Practising
• Challenging yourselves
• Making lifelong friends
07
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: learning something new together, practising together, challenging yourselves together and, probably, having quite a few moments of "What have I signed up for?!"
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'd enjoy belonging.
Find out
• Are there opportunities to teach?
• Are there classes for newly qualified teachers?
• Is there a graduate community?
• Can you keep attending classes?
• Are there workshops or further training?
• Is there mentoring?
• Can you ask questions once you start teaching?
08
Ask what happens after you graduate
Your relationship with your yoga school doesn't have to end when you finish your 200 hours. Find out what support is available after graduation.
That first step from trainee to teacher can feel like a big one. Real teaching experience in a supportive environment can make a huge difference to your confidence.
So don't just ask "What happens when I graduate?" Ask: "How will you help me take my first steps as a yoga teacher?"
Notice where you feel
• Completely inspired
• Immediately at home
• Excited to learn
• Excited to grow
10
Listen to what your gut is telling you
Once you've done the practical research, a few courses will probably stand out. Maybe there's one teacher whose classes make you feel completely inspired. Maybe you walk into a studio and immediately feel at home. Maybe one course makes you think: "I really want to learn this."
Don't ignore that feeling. You'll be learning, practising, questioning, teaching, making mistakes and growing, so choose somewhere you feel excited to do all of those things.
• Training hours
• Contact time with teachers
• Course materials
• Teaching practice
• Feedback and mentoring
• Class access
• Community
• Post-graduation support
• The teachers' experience
09
Don't choose based on price alone
Of course, budget matters. A yoga teacher training is a significant investment. But when you're comparing prices, make sure you're comparing what you're actually getting.
A cheaper course isn't necessarily better value. The most expensive isn't automatically the best either.
There are a lot of them!
Different yoga schools. Different styles. Different locations. Different teachers. Intensive courses, part-time courses, courses abroad, courses close to home…
If you've started looking at yoga teacher training courses, you'll probably have discovered that very quickly. 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
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Becoming a yoga teacher
Thinking about becoming a yoga teacher? Start here: exploring your options, visiting schools, choosing a format and finding a 200-hour training that feels right for you.
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