Yoga is becoming more and more popular around the world. The need for trained instructors who have completed a qualified yoga teacher training (YTT) or yoga teacher certification (YTC) program is also increasing. (Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Teacher Certification mean the same thing, the title of the program depends on the preference of the school.)
To fill this gap to get more certified teachers, there are more and more training programs offered at studios and schools, both near home and internationally.
What to look for in a yoga teaching course
1. The most important thing to look at when researching programs is, who is the director of the teacher training? Have you studied with this person and do you like their style? Does their philosophy resonate with you? Are they easily accessible? Do they live by the words they speak, or at least try to?
2. Next, look at training dates for the training. Do the dates fit your schedule? Some certification programs offer the whole training at once, some offer it on weekends only, and others offer weekend trainings in combination with some yoga teacher training requirements through the week.
3. Can you afford the yoga teacher training, or are there payment plans or scholarships available to make your training more manageable?
4. Is the yoga training offered at a Registered Yoga School (RYS) through the Yoga Alliance? The Yoga Alliance is the most respected yoga organization in the country. If you’re serious about learning and teaching, then do yourself a favor and go for a 200-hour Yoga Alliance-recognized program at a Registered Yoga School.
When to do your training locally
Unless you want to be part of a lineage of like Ananda, Kundalini, Kripalu, Sivananda, Kriya, and so on – where you will need to go to a yoga center or ashram outside of your area to study – it is a good idea to study in the area you intend to teach.
Why? Because your local yoga school will have insight into how to reach people in the area, how to market to them, and how to attract people to your classes once you graduate from your training. If the yoga teacher training has a service project as part of the requirements, some of the people you meet in your community classes may very well become your first clients. Not to mention, a director from the area will have a list of connections for places you can contact and possibly teach once you graduate from the YTT. You’ll also get support from the people you go through training with once the program is finished, because most of them will live in the area. You’ll become lifelong friends with many of your fellow trainees.
