Finding the Best Yoga Teacher Training Program for You

Are you thinking about making the transition from being a student of yoga to a yoga instructor? These days, it seems that nearly every yoga studio offers a yoga teacher training program. For yoga studios, training instructors is big business. However, how do you know which programs are the most qualified? The following three questions will help you find the best yoga teacher training programs for you.

1. What will your job prospects be after you complete the program?

Before embarking on a teacher training program, you need to know why you want to enter such a program in the first place. If you are counting on earning part, or all of your income, as a yoga instructor in the same area where you're taking the teacher training, you should know that many yoga studios prefer to hire graduates of their own training programs. From the yoga studio's point of view, hiring their own graduates makes perfect sense: They will already be familiar with the future instructor, that instructor's skills, and that instructor's teaching philosophy.

What if it's obvious to you that the place where you're seeking teacher training already has more than enough instructors? If your favorite hometown yoga studio is a small operation that already has a stable of part-time and/or full-time instructors, you probably shouldn't plan on getting a job there when your training is finished.

2. Do you want to open your own studio?

If your goal is to open your own yoga studio, then you might consider seeking a well-known instructor or teacher training program like Bikram Choudhury that can offer you the kind of training and marketing skills you'll need to draw new students. In this scenario, your hometown yoga studio might not be the best place to complete your teacher training.

With all that said, you could also take an online course from a famous studio, with information about business and marketing. Some people will tell you marketing isn't important. If they practice what they preach, they don't make any money. Think about it - if you teach for nothing, you make nothing, and your students will think yoga is worthless. The final choice is up to you, but those who don't ask, don't get paid, and don't get any respect.

3. Do you think yoga should incorporate a spiritual aspect?

In ancient India, training in physical yoga was inseparable from training the mind and soul. In this modern-day, most of the world's yoga studios and classes tend to shy away from the spiritual side of yoga.

You need to know how much of the spiritual side of yoga you want to embrace as a student and as a future teacher. Some yoga teacher trainings include the study of spiritual scriptures; other programs do not include very much spirituality at all. You should find out in advance how much of the teacher training will include a spiritual aspect and decide if its incorporation is important to you or not.

Conclusion

Most onsite teacher training programs cost between $2,000 and $10,000. Since that's a significant investment for most people, be sure to think carefully about the three questions listed above, before making the plunge into a yoga teacher training program. Some people go broke spending all of their savings on teacher training. How can you recover financially, if you spend all of your savings, and load up your credit card with huge debt? Remember that distance learning and online yoga certification programs are an option that can save you a lot of money.

Question everything! You will hear many myths about how to become a yoga teacher. Some people will tell you that you have to stand on your head first. Some people will tell you that you have to join this or that organization. Do your research and make the best decision for you. No two yoga teaching positions are the same, so apply at a few different places or send resumes. One thing I can tell you is: if you want to become an instructor take a reasonably priced course, get yoga certified, get liability insurance, and pay your taxes, when you start making money.

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