Becoming a yoga teacher offers many job opportunities, but requires certification through a 200 or 500 hour program certified by the Yoga Alliance. Training programs can be intensive, expensive, and may require living locally. Yoga teachers usually work as contract employees and don’t make a lot of money, but there are opportunities to teach yoga in various settings and benefit others.
Becoming a yoga teacher is a rewarding step with a huge number of job opportunities. Yoga is very popular these days, due in large part to its low-impact yet surprisingly challenging workout. Deciding to become a yoga teacher will certainly improve your job opportunities.
If you’ve decided to become a yoga teacher, chances are you’ve been taking yoga classes for some time now. If you haven’t, you’ll certainly want to make a weekly class part of your routine and make a personal yoga practice part of your daily schedule. Most people who practice yoga also take a comprehensive approach – that means meditating daily, eating healthy meals, practicing breathing techniques, and often doing volunteer work. While all of these aspects of yoga aren’t necessary, it can help you decide if this really is the career path for you.
It can feel overwhelming at first, trying to decide where to start. In order to become a yoga teacher, you will need to receive certification. Certifications are offered in the form of 200 and 500 hour programs. Each of these programs needs to be certified by the Yoga Alliance in order for you to include the initials “RYT” after your name, which stands for Registered Yoga Teacher.
The best place to start is with your favorite yoga studio or instructor. If you regularly attend classes at a yoga studio, it’s possible that the studio offers a certification program. If not, your instructor can direct you to a location that does. Most yoga teacher training programs are offered in 200 and 500 hour increments. 200 hours must be completed before 500 hours; you cannot go directly to 500 hour programs.
200 hour programs naturally require 200 hours of instruction and are the first step towards becoming a certified yoga teacher. 500-hour programs are the next step towards deepening your practice and knowledge as a certified instructor. If you’re looking for employment at an established yoga studio, you’ll need to check and see if they only require a 200-hour or 500-hour certification; if you’re opening your own studio, however, it’s your choice how far you should pursue your education.
There are other issues to consider when starting a training program to become a yoga teacher. You will need to decide if you want to attend an intensive programme, which may require you to live locally for a few weeks or months. Other programs offer weekend and evening instruction, while others offer distance learning. Searching the Yoga Alliance website is the best way to find certified teacher training courses.
Programs to become a yoga teacher are also quite expensive. Most range between $2,000 and $5,000. Keep in mind that yoga teachers usually don’t make a lot of money, especially if you are establishing your own business. Often, health benefits, vacations, and a retirement plan are not included, as you are more likely to work as a contract employee at a yoga studio than a full-time employee.
Some people choose to become a yoga teacher and then teach yoga in their spare time. There are many varieties of yoga to learn and teach, and many ways to benefit others. You can choose to donate your time by giving free yoga classes, or you can work teaching yoga in a physical therapy program. The options are virtually endless when you’re a certified yoga teacher.
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