If you have been practicing yoga for a while now, you might have come across people saying, “Have you considered teaching yoga?” or “Why don’t you have your studio?” Like all things, teaching yoga is easier said than done. If you have been considering putting up a yoga studio of your own or venture into teaching yoga full-time or part-time, there is important information that you need to know on how to become a yoga instructor. Below is some important information that can help you evaluate if you are ready to plunge into the world of teaching yoga.
Cuing and Compassion
Yoga teachers should not only be good at showing you different poses that you can follow throughout your session. They should also be good at communicating or cuing. Cuing is a method of communicating with your students. It involves explaining to your students the importance of the pose and help them transition into another one. If you have been into multiple classes, you should be very familiar with this.
You also have to consider that once you become a yoga teacher, each of your sessions does not guarantee a class full of expert yogis; unless you decide to make exclusive classes for the same group of people. Compassion is another trait that you need to have. You have to empathize with your students and as to what they can, and they cannot do. Encourage them on what they are good at and help them learn and become comfortable with things that they don’t know.
The best yoga teacher should be a compassionate one other than being the best communicator.
Certification
Getting a certification is not a requirement but is dependent on your goals as an instructor. Just come to think of it this way, when you pursue teaching in a school, for example, you need to specialize in a certain field. In that way, you will be more qualified to provide instruction or conduct lessons for the field of expertise you have chosen.
Yoga has been known globally as a set of physical exercise that provides holistic development. As the practice of yoga progresses, it did become more than just moving your body and making it flexible. It has become more therapeutic.
Yoga comes in different styles. The Vinyasa is a style that allows you to sweat during practice. Therefore, this is ideal for those who want to practice yoga for weight loss. The Iyengar, on the other hand, is a style that uses props during practice and is known for therapeutic results. Your certification will help you decide and clear out a goal path for you – are you teaching yoga to encourage weight loss, or are you teaching yoga to provide therapy?
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Why train when you have ample knowledge to teach yoga? One of the most common misconceptions of teaching is that knowing something is enough. Teaching is an ongoing process, and it is important to learn constantly. Teaching is more than just possessing the ability to instruct your students and show them how to do stuff.
Participating in a teacher training program, especially the yoga teacher training program, will not only help you learn about certain styles that may come in handy in one of your sessions, but it allows you to learn the philosophy of yoga. In training, you will also learn about physiology and human anatomy and how it relates to yoga. Safety training is included in the program to avoid injuries during the sessions. It also includes practice teaching exercises that will improve your skills on how to become a yoga instructor.
You can participate in either a month-long person-intensive training done every weekend or online interactive training. The latter is a type of training where you can learn yoga at the comforts of your home, but being supervised by a trainer to help you perfect poses and to ensure your safety while doing so.
Are their training costs? Yes, there is. Depending on where you train and whom you’re training with, the cost may also vary. However, a 200-hour yoga teacher training cost starts at $1000.
Practice Teach
Practice teaching is a common exercise that you have to get used to when you are planning to become a yoga teacher. You might have seen your yoga teachers conduct their classes with ease, but it is always easier said than done. Teaching yoga requires you to multi-task – move, talk, check your students if they are doing well, assist them if needed, and more – it does take a lot of getting used to.
So practice teaching is a vital step that you should constantly put into practice. You can start teaching those people who are willing to listen to you: your closest friend, your parents, your sisters, your officemates, and the like. However, treat them as if they were your students. By doing so, it will eventually will you get used on how to become a yoga instructor. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Charging
Are you planning to teach at a studio or home? Are you renting your studio? Do you plan to have partners? Would you like to use online platforms to teach yoga? Are only some of the questions that you might want to answer to help you come up with a rate?
Online articles talking on how to become a yoga instructor can provide you with tips on how to compute for your rate as an instructor. However, your rate considers to include, but not limited to: (1) the style or styles you focus on teaching, (2) the duration of your session, and (3) the cost of conducting the entire class. To give you a ballpark figure, a yoga instructor can earn an average of $24.96 per hour.
Mailing List
You might also want to create a mailing list to allow you and your students to communicate with each other. You can exchange progress reports or updates about your lives and how yoga helped you. If you plan to have a website through your mailing list, you can get testimonies or reviews from your student that can help you reach more clientele.
Insurance
If you get insurance, that means you mean business. You get insurance to either protect your studio and your property and to prepare for unavoidable circumstances during yoga classes, you know. Although you don’t hope for such things to happen, it is always better to be ready than sorry, right?
Here are some yoga accessories to improve your posture:
Conclusion
Teaching yoga is more than a profession. It should be something that you’re passionate about. Passion is what drives someone to continue what they’re doing despite the circumstances. Consider all the information presented here. Are you willing to do all of it just for you to know how to become a yoga instructor? Take your time in assessing your decisions as it may be your basis for a huge career change or an additional responsibility to take that will affect your life. Either way, good luck! Get more tips on yoga instructor.
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