How to Become a Yoga Teacher: 3 Paths to Leading a Yoga Class

Teaching yoga can be rewarding. There’s something satisfying about helping others feel better mentally and physically. Yoga instructors can make a decent wage too. Indeed data reveals that the average salary for a yoga instructor in the U.S. is $77,979 per year (1).

If yoga teacher sounds like a good career for you, you may be wondering how to get started. Here we explain your options as there is more than one way to become a yoga teacher. We also share which is best for setting yourself up for yoga teaching success.

How to Become a Yoga Teacher

Some career roles have a clearly defined path. Imagine that you want to become a lawyer, for example. You must first take and pass the Law School Admission Test or LSAT. Then you go to law school and pass the state bar exam. At this point, you can practice law. Well, the path is not as defined for those interested in teaching yoga.

Instead of having one singular path, there are many avenues to becoming a yoga instructor. Here are three to consider.

Option 1: Complete Yoga Instructor Training 

The first option is yoga training. If you want to work at a yoga studio, teacher training may be required. Even if it isn’t, it helps provide a solid foundation for teaching yoga. You learn about effective yoga instruction cues and breathing techniques. You also learn how to modify yoga postures for a student with movement issues, and more. 

The length of time it takes to complete yoga teacher training can vary. Some courses can be finished in a few weeks. Others may take several months. 

Your schedule can have an impact on training length. This is particularly true if the training program is self-paced. Maybe you can commit 20 hours per week toward your training. If so, you can finish your course in half the time than if you are only able to put in 10 hours weekly.

Option 2: A Long History of Yoga Experience

Another path to becoming a yoga teacher is with experience. Maybe you’ve had a long-standing personal practice and now want to share your passion for yoga with others. There are many benefits to being a yoga student before you pursue teaching.

One is that you’ve likely done almost every yoga pose. You understand how each one feels, as well as how to transition into and out of it. This knowledge can be helpful when designing your own yoga class. 

As a student, you’ve also probably tried different yoga styles—hatha yoga, yoga nidra, hot yoga, etc. This can give you greater insight into the one you’d like to teach. You might know from your experience that you like Yin yoga most, for instance. Or perhaps you prefer Ashtanga yoga or Vinyasa yoga. Teaching this same style to others can make your role as a yoga instructor more enjoyable.

A long history of yoga experience also makes it easier to move into a teacher role. It adds credibility to your authority as a yoga instructor. When you live according to yoga philosophy, it becomes easier for students to accept and apply your advice.

Option 3: A Long-Standing Yoga Practice Plus Teacher Training

Perhaps the best route to becoming a teacher is a combination of the previous two. When you combine a long-standing yoga practice with teacher training, you can become an even stronger yoga teacher.

Experience helps you better understand how different poses feel, or even how yoga helps improve health and fitness overall. You may also have experienced some of the challenges your future students might face. You might perform a certain pose improperly, for instance, leading to discomfort or pain. You can help your students avoid the same with proper cueing techniques.

In teacher training, you learn how to help others engage in a yoga practice while honoring their physical limitations. One example is if you have a student who is pregnant. 

The American Pregnancy Association shares that yoga can help reduce back pain, decrease nausea and headaches, and lower the chances of preterm labor during pregnancy (2). However, it also makes important recommendations for pregnant yoga practitioners. They include:

• not doing yoga in a hot environment as it can lead to hyperthermia

• not doing poses that involve lying on your back or stretching the abdominal area

• not practicing yoga at all if you are at risk for premature labor

Yoga teacher training helps you understand individual student needs. It also enables you to devise a sequence that meets these needs while still adhering to safety standards. Often, this involves using yoga props.

Earning Your Yoga Instructor Certification

An additional factor to consider when becoming a yoga teacher is certification. Becoming a certified yoga teacher helps affirm your knowledge in this area. It tells others that you understand how to create a safe, effective yoga class. It also adds credibility to you as a teacher.

Becoming a certified yoga instructor requires taking a yoga teacher certification course. This may be the same course that you take for yoga teacher training. Then, once it’s finished, you have your yoga certification.

Most yoga teacher training courses will tell you whether they end in certification right on the website. If you want the certification to have more power, select a course that is aligned with the Yoga Alliance.

Becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance

The Yoga Alliance is an organization that helps set the standards in yoga teacher training. A training institution registered with the Yoga Alliance is called a Registered Yoga School or RYS. An RYS has met the curriculum requirements to provide yoga instructor certification. A student completing training at a Yoga Alliance-approved school is then qualified to become a Registered Yoga Teacher or RYT.

Although registering with the Yoga Alliance isn’t required to work as a yoga teacher, there are some benefits to taking this step. They include:

• earning a designation recognized throughout the yoga industry, which can help you get your first job as a new RYT

• access to tools that you can use as a yoga instructor

• the ability to network with other Yoga Alliance professionals

• mental health support

• discounts on yoga-based products and services

Yoga Alliance offers a variety of RYT options. Some require 200 hours of training and others require 500 hours of training. You must also complete 30 continuing education hours every three years and pay annual membership dues to retain your RYT credential.

Getting Started: Finding a Yoga Teacher Training Course

If you’re ready to pursue a yoga teacher training program, the next step is to find a course. When considering your options, it helps to identify the factors most important to you. This may include the cost or the length of the course. Also consider whether the training is in-person or online. 

Online yoga teacher training allows you to take the course when and where it’s most convenient for you. As long as you have an internet connection, you can access the training materials.

ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy offers a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training course. This course is approved by the Yoga Alliance. In it, you will learn teaching and cueing principles, yoga for meditation, sequencing, and more. In addition to online lectures and readings, you also gain access to live weekly virtual study sessions.

References

1. Yoga instructor salary in United States. Indeed. (2023, July 27). https://www.indeed.com/career/yoga-instructor/salaries 

2. Admin, A. (2023, June 1). Prenatal yoga. American Pregnancy Association. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/prenatal-yoga/