Is a teacher training for me?
Many of you, who have practiced yoga for a while, feel the calling to go deeper into your practice. Perhaps you want to improve your technique or perhaps you are curious about the yoga Philosophy that is mentioned in the context of modern yoga. The option is often to do a yoga teacher training YTT, simply because any further education in Yoga are offered under this label.
Which teacher training should I choose?
There are several thing to consider when you look for a teacher training, the format of the training, the level of experience it requires, and whether you are planning to teach or not. Then of course there is the cost and commitment required.
What is best, online or live YTTs?
YTTs comes in all shapes and sizes: they are offered as 100% online programs, pre recorded or live-streamed, they are offered as retreat-style immersion in exotic resorts, or they are offered as a series of live gatherings spread out over several months. If you are quite new to yoga, i.e. you don’t have an established practice, an online course will probably not be the best choice. You need the support of a group and set times to practice in order to develop your practice, and a live teacher can assist and guide you hands-on. For the established practitioner, on the other hand, an online course might be a useful upgrade to your existing practice.
What level of experience is required, can I do a YTT as a beginner?
These days you can engage in a teacher training even if you are a beginner, but I would strongly recommend that you gain some experience of yoga beforehand. An intensive training will be very exhausting physically and mentally with heaps of new stuff to learn and demanding practice on top of that. You will likely get a lot more out of your TTC if you put in some hours in the studio beforehand.
What kind of accreditation is there for yoga teachers?
The most common accreditation is Yoga Alliance 200, 300 or 500hrs. This means that you will gain a certificate at the completion of the course for that time you put in. You can then sign up with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher. Some yoga schools may ask for this when you apply for work, but not all. I should also mention that a YA accreditation does not guarantee the quality of the course. It is therefore important to make sure that your course is run by an experienced teacher who is recognized in the yoga community.
What are the cost of doing a Yoga Teacher Training?
The price of YTT’s vary. You should make sure that you get what you are paying for, namely a good quality education run by experienced staff and a course that challenges you and provides useful knowledge. To be honest, you pretty much get what you pay for. I have for example seen several YA 200hrs courses offered at ridiculously cheap rates in places like Goa and Nepal. Usually these courses are taught by teachers who are no more than students themselves, and they mostly attract travelers with extra time to kill. (There are of course exceptions that I’ll be happy to recommend!)
My best advice:
Finally, I would like to remind you that yoga is a life long learning process. There are infinite things to be studied concerning the body and mind, which is the subject of yoga, and our understanding of the history and practice of yoga is continuously evolving. A YTT may set you off in good direction and spark your interest in Yoga – even open your eyes, but your deeper learning and integration will come from steady personal practice, guidance from experienced teachers, and the willingness to keep showing up.