Becoming a yoga teacher can be a rewarding experience, as well as a great chance to take your own personal practice to the next level.
Some yogis practice for decades before choosing to become an instructor, while others start teaching much earlier in their practice. There’s no right or wrong answer to when you’ll be ready to start teaching. But there are a few things you can do during your journey to help you become a better instructor.
If you’re thinking about starting your teacher training at Sun Rock Yoga, keep reading to learn a few of our top tips for starting your teaching journey.
Try a Variety of Yoga Classes
One of the best things you can do when starting your journey to becoming a yoga instructor is to take as many different types of yoga classes as possible. This is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, it’s great for furthering your own yoga practice. As an instructor, you’ll want to be comfortable and confident with your skills and abilities. As with any sport or hobby, the more that you practice, the better you’ll be.
Another reason to take as many yoga classes as possible is that it’s great to be exposed to many different styles of yoga. You may learn new poses that you’ll want to share in your own classes. Or, you may even find a new style of yoga that you’d like to teach. There are an endless number of styles of yoga out there, and the same style of yoga can be taught very differently by different instructors in different yoga studios. If you’re always taking the same classes, you may never realize that there’s another style of yoga that resonates with you.
Even before you’ve found the best places to do yoga training, you’re already developing your style as an instructor, whether you realize it or not. Your own personality will have a big impact on the type of teacher you become. But you’ll likely also be influenced by the instructors you have in the yoga classes you take.
Maybe you love the quiet approach that one instructor takes or the way that another takes the time to address a student’s concerns about their posture. In any case, you’ll no doubt be filing those thoughts away to apply what you’ve witnessed in your own classes. The more yoga classes you take, the more you’ll have a chance to develop your teaching style.
Find the Best Places to Do Yoga Training
Perhaps the most important step in starting your journey to becoming an instructor is to find the best places to do yoga training in your area. A quick Google search for “places to become a yoga instructor near me” will likely generate tons of results. However, not all yoga teacher training programs are created equal.
When searching for the best places to do yoga training, there are a few things you should look for. First, check what type of certification they offer. The Yoga Alliance is one of the gold standards of yoga teaching. If a program offers a Yoga Alliance certification, you can rest assured that you’ll be receiving the training you need to safely and effectively teach your own students. Having this certification can also improve your chances of getting a teaching position in a studio in the future.
The program you choose should include a blend of at least a few different styles of yoga. That way, you’ll be better prepared to teach different yoga classes in the future. Your yoga training should include an overview of not only the history of yoga, as well as of human anatomy. A convenient schedule is also important. If you’ll struggle to complete the course material or make it to classes on time, you may risk not completing the training program.
Finally, the best places to do yoga training will offer you a chance to practice your new skills. At our Sun Rock studio, we offer every student the opportunity to teach what they’ve learned in our CommUnity Classes.
Be Yourself
Taking note of the things that your favorite yoga instructors do is a great way to start preparing for your own teaching experience. However, it’s important to always strive to be yourself.
One of the unique things about yoga is that every instructor brings their own unique personality and style to the classes that they teach. Your future students will book your classes to continue enjoying your unique style. While completing your teacher training and taking classes, think about how you’ll bring your unique personality into your future classes.
Never Stop Learning
Even after you’ve earned your yoga teacher training, it’s important to never stop learning or furthering your skills. Your teacher training is only the beginning. Attending other workshops and yoga retreats in Utah can help you develop new skills or learn new techniques.
At our St George studio, we offer a variety of workshops and retreats every year. Our Sun Rock Yoga retreats are a great opportunity to learn new and unique skills from our instructors as well as visiting instructors. This year alone, we have a variety of upcoming workshops ranging from a class on Creative Sequencing & Meditation to a course on Yoga and Business.
Starting Your Yoga Teacher Training
Becoming a yoga instructor can be a rewarding experience, not to mention a great way to further your own practice. Whether you plan to teach in a studio or want to be able to instruct your family and friends, your journey starts with finding the best places to do yoga training.
At Sun Rock Yoga, we offer both 200-hour and 300-hour teacher training. Both programs are Yoga Alliance Certified and utilize a hybrid curriculum that blends in-person classes with an online portal.
If you’re ready to take your yoga journey to the next level, check out our Yoga Teacher Training program today!