10 Things to know about Yoga Teacher Training
1 – Do you want to teach after or to improve your practice and knowledge?
Most of you will decide to do their first teacher training because they want to become a yoga teacher, no matter the reason, maybe you love it and want to share it with the world, or perhaps you are made to teach and share knowledge or just because you want to change your life career, all the reason is good, the world needs more Yoga Teacher. But some of you don’t want to teach after, and it’s totally fine, wishing improving your knowledge in any topics of Yoga is a good idea and maybe after you will change your plan, never try never know!
2 – What style to choose? Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga….
Well, there is so many Yoga Style, especially in the modern world, so the questions are what kind of yoga are you actually practicing? Did you try different styles since you start practicing? Do you want to learn a new style? Wow! More questions coming, from my experience I always suggest to start with basic and traditional Yoga style, Hatha, Vinyasa or Ashtanga is a good start but it’s 3 different styles, another way to do it is to choose a mix Yoga Teacher Training combining 2 Yoga Style as our Vinyasa and Yin Yoga Program Bali, with this kind of program you will learn the 2 main aspects of yoga Yin and Yang that’s it the perfect balance because we all need few yins in our yang and vice versa.
Both yoga styles offer you so many possibilities in terms of sequencing, strength, playing with asana, and rhythm…
3 – Yoga Alliance accreditation or not?
That’s the question most of our future students ask us often, and to be honest, the answer is not that simple. It will depend on what you want to do after and where you plan to teach? Indeed if your plan is to teach professionally and internationally the answer is yes! Many students base their choice on the Yoga Alliance Accreditation because this accreditation assures you receive all the basics you need to teach safely, confidently, and with ethics. In fact to be a registered Yoga school to Yoga Alliance you have to fit all the pre-requirement of it. But in some countries, nobody will ask you if the training you took was a Yoga Teacher Training Alliance accredited so better to check with the studio around you to know what’s your country law and requirement are and of course, if you don’t plan to teach after the YA accreditation is not mandatory.
4 – Are you ready for it?
Oh ok, are you still asking this question to yourself? So stop it and just jump into it, of course, you are ready. Some schools have a long list of pre-requirement but to be honest, if you love yoga and you have an open mind ready to learn, you are ready. That’s it!
5 – Where to do it?
Another super good question, isn’t it? Different possibilities are in the market again, so again it’s not an easy answer but I would like to suggest combining the fact of embarking on a Yoga Teacher Training and discovering a new country. Some places like India or Bali are super popular for yin yang, vinyasa, and hatha yoga teacher training, and in fact, India is the nest of yoga as we all know so if you want a deep deep immersion in yoga, the country goes for it but to be honest, you should choose Bali, and it’s not because I’m leaving here for 8 years… or maybe yes. This country has so much to offer, for example, if you decide to join us in Nusa Lembongan you will discover a small island away from the crowd of Bali, surrounded by white sandy beaches, which allow you to surf or dive during your free time, the Hinduism culture, the island lifestyle, and of course our amazing teacher trainer, so what are waiting to join us! The studio is located at 3 min walking distance from the beach.
6 – How to choose the Yoga Teacher and the school?
7 – How many hours? What’s the difference between long and short training courses?
You could find yourself lost in all the different formats of the Yoga Teacher Training course. So let me explain, the most common teacher training you will find is the famous 200h and in fact, I think is the base, it will establish the starting of your journey into the yoga world. During a 200h teacher training, you will explore all the basics of yoga that will give you a solid foundation to start your journey. And then you could decide to follow a complementary module as a 50hr Yin Yoga Teacher training or maybe an Anatomy Teacher Training.
If you are busy people maybe you should prefer to follow different short training and travel through different topics, just be aware Yoga Alliance will not count this hour to certify you as a yoga teacher, because for them the beginning is the 200h, but anyway do it in your own way.
Then you could be interested in a 300h or 500h yoga training course, this course is a deeper course where you will dive deeply through the different topics of yoga. So if you have the time and really want to go profoundly into the yoga world, do it!
8 – Look after yourself
Yoga teacher training courses are a mix of physical practice and sitting time. When you are moving your body from a sitting position to a yoga posture, be mindful and kind; injuries on a training course may occur if you think you ‘need’ to be able to do a certain posture in order to be a teacher. Listen to your body, remember you’re just at the beginning, and that the best teachers are the ones who have had to learn for themselves first and can pass on the wisdom and experience to others.
9 – Check the read list and read as much as you can before but don’t overwhelm yourself.
Baghavad Gita, Yoga Sutra and the 8 limbs, Asana postures, Anatomy, History, the Chakras… there are so many topics to study in Yoga, so if you have the time it could be a good idea to read a few books on the reading list before arriving at the yoga training program, but don’t overwhelm yourself treat the learning process as a journey. Don’t focus on the end destination of actually teaching a class. Instead, break down what your primary goal is and then continue to build upon it one step at a time.
10 – Be ready to embrace your emotions and feeling
There’s going to be a lot of crying! Whether they’re your tears or someone else’s, crying is often a big part of yoga teacher training. Self-development is a huge aspect; it’s important to let go of your baggage before standing up in front of a group of people and telling them to let go of theirs….
Tiredness, unexpected emotions, and even a sense of being overwhelmed are totally normal when you choose to study something in-depth. A journey of growth and self-discovery is usually not possible without some discomfort
Crying after yoga, crying before yoga, crying during yoga, and crying through the lectures. It all happens, let it flow…
The last bonus thing, remember embarking on the journey of Yoga Teacher Training is just the beginning. You are starting a long path of learning from yourself and others, studying many different aspects…
For any questions or information about our program, please check our Yoga Teacher Training program page or email me at contact@yoga-dunia.com, I am here to assist you.
Hope to meet you soon for one of our Yoga Teacher Programs in Nusa Lembongan, Bali.