Qualities to Look for in an Authentic Yoga Teacher Training Program

If you are passionate about yoga, then being a yoga teacher can be a fulfilling career. It not only gives you a chance to make your passion your career, which only a select few are able to do but also gives you an opportunity to help others lead a healthy life.

Additionally, being a yoga trainer means that you can enhance your personal practice and dive deep into the benefits of yoga, work within the flexibilities that being a yoga trainer provides, be part of a larger yoga community, and be surrounded by like-minded people. 

However, the most important thing to consider before you start your journey as a yoga teacher is to select the right course.

This will help you get what you are looking for. Not all yoga training courses are the same and there are different aspects of them that you must consider before enrolling into it.

From things like the style of yoga you wish to learn and teach to how well you want to learn the history and philosophies of yoga and what kind of trainer you wish to train under, etc. all these are important things to know beforehand. In this article, we will tell you the qualities you must look for in an authentic yoga teacher training program.

The style of yoga

An ideal teacher training program must concentrate on specific styles and forms. Too much information will dilute the concentration and the ability to fully teach a discourse in depth. Make sure that the training course you choose teaches you the styles that you either already know or are interested in learning and teaching.

Typically, a 200 hours yoga training course focuses on any three or more techniques or styles of yoga, choose the program and training school that clearly focuses on these factors. 

Teaching skills and techniques

Next in line is what kind of teaching skills and techniques will the course provide. No matter what style of yoga you wish to teach, your training course must equip you to develop a sequence for that style of yoga, the number of classes you would require to provide for that style, and how different levels of classes would look.

Your training course must then help you put this into practice and evaluate how well you have been able to fulfill those steps and where you can improve. That apart, it should also teach you verbal cues, demonstrating techniques, teaching skills, student management, physical adjustments, etc. 

Experience the school has

Training to become a teacher means you would be passing on the information and knowledge to a number of other learners, possibly influencing their lives in a huge way.

So, it is critical that the training course you undergo must come from an experienced source. Make sure that your training school has comprehensive experience, fully-evolved courses, and well-aligned pedagogy.

Due to fierce competition, a lot of inexperienced schools also boast a well-rounded and envious online presence, misleading the learners. That is why you must do your homework. 

How experienced the teachers are

This is the most important part of your research as it will directly influence how good a trainer you become. Your teacher will shape your future, your expertise in the subject, and your teaching style.

So, it is essential that you do a thorough check of who will be teaching you, their experience, and how many training courses they have done.

Also, check which style of yoga they have expertise in and whether it aligns with your needs or not. Read their reviews online, and if possible, meet and speak to them beforehand.

All this will help you get a better understanding of your trainer and let you know if they are a suitable match to your requirements or not. 

Syllabus and curriculum 

Once you know who will teach you, it is also important to know what they will teach you in your classes. Don’t get swayed away by fancy terminology as many schools tend to do that to attract more students. Instead, focus on what you want to learn.

Your course must include comprehensive teaching of different aspects like alignment, workshops, teaching skill development, yoga philosophy, sequencing, anatomy, relaxation techniques, etc.

It must also include styles like Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, and Meditation as these are considered to be the pillars of any yoga training program.

These modules must be broken into details so that you get a thorough understanding of all these important aspects of yoga. 

The objective of the training course

Different yoga training courses concentrate on various aspects of yoga. There could be courses that focus on asanas, ancient philosophy, vinyasa yoga, roots of yoga, etc. Others would teach you about the cacao ceremony, teaching yoga to kids, hot yoga, etc.

Choose the course that lines up with what you want to teach. Whether you are inclined towards teaching the philosophy of yoga or you wish to do meditation or anatomy.

Understand your requirements, analyze the course offerings, and choose the right one. 

Taking a yoga teacher training course can kickstart your career as a yoga teacher. However, it is imperative to choose a course that is just right for you.

Yoga is a vast ocean of knowledge, techniques, and styles of practice, and equally wide is the variety of courses available. A thorough check is important to get what you want out of this course. Follow the above-mentioned steps and start a fulfilling journey of being a yoga trainer.