Best Yoga Teacher Training Programs: Find the Program that Fits Your Needs
Yoga teacher training is necessary to ensure that you are properly trained before teaching classes. It's essential to find the best yoga teacher training programs for your needs. This post will give you some ideas of what type of teacher training program might work best for you and help you decide which one is right for you.
Do you want to learn more about yoga? If you're interested, you should go to a teacher training program. This will help you learn about philosophy and technique. Yoga teachers can get a training program. It is either in-person or online. Most have 200 hours of teaching, but some provide more. This can take someone to 300 or 500 hours.
You can teach online or in-person to earn a 200-hour yoga teacher training. If you're interested in becoming self-employed, then you need to have a business license and insurance. There are many places you can teach. For example, you could teach outside of a school or in a yoga studio. You can also teach people who have special needs. But it is hard to tell which programs are good, so we help people with this. In this article, we'll talk about the pros and cons of some yoga teacher training programs. We also tell you their key specs.
1. YogaWorks
Key Specs
- Cost: $2,950+; all-inclusive starts at $4,550
- Program length: Weekday attendance takes six weeks to complete; weekends takes 3-6 months; all-inclusive takes 4-weeks
- Specialty/focus: Vinyasa-based school
Why Did We Choose It: The YogaWorks teacher training program offers two different levels of education at a reasonable price.
PROS
CONS
YogaWorks is a company that gives yoga teachers training. They have 200- and 300-hour trainings in various parts of the world. It can be taken as four weeks long or as a series over several months.
Training for yoga classes, spend time on the philosophy of yoga. People do postures and hand-on adjustments too. Focusing on teaching alignment and body anatomy is important for every YogaWorks training. The use of props helps modify postures.
The 300-hour training is more advanced. You get one-to-one coaching, and you learn more about yoga philosophy. You'll also be able to take free online classes for three months at YogaWorks' website.
Training rates vary. You can spend anywhere from $2,900 to $3,500 on month-long training.
2. Embrace Yoga DC
Key Specs
- Cost: $3,000 for 200-hour program or $4,000 for 300-hour program
- Program length: Approximately 5 months for the 200-hour program; up to 2 years for the 300-hour program
- Specialty/focus: Hatha, Vinyasa, restorative, and guided meditation
Why Did We Choose It: Embrace Yoga DC has a beginner yoga program. It is best for people who want to learn about yoga and spend more time learning than practicing.
PROS
CONS
Embrace Yoga DC is a place where many yoga teachers teach. It also offers flexible classes for people who work.
With a small class, you'll have attentive yoga teacher training that teaches all kinds of yoga. The 200 and 300-hour trainings teach you how to teach Vinyasa, Hatha, restorative, and guided meditation classes.
The founder of Embrace Yoga DC leads this class. Her name is Faith Hunter. She's been practicing for a long time and teaching since 2007. The classes are about teaching yoga to the community, but they also teach you how to practice independently.
A typical yoga curriculum includes learning asanas, including hands-on assists and differences in anatomy, pranayama techniques, philosophy, and the yoga business.
The price of the 200 and 300-hour courses ranges from around $2,900 to $4,100 and includes in-person training, along with two Skype virtual mentoring. The studio also offers various monthly payment plan options. After taking the course, you can then proceed in finding job posts for yoga instructors.
3. Vinyasa Yoga School
Key Specs
- Cost: $1,595 for 200-hour course, $1,795 for 300-hour course or $2,995 for 500-hour course
- Program length: 30 days
- Specialty/focus: Hatha, Vinyasa, pranayama, anatomy and physiology, yoga therapy, meditation, and shatkarmas
Why Did We Choose It: The Vinyasa Yoga School teaches you how to be a yoga teacher. You can choose to do a 200- or 300-hour course. The school is intensive and immersive and has a focus on Vinyasa yoga.
PROS
CONS
If you're looking forward to becoming an instructor and learning more about yoga, you can go to teacher training. One of those is in Rishikesh.
This Indian city is located in the foothills of the Himalayans. It is near a river called the Ganges, which is well-known for yoga and meditation ashrams. Vinyasa Yoga School, one of the first schools in Rishikesh to offer this kind of yoga, has different yoga teacher training programs. These are for people who want to be a teacher. There are 200-, 300-, and 500-hour classes.
The school's 300- and 500-hour trainings last for a month. The training happens with participants living on-site, studying yoga six days a week. The school wants future teachers to understand that yoga is more than just physical postures.
If you want to learn about the practice of yoga, then Vinyasa Yoga School might be a good fit. The programs spend a lot of time on the spiritual and silent aspects of yoga, such as pranayama, meditation techniques, mantras, and more.
Some of the money you pay for your teacher training goes to fund non-profit work like giving food and teaching yoga in the local community. A 200-hour teacher training, perfect for beginners who want to get started with yoga, costs around $1,595.
In this program, you can go to 30 days of training. You will have private rooms and all the meals. You also get four-weekend trips and a Yoga Alliance RYT200 certificate when you finish.
4. Oil Yoga
Key Specs
- Cost: Varies from $1,030 to $1,300
- Program length: 30 days
- Specialty/focus: Basics of vinyasa and Hatha styles
Why Did We Choose It: Oil Yoga is a type of yoga where they teach you about breathing and have proper alignment.
PROS
CONS
Oil Yoga instructors Tripta and Stephanie teach yoga in Goa, India, Paris, France, and Ubud. They focus on teaching Hatha and vinyasa styles of yoga to their students.
In Hatha yoga, you learn about the correct way to do different poses and how to breathe. You will also learn about why you are doing certain poses and what they can do for your life.
Their training is in Goa, known for its beaches and slow life. This place has Portuguese influences. It is near the ocean and nature.
Usually, the session begins at 7 am with a 90-minute asana practice, followed by breakfast and a few theory classes and workshops. In the evenings, people sing kirtans or do guide meditations or pranayama sessions.
Course fees vary. But a month-long course, 200-hour teacher training immersion with Oil Yoga can be from around $1,030 to $1,300.
5. One Breath of Yoga
Key Specs
- Cost: $2,800
- Program length: 26 days
- Specialty/focus: Yoga is a practice that has theories, philosophy, and ethics. It also has different kinds of yoga-like vinyasa sequencing. Yoga also has plants and medicine, which it uses to do yoga.
Why Did We Choose It: One Breath of Yoga focuses on the traditional Ashtanga practice. It also covers yoga philosophy and its theory of it.
PROS
CONS
One Breath of Yoga is a place for people who want to practice the traditional form of Ashtanga Yoga. It's also a place to meditate and learn Mysore-style Yoga.
This serene ashram is in the middle of a Mayan jungle in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. It places a lot of importance on how we connect with our environment.
We offer months-long immersions and teacher training. These include pranayama and meditation techniques. Furthermore, students have access to other traditional Mexican healing ceremonies such as cacao, medicinal plant, and rebirth ceremonies.
There is even a place to do sweat. People can use it if they want. There are beaches in Mexico that are less than three miles away.
Rates might differ depending on the workshop and training that you want. There are also places to stay, but they have Wi-Fi and a kitchen. All the food is vegan and raw.
6. Y7 Studio
Key Specs
- Cost: $2,600
- Program length: About three months, four days a week
- Specialty/focus: Over 100 Asanas, philosophy, meditation, pranayama, and the yoga industry are all covered in this community-based curriculum.
Why Did We Choose It: Y7 Studios' high-temperature classes are one of the reasons this teacher training program made a list. They offer a comprehensive online teacher training course that is appropriate for all levels.
PROS
CONS
Y7 Studio wants to make yoga accessible for people who have never done it. They like to do this by changing the traditional rules that people have about yoga so that it is inclusive and available for everyone.
The brand's candle-lit classes focus on high-energy music and hot temperatures. The studios are heated between 80 to 90 degrees to help blood circulation and increase flexibility.
Hands-on training is important in Y7. There are over 100 poses that you will learn about and the proper alignment technique for each pose.
Yoga training is now offered online. The company has moved their training to make it more interesting. Yoga, its philosophy, and meditation are all parts of the Y7 curriculum.
The 200-hour teacher training costs approximately $2,800, and you need to pay a deposit. They also offer a payment plan with six payments of $467 per month with no interest. Scholarships are available for teachers in need, and they prefer teachers who want to spread the practice of yoga with their communities.
Conclusion
Choosing a yoga teacher training course is a personal decision. Decide on what type of yoga you want. It's important to think about the cost and location, as well as the length of the program. The good thing about this is that there are various programs for teacher training. At Yoga Works, you can either take the classes in person or online. Vinyasa Yoga School offers an all-inclusive experience for students. Oil Yoga and One Breath Yoga offer an immersive experience for students. And Embrace yoga D.C. offers a comprehensive program for people who live in Washington D.C.
For more information about yoga teacher training programs, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yoga Teacher Training Programs
There are many different types of yoga. Picking the right kind is hard because there are so many choices.
If you've been going to a certain style of yoga class and like it, then your choice is easy. Next, you need to think about where you want to get training.
Usually, teachers go abroad to India, Mexico, and Southeast Asia for training. Training lasts three or four weeks. The training cost includes both the room and board.
Some yoga schools offer different things that are related to yoga. These are called add-ons. They vary depending on the location, but they can be adventure tours or cultural immersion programs.
A certified yoga teacher training program meets the standards that are required to teach. If you want a certificate, look for a teacher training where at the end of it you can be registered as a yoga instructor.
What that means is that you get a certificate from Yoga Alliance. They are recognized and have strict rules for training programs. Schools that they certify can give 200-, 300- and 500-hour courses in yoga.
Studios that are Yoga Alliance-certified will have the Yoga Alliance logo on all of their courses. If you don't know, ask the school.
The first number of registered yoga teachers is 200 hours. This means that they have finished the training for teaching, and they have the required hours to teach. The second number is 500, which means that this person has done both the 200-hour training and an additional 300 hours of specialized training. The training is separate from the 200-hour training and makes you more experienced. You must be certified to be a yoga teacher if you have 200 hours of teaching experience.
Yoga Alliance is a reputable organization for yoga. They offer certificates to teachers who have graduated from a registered school.
While yoga teacher training is for people who want to become teachers, you do not need to start teaching once you finish the program.
Everyone who joins yoga teacher training sessions joins not just to become a yoga teacher but also to get more information about the philosophy of yoga. Some people also join to get better at their personal practice. We have picked our top choices for these sessions for anyone who is interested in them, no matter their reasons.
We made sure that the teacher training programs we recommend were all-encompassing, well-received by past students, had a comprehensive curriculum and structure, and offered multiple sessions throughout the year.
To do this, we checked the Yoga Alliance's list of recommended schools and teacher training courses. We read reviews from people who had taken classes at these schools. There were both negative and positive reviews.
For some yogis, we sought their opinion on what to do in the future. They paid attention to diversity and were not just thinking about making changes in the curriculum but also with who teaches and learns yoga.
To start a yoga teacher training program, decide if you want to register with the RYS. After that, make a manual and choose a curriculum. Set your training schedule and get the financials worked out. Then get ready for your first class.
Anyone can do yoga teacher training. It doesn't require you to be young or strong. Women, men, students in college, and everyone else can come.
As classes are hard and challenging, we recommend that you have a good yoga practice before coming. You should do yoga for 4-6 months before coming to class.
The income of yoga teachers varies greatly. Some yoga teacher earn $30,000 USD or less per year. Other people might earn $300,000 USD or more per year. It seems like the people who earn the most all have one thing in common: They get most of their money outside the studio.
You don't need to be flexible to teach yoga training. There are people who are of all shapes and sizes that want to become teachers. And when you practice teaching, it is important to teach people of all shapes and sizes so that you can get used to making adjustments for everyone.
Do not worry about your fears. You will be fine. Maybe think about the thing that makes you feel nervous, then do tricks to help it. Plan a little bit before you teach, then let go when you are teaching. It is all coming with practice. Do not compare yourself to others or limit yourself because of what other people say about you.
You'll know if you passed or failed. You will also take a test after you finish training that has questions from the quizzes given throughout the training. If you fail, you must retake it before teaching your final class.