How to Become a Yoga Teacher (Featuring Brett Larkin)
Today, Brett Larkin has teamed up with beYogi, to talk about what it takes to become a yoga teacher. As you might already know, beYogi offers all-inclusive yoga insurance for yoga teachers, teacher trainees, and students.
So, if you have been wondering what it takes to become a yoga teacher here is Brett Larkin's personal short list of everything she thinks you should know before you begin your yoga journey.
1. Have Compassion.
Being a yoga teacher is not about being able to do all the fancy poses such as Headstand or Forearm Stand. It's actually about cueing, which means effectively using your voice to tell people what to do with their bodies. So, don’t get down on yourself if you can’t do all the super fancy poses because really good teachers have great cueing, are extremely compassionate, and appreciate their students.
2. Get Certified.
Certification in the yoga world is something that is in flux. Yoga is not really regulated by the state or at the national level. You can pay Yoga Alliance for permission to use their RYT trademark after your name, but it doesn’t actually mean anything at the state or national level, so it might not be worth doing, based on your personal goals.
3. Enroll in Yoga Teacher Training.
You most definitely want to do some sort of yoga teacher training (YTT) if you are interested in becoming a yoga teacher. The most common format is to participate in what is called a 200-hour yoga teacher training. In those 200 hours, you will cover everything from teaching anatomy, philosophy, and so much more. You can participate in a 200-hour YTT all at once in a month-long, in-person intensive, over the course of several weekends or you can do a 200-hour training online.
If you do decide to enroll in something online, make sure it’s interactive and you’re getting direct feedback and support from a teacher over video conference.
beYogi's Tip: We highly suggests you check out Brett Larkin's online yoga teacher training!
4. Practice Teaching.
You will most definitely want to practice teaching! I think a lot of people think they are going to complete their 200-hour certification and feel confident right off the bat. The reality is, that it takes years to build up that confidence to have a presence in your teaching and to have a strong voice. You will want to practice teaching everyone you can—teach your mom, your friend, or even your dog. Start logging those teaching hours because just like anything in life, the more you do it the better you are going to be.
5. Charge people.
Charge money to people who take your classes! Whether you are teaching in a studio, hosting yoga events in your home, or partnering with local restaurants to have a yoga and wine night—you should most definitely be charging people who take your classes.
6. Connect with your students.
Start a mailing list to have a way to keep in touch with the people who take part in your classes and who enjoy your classes. This is one of the most important step when becoming a yoga teacher!
7. Purchase yoga insurance.
Last, but not least—don’t forget to purchase yoga insurance! Once you have that you are truly in business.
beYogi is my top pick for yoga insurance! They offer yoga teachers and teacher trainees access to affordable, all-inclusive yoga liability insurance.. Drawing on their experience and knowledge of the yoga world, beYogi has designed a yoga insurance program that covers whatever style you’re teaching, wherever you are, whenever you need it.
And that's not all, beYogi also offers an extremely affordable student policy for only $25 a year as well as a part-time policy for only $159 a year! It truly cannot get much better than that.
So hopefully, these tips help you as you embark on your journey to becoming a yoga teacher! By getting certified, investing in yoga insurance, and connecting with you students, you can become a successful yoga teacher in no time. If you feel passionate about yoga and the learning process behind becoming a teacher then you should take that next step, there is no time like the present!