What to Look For in a Yoga Teacher Training Program

You’ve been practicing yoga for a while now. You started because you wanted to de-stress or get fit, stretch out or prevent or recover from injury. As your practice progressed and your understanding of yoga deepened your interest grew. Now you practice nearly every day and you want to know more! 

Perhaps you are looking for a way to deepen your personal practice or maybe you want to share your love for yoga with others. Either way, we hear you! That’s why we offer Yoga Alliance (Australia) accredited 200hr teacher training programs. We were the first in Newcastle to do so, and whether you choose our program (our next teacher training program starts on the 29th of January 2015) or another there are a few things you should consider before you start:

1.     There are now hundreds of yoga teacher training programs at your fingertips. Some will be of a very high quality, others less so. It can be daunting to sift through all of the information out there but you can be assured that a program that is registered with Yoga Alliance (Australia) meets some minimum training standards and this will ensure that your qualification is recognized around Australia and around the world.

2.     Consider the credentials of the teachers who will be training you. Don’t take their word for it, do some research! What is their experience, what are their areas of expertise? This is your entrée into the vast world of yoga and training with experienced teachers will ensure that your training is thorough.

3.     Give some thought to the style of yoga you want to teach. Power yoga and yin yoga are two popular styles today, but perhaps you are interested in restorative yoga, Iyengar, Ashtanga or something else. Seek out teachers who have experience in this style.

4.     Make sure the format of the program fits with your existing shedule. It can be nice to attend a month’s intensive training but not everyone can take a month out of their busy life. If this is the case look for a program that offers shorter teaching blocks (we offer four four-day teaching blocks - one a month for four months) and a more flexible learning style.

5.     Call the studio and ask for more information. The best way to get a feel for the personality and style of your chosen training program is to ask lots of questions! Ask about the daily schedule, about the teaching modules (make sure there is a healthy dose of philosophy, anatomy and physiology including energy anatomy, posture (or asana) clinics and sequencing, teaching techniques, meditation, pranayama and anything else you can think of).

YogaBodyWorks' next Yoga Alliance (Australia) accredited Yin Yang teacher training program begins 27th August 2015.