So, you have decided to move from being a yoga practitioner to personal yoga trainer? Congratulations on taking the first step. However, you should know that becoming a yoga trainer is not only about helping others practice yoga asanas with ease. To become an exceptional yoga trainer, you must possess in-depth understanding of your own body and mind.
If you really want to take up the mantle of a personal yoga instructor, you have to first possess true love for this art. For you to help others develop a positive and go-get attitude in life, you too have to carry the same attitude day in and out. In other words, individuals should be happy when they sign up for a yoga session with you.
To help this dream come true for you, yoga experts have come up with a small guide. First, let us focus on how you can become a great yoga trainer.
Tips To Become A Personal Yoga Trainer
Remember, to become a great personal yoga trainer is not an impossible task. On the contrary, it offers you an opportunity to have a great experience. It makes you aware of the different facets of your personality and what needs to be done to help you become the best yoga trainer.
With that said, let us now look at what the experts have to say.
1. Yoga Is Not Just For The Pro’s
The first thing you should keep in mind before enrolling for a personal yoga trainer course is it is not all about doing fancy yoga asanas. It is also about being compassionate, and helping the students do a yoga pose by giving them the right cues.
As a yoga trainer, you have to get inside the mind of a beginner as well as advanced yoga practitioners. Do not beat yourself for failing to do a complicated yoga asana as this comes with time. Remember, having a flexible physique is not the only thing that yoga stands for. With time and regular practice, you would be able to develop enough flexibility to do yoga asanas.
2. Choose A Registered Yoga School
The next step now is for you to find a registered yoga school to learn yoga. Remember to look for a yoga school recognized by Yoga Alliance. This improves your chances of finding work after becoming a certified yoga trainer.
3. Find Out About Yoga Alliance
Do you know about Yoga Alliance? Yoga Alliance is an international non-profit organization that has set the rules and standards for teaching yoga around the world. If you want to go all the way in with yoga teaching, earning a Yoga Alliance certification is a must.
A certification from Yoga Alliance means you are eligible to teach yoga in any corner of the world. This shows you have completed the minimum level of yoga training for teaching yoga to others. It comes handy when you are searching for yoga trainer jobs online.
Also, if you are pretty clear about yoga training program, you can be sure about which yoga teacher training certification to apply for.
4. Choose The Right YTT Program
Once you are sure of the Yoga Alliance certification level, it is time to look for the appropriate personal yoga trainer classes. The most commonly accepted yoga training is the 200-hour yoga training. This covers everything from yoga anatomy, philosophy, to the origins and history of this sacred art.
Make sure you do an in-depth research for the right yoga trainer program. Moreover, there are numerous yoga styles like Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and the traditional Hatha Yoga. Choose a program that suits your needs and provides lessons in your preferred yoga style.
Yoga experts recommend you sign-up for the basic 200-hour yoga teacher training program to get a basic understanding of this sacred art.
5. Do Some Yoga Teaching Practice
A common mistake that many new yoga trainers make is they become confident after completing the 200-hour yoga training. However, after you are done with the personal yoga trainer course, you have to dedicate some time to teaching yoga.
Start by helping your friends and closed ones learn yoga. This gives you an idea about the changes you have to make in your teaching style. Although you might think that after completing the 200-hour program you have all the necessary skills to become a yoga trainer. This is only true once you are successful in teaching this sacred art to others.
6. Find Opportunities To Earn
Now comes the stage when you need to start teaching yoga for some earning. This is necessary if you want to advance your understanding of this sacred art. Keep looking for opportunities to earn as that will help you move further in your career as a yoga trainer.
7. Get A Yoga Insurance
An important thing that keeps you secure as a personal yoga trainer is yoga insurance. Remember, yoga might be a gentle art of unlocking your true self, yet it does have its share of injuries and accidents. An insurance comes handy in such situations.
However, do not worry about going through these steps prior to becoming a certified personal yoga trainer. There are some major benefits to becoming a yoga trainer. Read further to know what these are.
Major Benefits Of Becoming Yoga Trainer
Becoming a personal yoga trainer requires a considerable investment of time and money. The rewards you get after the completion of this journey makes your efforts worth it. As a yoga trainer, you have the best opportunity to grow on a personal and professional level.
Taking into consideration the last statement, yoga experts have come up with a list of benefits that come with becoming a yoga trainer.
1. Improves Personal Yoga Practice
If you have been practicing yoga as a student for some time, you might not had enough time to know about other yoga styles and poses. Choosing a personal yoga trainer course opens up a world of different yoga styles and helps you find which one is best.
A yoga trainer course takes your practice to another level. It helps you dive deeper into this sacred art of yoga. Moreover, knowing new yoga poses and techniques also expands your personal yoga practice.
2. Improves Your Health
Yoga is one of the best ways for you to take care of physical and mental health. As a certified yoga trainer you have a chance at finding out how yoga works for your health. Although becoming a personal yoga trainer does requires you to make a long-term commitment, the list of physical and mental health benefits make it worth the effort.
Some of the health benefits you get from yoga include;
- Improved flexibility
- Stress relief
- More energy
- Improved concentration levels
- Healthy digestive system and metabolism
- Sharp attention
3. Opportunity To Help Others
Yoga has become a global phenomenon. Whether it is Vinyasa yoga or Ashtanga yoga, there is no dearth of yoga styles and techniques. However, becoming a yoga trainer gives you a unique opportunity to help others let go of everything holding them back from unlocking their true self.
With so much knowledge and experience of yoga, you can guide them on the way to better mental and physical health. In short, it is a win-win situation for you and the student.
4. Helps You Explore Your Body
To become an exceptional personal yoga trainer you have to learn much more than yoga poses, meditation, and breathing exercises. You have to develop the understanding of human anatomy in order to explore the hidden capabilities of your body and mind.
In the long run, this knowledge helps you gain an in-depth understanding of how your body works, and how you can practice yoga safely to stay healthy and strong in later years. Knowing your body also improves your athletic performance.
5. Become Member Of A Global Community
As a student, practicing yoga is a very private experience. However, once you step into the shoes of a personal yoga trainer, things change a bit. You become the part of a global community of yoga practitioners who enjoy sharing their knowledge of yoga with you.
In other words, you stand a chance to be more active and play your role in spreading the word about yoga community on a global level. Who knows, you might even learn a new thing about this sacred art.
6. Develops Confidence & Social Skills
As a certified yoga trainer, you are the leader and it is necessary that you possess the confidence and skills to teach this art to others. Your students rely on you to give them what they need and being a yoga professional you are in a better position to help them.
It is here that a yoga training helps you develop the social skills to help the students learn the theoretical and practical aspects of this sacred art.
The question that comes to mind now is – From Where Should I Do The Course? Put simply, the best place to learn this ancient art is Rishikesh in India.
Why You Should Join Yoga Trainer Course In Rishikesh?
Yoga might be an ancient art, but there is still a lot you can learn about this powerful art. From holding asanas to understanding how to give the right cues during yoga class; becoming a personal yoga trainer requires a serious commitment of time and money.
To help you understand why you should enroll in a yoga trainer course in Rishikesh, yoga experts have come up with five solid reasons.
1. Learn From The Source
You might not know but Rishikesh is not just a holy city. It is the birthplace of the sacred art of yoga. In other words, it is also here that yoga finds mention in numerous holy texts like Yoga Sutras and Bhagwad Gita. By signing up for a yoga trainer course in Rishikesh, you get access to the complete and authentic yoga knowledge possessed by generations of yoga masters.
2. Know About Ayurveda
As a personal yoga trainer it is your duty to guide the students not just in asana practice, you also have to guide them about choosing a clean diet. Rishikesh is the place where you learn about the ancient system of Ayurveda which also contains knowledge about how a clean diet impacts your being.
It is here you learn about what foods would help you progress in yoga practice and which might be a hindrance.
3. Experience True Inner Peace
Yoga is not just about keeping your physical body healthy. It is an excellent way for you to cut-off from the outer world and focus on your inner world. Following a yogic lifestyle, you have to differentiate between what you need and what is just plain waste.
4. Dive Into Yoga Philosophy
The best opportunity for you to experience the actual yogic lifestyle lies in Rishikesh. It is here you learn about yoga beyond its physical practice. Living in a yoga ashram helps you develop a new attitude towards people and the circumstances of your life. This is necessary if you want to become an exceptional personal yoga trainer.
5. Learn Amidst Nature
With pristine and holy river Ganges on one side, and fresh air from the towering Himalayas on the other, there is simply no other place than Rishikesh for you to learn yoga. These are also the perfect conditions for you to let go of your smartphone and laptop and dive deeper into the yogic lifestyle.
Wait! There are still a few questions many yoga enthusiasts want answers to. We have just the right connection for that job.
FAQs
Should I Enroll In An Online Personal Yoga Trainer Certification?
Although enrolling in an online personal yoga trainer course does gives you the comfort to learn from your home, it is not a wise decision. Enrolling in an offline yoga school under a certified yoga teachers is what helps you stand apart from others.
For example, in an online course you would miss out on the in-person training and interacting with other yogis, which is something only an offline yoga trainer course can offer you.
What Type Of Yoga Is Perfect For Me?
The type of yoga style you want to learn depends on answering two important questions;
- How intensive do you want the yoga style to be?
- Do you want to stay fit, develop mindfulness or have any other objective?
Always remember that becoming a personal yoga trainer is not dependent on any religion. Yoga is not a religious practice. Make sure to do adequate research to find out which yoga school provides a yoga course as per your need.
Also Read: Vipassana Meditation
What Skills Do I Need To Become A Professional Yoga Trainer?
Apart from having an excellent command over different yoga poses and techniques, here are the most important skills you should possess to become a great yoga trainer;
- Compassion
- Patience
- Mindfulness
- Interpersonal skills
- Great communication skills
- Approachability
- Ability to explain yoga concepts
Conclusion
Becoming a personal yoga trainer takes a lot of time and efforts. There is not just the question of learning yoga asanas, Pranayama, and other yogic techniques; you also have to understand the mental and physical aspects of this sacred art.
