Which Yoga Teacher Training Is Right for Me? A Guide (Part 1)

Are you considering becoming a yoga teacher? Do you have a nudge that maybe it’s the path for you?

There is no denying yoga’s growing popularity: a 2016 Yoga in America Study — conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance — reveals that 36.7 million Americans practice yoga. That’s up 80% since the last 2012 survey!

It’s no surprise that more and more people are interested in becoming yoga teachers. With so many yoga teacher training programs to choose from, selecting the best program for you can be challenging.

Are you drawn to a yoga training immersion in a retreat style, traveling to a beautiful place? Or is a program spanning a few months more convenient for you? Do you know what to look for in your yoga training teachers, so that you receive the best possible experience and knowledge?

The 200hr yoga teacher training you choose, whether as a yoga retreat style or a local program, will determine a good bit about your future possibilities.

The quality, format, and experience of yoga teacher trainings can vary widely, and so John Reimer has compiled Six Key Considerations that will help you find the best yoga instructor training for you. We’ll be talking about all six in a blog post series.

Let’s dive into the the first two questions you should ask when choosing a yoga teacher training program:

#1. Is the School Registered with Yoga Alliance?

Yoga Alliance is the governing body that sets minimum requirements for teacher training programs nationally and internationally. Upon completion of your training, you will want to register yourself as a certified yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance. (PS: I wish someone, namely my 200HR teacher, had told me about this step during my training! I didn’t register with Yoga Alliance until nearly a year after I graduated.)

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If you choosing a training program that is not recognized by Yoga Alliance, when you look for teaching jobs studio owners may not have confidence in the quality of your training. Every single teaching job I’ve applied for in the last 7 years has required me to be YA certified. This simple credential could make all the difference in landing a job or not.

Look for the Yoga Alliance logos (the one you'll need for your 200hr program is featured here, to the left) on training promotional material or websites to determine if a school is registered with Yoga Alliance.

#2. Does the School Have an Established Reputation?

Just because a program is new, doesn’t mean it is not good. On the other hand, great reputations aren’t built over night. If a training school has a strong history, chances are your experience—which you are spending good money and valuable time on—will be exceptional.

Questions to Ask Your Potential Yoga Teacher Training Program:

How long the center has been in business? How long have they been graduating yoga teachers?

A teacher training certificate from a studio that is no longer in business doesn’t exactly create a strong impression on potential employers, versus a certificate from a well-established yoga center that is still open and thriving.  

How many students do you graduate each year?

While smaller programs may seem better initially, suggesting greater individualized attention, larger programs that are well organized and adequately staffed with assistants, coordinators, and other key personnel, probably have greater resources to attract better teachers and still give each student the attention they need.

Tip: If students travel to receive training at a particular school, it’s a good sign the school has a good reputation and is widely recognized.

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Your yoga teacher training is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is a precious time to dive into the incredible wisdom of yoga, which enables us to live more skillfully with ease, awareness, and joy. A good program will give you the community, the techniques, and the knowledge to truly live this path, and share the journey with others.

For all of us here at The Lotus Pond Center for Yoga & Health and The Art of Living Retreat Center, we hope you discover the path that leads you to happiness.

We would love for you to join us this August in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina: You can check out the details here to learn more and hear what some of our wonderful yoga graduates have to say.

Feel free to call Val, the program director, at any time at (813) 956-3506. We can tell you more about our beautiful, soulful trainings and answer any questions you have. We’ve been offering our Yoga Alliance certified programs for more than 10 years.

Ready to explore more? Check out the next blog post in our series, diving deeper into two more questions to ask when choosing the yoga teacher training that is right for you.