A Quick Guide to Choosing the Right Yoga Teacher Training Course

Because there are hundreds of options, choosing a yoga teacher training program can be a daunting task.  All Yoga Teacher Training is not equivalent, even if registered with Yoga Alliance. Consider these questions to help you find the yoga teacher training that fits your style, schedule, and yoga teaching goals.

What style of yoga do you love?

Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Yin, Hatha, Hot Yoga, Kundalini, and Iyengar are all popular styles. Given you will spend many hours in yoga teacher training studying, practicing, and breaking down the essence of your style, be sure you are picking a type you love. Based on this factor, choose the 300 hour yoga teacher training course.

Find the “Nerds” for your style

Some folks call us vinyasa nerds. Whatever style you love, we recommend you seek the very best yoga teacher training “nerds” for that particular style. It’s very likely the top yoga teachers of your style don’t live next door.  You will probably have to travel to them. If it is not geographically possible to meet the lead teacher(s) in person, request a phone interview.  A phone call will give you a feel for their knowledge and passion and their skill as a communicator.  If a phone interview is not an option, then you have a clue as to their accessibility.

The best teachers will be excited to teach you all they know.

Are your prospective teachers great communicators?

Not all great yogis are great communicators.  The ability to execute advanced poses is not an indicator of someone understands of how yoga works.  In fact, the poses are a small part of yoga.   Consider, does the trainer have the skill to illuminate the transformative aspects of yoga in an easy to follow way?

A masterful teacher can rapidly transmit to you lessons that took them years to learn. A great teacher can animate practical topics such as the “how” and “why” of each element in a yoga class.  They can quickly reveal the framework of spirituality and mindfulness.  When they discuss anatomy and history, you lean-in, and they can lay bare the profound essence of the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita (or the prime source material of their tradition).

 Is the yoga teacher training curriculum compelling?

Is the study material esoteric or ethereal?  Or relevant and grounded?  How much time do the trainers devote to topics that you love or dread?  There can be a wide disparity in the emphasis between Yoga Teacher Training (“YTT”) schools.  General study includes physical asanas, alignment, pranayama, the Yamas and Niyamas, and spirituality and meditation.

At last, when you’ve the answers to the above questions, you’ll be able to select the best 300 hr yoga teacher training program.