There is a difference between practicing yoga and practicing yoga with knowledge and awareness. You can also increase your yogic wisdom by enrolling in a course to become a certified yoga instructor.
One experiences deep physical, mental, and emotional fulfillment through this ancient science. And therefore, this opportunity is an appealing career path.
As you contemplate this path, you might wonder “How hard is it to become a yoga instructor”. Like other professions, this career also demands specific knowledge, skills, resources, and opportunities.
However, the yoga practice equips you to deal with the problems of becoming a yoga instructor. Let’s look into the reality of the situation – what you can expect from the yoga teacher training course, the challenges you may face after the course, and whether you can call yourself a yogi despite teaching yoga.
The Path to Yoga Certification
A suitable and authentic yoga teacher training certification is the first step towards becoming a yoga instructor. The training programs vary in length, intensity, style, mode, and fee structure. These programs may be of 200-hour, 300-hour, 500-hour, or 900-hour duration. You may choose an appropriate program that suits you.
What to Expect from a Yoga Teacher Training
- Physically Demanding Schedule
The visible part of yoga that also defines your relationship with the outside world is known as Bahiranga Yoga. It is physically demanding. It includes a regular and detailed practice of Asanas, Surya Namaskars (Sun Salutations), Pranayama, or Kriyas (Cleansing Techniques) along with following the yogic rules- Yamas and Niyamas.
These practices, if done regularly, gradually increase your physical and mental capacity. But initially, your body and mind are in a cleansing mode, therefore these practices seem to be tiring.
- Mental Focus to Understand and Contemplate
All yoga practices are deep and have multiple effects on different layers of existence: body, mind, emotions, intellect, and soul. These benefits are enhanced only when yoga is practiced with proper understanding and faith. This requires a lot of mental focus and perseverance.
- Commitment of Time
Completing your yoga teacher training needs the commitment of your time. This includes time in reading, understanding, practicing, and contemplating about the yogic practices – on and off the mat. This can be hard while balancing a full-time job, family, and social life with a demanding yoga teacher training program.
But if you can devote full-time, i.e., 8-10 hours daily, to the course you are enrolled into, say our 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, you can easily finish the course in 21-28 days. And you will not only get the certification, but also the wisdom and the knowledge that will help you lead a better life – personally as well as professionally.
- Continuous Patience
Effective yoga practices need continuous patience. Success in yoga needs a complete change of lifestyle and attitude. It is possible only with a complete overhaul of thought processes which needs a lot of patience.
How Hard is it to Become a Yoga Instructor: Beyond the Yoga Teacher Training Certification
A certification is just the beginning of your yogic journey. Building a successful career as a yoga instructor requires a lot more than just completing a training program. As you establish your foothold in the field of yoga, you may face the following challenges:
- Making a Mark in the Industry
The increasing demand for yoga teachers has led many people to take up the path of teaching yoga. The Yoga industry has become extremely competitive. There are multiple yoga schools, yoga institutes, and yoga classes at every nook and corner, especially in urban areas.
To stand out among other yoga teachers – young and energetic freshers and old experienced yoga teachers – is challenging. You may need to continuously bring creativity and uniqueness to your yoga training sessions to attract students.
- Uncertainty of Income
If you choose to become a freelance yoga instructor, your income may not remain fixed and steady. It would depend on the number of new joiners every month, the number of people who continue their practice with you, the number of classes you take, and also the popularity of your yoga classes.
If this is the sole source of your income, you might have to put more effort into your business of yoga.
- Collaboration on Teaching
Many people don’t want to invest time and money in starting their yoga studios. Instead, they prefer to collaborate with a yoga studio or institute to teach yoga.
This kind of collaboration has its hardships. You may have to strictly follow the rules and regulations of these institutes. You also have to make yourself compatible with other staff present there. This might seem challenging for a person with an extremely independent thought process.
- Physically Tiring Schedule
Teaching in multiple yoga classes every day becomes very demanding, physically. Due to this factor, many aspiring yoga teachers try to evaluate beforehand – is being a yoga instructor stressful?
You need to be careful that this physical toll does not disrupt your physical and mental balance. This is possible with the help of your regular self-practice. It will help you pull through the hectic demanding schedule.
You will have a sigh of relief after knowing that all our courses have been carefully developed in such a manner so as to help you adapt to the physical practices and poses as the course progresses. Be it our advanced courses like 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, or beginner-friendly courses like 100-Hour Yoga Course for Beginners, we have a course for every body types.
- A Need for Continuous Learning
Continuous learning is one of the best ways to keep yourself ahead of the competition. This increases your knowledge and confidence while pursuing the career of your choice.
This can be quite hectic as it’s a challenge to learn continuously along with the existing busy schedule of your yoga classes.
- Developing Effective Teaching Skills
Yoga teaching can be hard when you teach different and complex yoga concepts in simple and easy language to multiple types of students. Effective teaching involves clear communication, patience, and an ability to adapt to different styles of learning.
Our teacher training courses equip you with effective teaching skills that make your students feel inclusive. You can consider enrolling into our comprehensive 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, which equips from the foundational to the advanced level of teaching skills, yoga poses, philosophy and other required skills.
- Required Business Acumen
Running your yoga studio needs pragmatic business acumen. A good yoga teacher training equips you with the required knowledge about the business of yoga. But you will have to make efforts to make practical application of that knowledge.
- Handling Emotional Labor
An effective yoga instructor is likely to be considered as a friend, philosopher, and guide by the students. He may have to listen to and deal with their emotional stories and conditions.
But it is important for the teacher to not get affected by these emotions. Different holistic practices like Meditation and Mantra Chanting might help to keep the emotionally stable and strong. But these have to be regularly and faithfully practiced despite the busy schedule of the yoga classes.
Can Anyone Call Themselves a Yogi?
Anyone can practice yoga. Because, in today’s world we loosely use this term for anybody practicing asana and pranayama. These two are the third and fourth limbs of the Ashtanga Yoga or the Yoga of Eight Limbs. But to become yogi one might have to embrace all the eight limbs in its entirety.
The term “yogi” is for a person who devotes his entire life to the yogic practice. They are devoted to some specific style of yoga, read, follow, and contemplate the scriptures, indulge in Mantra Chanting, follow one Guru or teacher, and by the grace of that Guru, attain a higher level of spiritual realization.
With effort and the right attitude, becoming a yoga teacher is not difficult. But to become a “yogi” you need the blessings of another divine soul.
Is Becoming a Yoga Instructor Hard?
Yes, it can be quite overwhelming. But it is extremely rewarding. If you’re passionate about yoga and you’re willing to put in the right effort, yoga as a career is very satisfying. If you follow certain tips, your yogic journey can be made comfortable. Here are some tips for aspiring yoga instructors:
- Choosing an Appropriate YTT Program
You should choose an appropriate yoga teacher training program. Consider factors like- accreditation of the yoga school, mode of teaching, network of their yoga teachers, curriculum of the training, cost, style of yoga taught, and teaching methodology.
- Practicing Regularly
The problems that you encounter while teaching yoga can be best tackled with your practice of yoga and your understanding of its philosophy. The more you practice, the faster you will overcome the challenges.
- Networking with Other Yoga Instructors
Building strong relationships with other yoga teachers helps you find new teaching opportunities and helps you keep yourself abreast with the latest trends in the yoga industry.
- Marketing Yourself Appropriately
For success in yoga teaching, you have to be open to different modes of teaching. You can create a strong online presence and cleverly position and market your yoga classes.
- Being Patient and Persistent
Building a successful yoga career takes time, patience, and energy. You can simply make continuous right efforts and have patience to see the results over time.
- Developing Your Unique Teaching Style
You should try to cultivate your unique teaching style and voice. This becomes the unique selling point of your classes. It will help retain the students comfortable with your style and attract new students to try your style of yoga teaching.
- Learning to Adapt
A teacher is a continuous learner who has to evolve and adapt to the changing lifestyle patterns of the masses. You should be able to modify your classes to accommodate students of all levels and abilities.
- Prioritizing Self-Care
You should prioritize self-care. It will keep you physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.
The Bottom Line
This article tells about the challenges you might face while becoming a yoga instructor. Your apprehensions about how hard is it to become a yoga teacher can be overcome and you can set your first step on the yogic journey doubt-free.
Teaching yoga is a challenging but rewarding career path. With a genuine passion for yoga, dedication, and correct decisions you can achieve your dream of sharing your knowledge of yoga with others.
The problems encountered in your yogic journey of being a yoga instructor can be skillfully won over with the sincere application of yogic practices and philosophy. Thus, your problem of teaching can be solved by the very subject you aspire to teach.
FAQ’s
How hard is yoga teacher training?
Yoga Teacher Training is an intense and transformative experience. Apart from the physical postures or the Asanas, you learn about deeper yogic concepts- Pranayama, Yama, Niyama, Antaranga Yoga, Nadi, Chakra, Kriya, Yoga Philosophy, Anatomy and Physiology, Meditation and its Different Techniques, and Teaching Methodologies.
The understanding of these concepts demand mental focus, time, patience, and physical stamina. Practices like Asana and Pranayama help in gradually increasing your capacity. The entire learning process may seem challenging initially.
But the yogic journey is extremely rewarding for those who can commit to it.
Is becoming a yoga teacher hard?
When starting your yoga journey, you might be doubtful “Is becoming a yoga instructor hard?” But yoga teaching is one profession which equips its aspirants first to handle the hardships and then throws the hardships one by one. Becoming a yoga teacher has its own set of challenges-
Making your mark in the competitive yoga industry.
Your income is uncertain because that depends on the number of students attending and batches taken.
If you collaborate with yoga schools to teach you have to adhere to their rules, regulations, and policies. You might feel a lack of freedom.
Being a yoga teacher is physically very tiring but the yoga practice immensely helps in increasing your stamina.
Teaching yoga requires continuous learning to update yourself and your students with the latest knowledge and styles in the yoga field.
You have to develop effective teaching styles to explain complex yoga subjects in an easy manner to your students.
A practical approach and business acumen will have to be developed for a successful yoga business.
As a yoga teacher, the students will pour their emotional bundle on you frequently. You should make yourself stronger to handle such emotional labor.
Becoming a yoga instructor is not at all hard if you have a passion for the subject. The passion for the subject alone is sufficient to inspire and make your teaching effective.
Is being a yoga instructor stressful?
Being a yoga instructor, like any other profession, can be stressful. But if you want to inspire others to live a stress-free life, you have to first walk the talk.
A regular yoga practice of the teacher and continuous application of yoga principles in the practical life will help. This can maintain your mental and physical balance which is a great help to fight stress.
