Ok yay! Here’s to me finally writing about this life changing moment from a couple of months ago. Yoga teacher training to me felt like finding, and then further pursuing, my long lost love for yoga. I had the amazing opportunity to go through my training with Yoga Works in Houston, and the experience compares to no other!
During my training, I asked my followers to ask particular questions on Instagram about teacher training (it is a concept/area that’s unknown to many). Since they hit me with the question, I’ve put together the frequently asked ones, along with my opinions! Keep reading.
How long do you have to practice before you think about going for it?
Honestly, it isn’t a ‘requirement’. Yoga Works, and most other yoga studios, ask that you have at least 6 months of practice (just so you’re not all over the place and learning is a smoother process).
Do you have to know all the poses/be advanced student?
Again, not at all. Many trainees haven’t mastered some of the advanced poses (eg. headstand, handstand etc), and that’s completely ok. The main thing to keep in mind is, a teacher doesn’t have to necessarily do all the poses. A good teacher knows how to smoothly guide students in and out of the pose, as well as the knowledge behind it.
How long was the training? Is the schedule flexible?
3 months. The program I was in was weekend only so we’d meet 4-8pm on Fridays and 8am-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Yoga Works has several class formats for you pick from. In addition, you get free unlimited yoga classes within all Yoga Works locations and myyogaworks.com.
The program was very flexible. I had to miss a weekend and remember I had two options— make up with some hours of personal training (an hour for 4 hours missed) or catch the next session for free.
What did I actually learn?
A lot! Not even exaggerating.
I went into the program thinking “it’ll be a great platform to educate myself in, nothing else”. The Program not only gave the resources and confidence to know I can get out and teach, but it also altered/deepened my perspective on why and how we practice. From anatomy to Asana (poses) break downs and even discussing the business (including the dos and don’t of pursuing teaching as a career) of Yoga— the course covers everything you need to know.
Not included in course description, but definitely comes with it— the amazing relationships you build, exposure to teaching, and being in tune with yourself on a much deeper level!
To sum up: if you’re thinking about doing this—do it! The Yoga Works teacher training has been life changing for me and I would highly recommend this, in depth program, to anyone seriously looking to either become an active Yoga instructor or simply broaden their knowledge! You can find out more about the Program here.
Please note: While my teacher training was courtesy of Yoga Works, the opinion I hold (and the decision to write this post) are my own.
