Whenever you think of the rigorous training and hours of yoga practice to be a certified trainer, you might be convinced that it is a daunting task. However, it is not as hard as it sounds. In fact, it is an exciting experience that you will love being part of. Being a certified instructor can be a rewarding and satisfying career, as you get to monetize the craft while helping others live healthier and relaxed lives.
Being a certified yogi takes more than just enrolling in an online teacher training program. This article gives insightful information on things you need to understand before getting your yoga certification online. Visit this site to take a certification online.
Understand yoga alliance
Unlike other professions, it is not regulated by any professional body. However, affiliation to an international yoga organization will boost your credibility as an instructor. One such globally recognized organization is the yoga alliance. This Alliance provides educational training standards that foster and support high-quality, safe, accessible, and equitable yoga teaching. Additionally, if you are allied to this alliance, you can use the RYT (registered yoga teacher) trademark after your name, which gives you a competitive advantage over other instructors.
What is an RYT certification?
RYT certification is given to the teachers whose teaching and training experience complies with the yoga alliance requirements. Contextually, this alliance requirement dictates that to be certified, you have to complete training and receive confirmation from a yoga registered school at either the 200 or 500-hour level. Additionally, you need to complete 30 hours of continuing education every three years.
RYT certification is not mandatory, as you can be an online instructor without necessarily having it. However, it gives you an upper hand when applying for teaching jobs at the yoga and fitness studios. Some of the other perks that come with having an RYT certification include:
- Access to a free online workshop for continual training and professional development
- Participation in related community events
- Access to insightful and yoga-related publications
- Mark-downs on yoga-related products and services such as insurance and wear.
- Free subscriptions to regular periodicals
- Boosts your marketing strategy by inclusion in the RYT directory, which gives you an excellent global reputation.
Decide your yoga style
It has a lot of forms and variations. Some of the common types include but are not limited to gentle and hot yoga, kundalini and integral one, Bikram and power one. Therefore, you need to choose a style that fits your intention since it is hard to be proficient in all these types. This is analogous to the saying, “jack of all trades but a master of none.” Whether the intention is to manage stress or alleviate pain or become more mindful or be more compassionate, when you pick a style that matches the intentions, you will perfect the craft and be a good instructor.
Choose a teacher training program
As mentioned earlier, part of the requirements for a certification online is the completion of training. Therefore, you must choose a teacher training program that aligns with the suitable style that you want. Typically, the program comes with 200 or 500-hour teacher training. From the training, you will be well-versed in anatomy, philosophy, and also teaching the program.
The availability of different teacher training programs makes it hard to choose one that is perfectly fitted for you. However, below are some aspects put in place to make sure you find the ideal training program.
- Confirm whether the training program is the alliance certified
- Research the program’s history
- Evaluate the program’s course outline for a balance of subjects taught
- Carry out due diligence on the instructor
- Evaluate the all-inclusive cost of the training program
- Consider the location and schedule of the training program
Practice teaching yoga
Undergoing a teacher training program is not enough to make you a competent instructor; you need to practice. The teaching practice not only gives you hands-on experience but also the confidence to professionally offer your service. The practice could start with your family and close friends. Later on, you can go a notch higher and start offering free classes.
Also, you need to understand that it is not about doing complicated poses like forearm stands or the arm balances but about cueing and compassion. Through effective cueing, you will effectively voice out to people how to correctly position their bodies. Therefore, as an amateur, you should not be hard on yourself if you cannot do complicated body movements. This will effortlessly develop after years of practice.
Monetization of yoga classes
After undertaking a teacher training program coupled with the intensive practice of teaching it and understanding the essentials in the career, it is now time to start making money out of it. There are a lot of channels in which you can earn from teaching it. You can begin by hosting classes in your house and charging people for the sessions.
Alternatively, you can get hired in a studio and earn income. Other monetization options include; offering some online classes, partnering with local restaurants to have it and wine nights, or starting your own fitness center.
Notably, it is fundamental to step up your marketing tactics to improve your brand awareness and widen your client base. The best way to do this is by developing a mailing list that helps retain your clients. Also, it is ideal for offering discounted prices to your esteemed clients.
Get yoga insurance
Injuries are part of unforeseen accidents that can happen in your classes. Therefore, in case of such an unfortunate event, you will want to be prepared. Hence, it is necessary to have your insurance that cushions you from liability arising from injury or property damage.
Do you want to get your yoga certification online? This is a fantastic and life-transforming decision. This article equips you with detailed information on navigating the certification process and essential information that you ought to know before being a registered yoga teacher.