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How to Become a Yin Yoga Teacher: The Ultimate Guide

how to become a yin yoga teacher

With the rising popularity of yoga practice, it is no surprise that you’re wondering how to become a Yin yoga teacher. Yin is one of the most unique yet widely popular styles that is well-accepted by many, so how do you turn this practice into your career?

We’re here to answer that question for you, covering all of the information you need to know to pursue a career as a yin yoga teacher, including:

Just before we get started, if you’re looking for a starting point in getting the correct qualifications, check out OriGym’s level 3 diploma in yoga instructing here.

Other resources can be found in our detailed guide, analysing how to become a yoga instructor

 

Qualification Needed to Become a Yin Yoga Teacher

how to become a yin yoga teacher

The first step towards working as a Yin yoga teacher is to get qualified, but with so many options out there, where do you start? 

An option is to take a level 3 diploma in yoga instruction so that you’re qualified to teach yoga, no matter the discipline you choose.

Level 3 In Yoga Instructing 

This is a qualification that is internationally recognised, and you can be sure that once you have made your way through this course that you’ll not only be qualified on paper, but you will feel 100% confident in your practice.

You can be confident that when your learning draws to a close, you will have achieved a high level of learning and be able to:

  • Work as a freelance yoga instructor
  • Work for a gym as a yoga instructor
  • Choose your discipline as Yin yoga
  • Take advancement courses

We will talk about career progression and where you can teach in some more detail later, but first let’s talk about the mechanics of this course first. 

 

Become a Yoga Instructor with OriGym!

Kick start your career in Yin with a Level 3 Diploma in Yoga Teaching. 

If you’re wondering about how long it will take you to solidify your Yin yoga teaching certification, this course takes a unique approach. 

On average, you could expect to finish the course in 3-4 months, there is emphasis on the average time it takes due to the fact that you can study through a blended approach.

This is super beneficial as it ultimately combines flexibility with practical learning for a seamless learning experience. So, though there are scheduled workshops, the online learning can be conducted at your own pace.

You can take advantage of essential practical experience that is needed to teach a class successfully, but not feel any restraint on schedules tying you down. Online learning grants the opportunity to work this new career venture around your life. 

Thus, the transition from one career to another becomes a whole lot less stressful!

With over 400 hours of training, you will be industry ready and recognised as a professional.

Income to Expect as a Yin Yoga Teacher

Yin yoga teacher training

Here we are going to go into a little more detail of an average yoga teacher salary to expect as a Yin instructor.

For the most part, jobs will advertise and expect you to be able to offer more than just Yin yoga, which is why the pay is so attractive. Plus, you will typically learn to instruct yoga holistically before you choose a discipline. 

With this in mind, we will show you the average salaries that we found by searching for job roles looking for a yoga teacher that is disciplined in various styles of yoga as well as Yin. 

First, let’s take a look at a private studio in London, Third Space’s job advertisement below.

Yin yoga teacher

This states clearly that £31.50 is a starting rate and it can significantly increase. You will see this approach again from Virgin Active, as they measure pay bracket on performance.

You should keep in mind when opting for teacher training in Yin yoga, or any discipline for that matter, that you may see a common theme when it comes to salary that it can fluctuate depending on performance. 

This job advert doesn’t specify the amount of classes that you would teach, but it does tell you the hourly rate.

So if you were a freelance Yin yoga teacher, this could be a good place to do 1, 2 or more classes per week among other classes in various locations. 

If you want to have a healthy income and still feel secure after you have just undergone a Yin yoga teacher training course, a salaried role like we spoke about earlier can still provide a great salary. 

Using Glassdoor, a reputable and reliable source when it comes to job boards, there is an average yoga teacher salary based on job advertisements. You can see this below.

Yin yoga teaching certification

This is based on a median average in London and as you can see, there is a lot of money to be made taking into account any route you take so long as you are qualified to teach more than one style of yoga, including Yin of course.

You should remember that these numbers are averaged out, depending on where exactly you choose to work. So you should recognise that the number can fluctuate up or down depending on where you work which we are going to talk about next.

So, that is the basis of what income you can expect if you’re looking to start a career by taking on Yin yoga teacher training in the UK. Stick around to find out more about career progression after you have become a Yin yoga teacher to maximise your income.

Where You Can Operate As A Yin Yoga Teacher

Yin yoga teacher training course

If you’re researching how to become a yin yoga teacher, you’re probably wondering where you can operate your services. 

Here are the most popular approaches to a career as a yin yoga teacher.

Freelance Yin Yoga Teacher

One of the great perks about being a fitness professional is the fact that you can be your own boss. 

You have the ability to create your own business as a sole trader and freelance across various yoga classes and even dipping your toe into other areas of fitness. 

Freelance covers a lot of ground as a term, so allow us to shed some light on what is otherwise a broad area. 

One way of earning as a freelance yin yoga instructor is by having an agreement with a studio, this is not to be confused with being actually employed by a studio as that is something different that we will speak about soon. 

So you can understand how to find a job like this below, take a look below at this job advert from Gymbox Studio. 

Yin yoga teacher training uk

As you can see, the job is looking for somebody that can teach yoga holistically, which is exactly what you will be qualified for if you opt for a level 3 diploma in yoga instruction. 

As the job ad states, working as a freelancer allows for uncapped earning potential, because this is not a salaried role. You will be operating out of Gymbox’s studios representing them, and yourself. 

In other words, you will earn what you can bring in. Plus, Yin yoga is one of the disciplines you will teach in a job that is looking for holistic yoga, take a look below at the list of disciplines specified on this job ad. 

Teacher training yin yoga

Among other popular disciplines, Yin is on there so becoming qualified at level 3 makes you a great option and ultimately, improves employability even if it is on a freelance basis. Afterall, though you won’t be salaried, you will be representing their company and thus - they’re going to want quality!

 

Become a Yoga Instructor with OriGym!

Kick start your career in Yin with a Level 3 Diploma in Yoga Teaching. 

Employed Yin Yoga Teacher

So now you are aware of what a job ad may typically look like for a freelance Yin yoga teacher, you can now see the requirements for an employed role. 

You should be aware of the differences between a commercial gym hired role and a private studio, because some may require additional qualifications. Below you can find two examples so you can distinguish the difference between the two.

Working for a Commercial Gym

Yin yoga teacher training can take you places, and one of those is a healthy and stable income from a gym giant like Virgin Active. 

Working for a commercial gym provides job security and as an employee, you also get benefits. Take a look at this job advertisement below from Virgin Active in London. 

Yin yoga instructor

This is when experience and further education comes in handy to earn big. 

As you can see, you will be in a contracted role, working full time, with varied shift times. Plus, your income is labelled as £45,500 OTE. It is important to take note of the OTE as you may see this across many jobs from commercial gyms, allow us to explain what this means if you’re unaware.

OTE is a reference to on track earnings or on target earnings. In a nutshell, it simply means that so long as you meet your targets and stay on track and don’t under perform this is the salary to expect. 

The actual income could be higher or lesser, this is something that would be explained more during the interview process but it is a ballpark of what to expect if you go above and beyond expectations!

train to become a yin yoga teacher

With a role such as this that has high earning potential, you’re expected in this instance to have a fitness instructing qualification.

Virgin Active specifies that you should have a recognised instructor qualification and your accredited yoga instructor qualification.

This isn’t uncommon to see across commercial gyms as more often than not they require a gym instruction / fitness instruction qualification to work in a gym as standard.

Keep this in mind when you’re getting qualified, because if you’re looking to start your career in a place like this, it is likely that you’re going to need to opt for a gym instructor qualification first which is never a bad idea. After all it makes you more qualified than other yoga teachers!

Working for a Private Studio

Similarly, you may choose to work for a private owned yoga studio that may have less requirements for you to work for them. 

For example, take a look at Silu Wellness’ job advertisement below.

how to become a yin yoga teacher UK

There is of course quite a difference between this studio and Virgin Active when it comes to requirements, and thus, a difference in salary. Nonetheless, £30 an hour is still more than 3x more than the national minimum wage!

Both commercial and private studios offer a more than healthy income, yet they will have different environments. You may want to work in a studio that is solely dedicated to yoga and if this was the case, a commercial gym probably isn’t for you. 

Remember though, no matter what approach you take, you will need the correct qualifications all the same.

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For some useful resources and information on how to become a successful yoga teacher, head over to our articles below:

Career Progression Opportunities as a Yin Yoga Teacher

how to be a yin yoga instructor UK

If you’re researching how to become a Yin yoga teacher, you’re probably wondering what heights this career could actually take you. 

Below are some of the popular ways in which you can progress and not only maximise your income but make your career sustainable and exciting!

Opening Your Own Studio

course to become a yin yoga teacher

You may have noticed yoga studios popping up everywhere in your town or city, this is because people who are qualified want to be their own boss, probably just like yourself. 

Having your own studio is the ultimate goal when you want total control over your yoga instructing career. Plus, Yin yoga has a unique approach so if you’re keeping it specific and are only going to offer Yin at your studio you can create a really niche studio that will draw people in.

It is a great way to maximise your income and create a stable income. So, where do you start?

 

It completely depends on what is actually ‘doable’ for you after you have completed your Yin yoga teacher training, if you have the financial capacity to do so you’re going to want to start by finding a space. 

There are plenty of ways to do this. Of course the obvious one is to rent or buy your own space and make it your own, this is a great approach and is a great way to keep money coming in by hiring other yogis. 

You can rent or buy spaces on the likes of Rightmove or Rella but a different approach that you may not see so often is to browse through a website like UK Therapy Rooms.

This allows you to rent spaces that are readily made for your service. In this case, Yin yoga. Take a look at this listing below for example.

course to become a yin yoga teacher

This is one example plucked from many and it is a great way to start your business if you aren't ready to buy a studio space yet.

You’re able to offer a beautiful space to your clients without having to fork out thousands of pounds for a renovation of your own studio.

Further Educational Courses

become a yin yoga instructor

How to become a Yin yoga teacher is pretty specific, so a great way to further your career and education is to take advancement courses.

Ultimately, they make you a more reliable candidate to be hired and more knowledgeable in health and wellbeing. This being said, what courses can actually help inform your practice?

Level 2 in Fitness Instructing

yin yoga teacher qualification

You may remember earlier when we spoke about Virgin Active requiring a level 2 in gym instructing to be eligible for their yoga instructor role, so of course this is a good qualification to have under your belt. 

This isn’t an uncommon theme, as to work in a commercial gym you will almost always need this. If you want to climb the ladder and meet potential clients in a gym environment, working in a commercial gym is a really good start. 

You can either take a level 2 in gym instructing as a stand alone course, or you can opt for a level 3 diploma in personal training that will get you qualified for instructing and personal training. 

This is a good idea if you want to maximise your income, and become a freelance personal trainer who combines yoga with their practice.

Level 3 in Sports Massage 

yin yoga instructing course

Sport massage is another great way to maximise income, but it also works in harmony with yoga. 

There are many parallels between sports massage and yoga, they are both relaxing and can both increase flexibility. 

It is likely that your clients are going to have popular goals when attending Yin yoga and this is to increase flexibility and relaxation so why not offer both services? 

You could potentially offer sports massages before or after class commences which is a great opportunity to cater to your class and like minded individuals that would genuinely be interested in this.

Level 4 Diploma in Yoga Instructing

how to become a successful yin yoga teacher

Finally, you can definitely take your yoga education further. 

Awarded by Focus Awards and recognised by both CIMSPA and REPS, OriGym's Level 4 yoga qualification can go a long way in progressing your career. 

Essentially, it is the next step up from the Level 3 diploma in yoga instruction that will initially make you qualified for the world of work.

You’re able to learn about how to become the best Yin yoga teacher that you can be by learning about the spiritual level that is embedded in the practice. Plus, the all important pranayamawhich is a key aspect to Yin. 

These are all courses that make you more valuable, in turn you can raise your prices and are a perfect candidate for employment!

Teaching Overseas

where can i teach yin yoga

With Northern India being the birthplace of yoga, it is no surprise that teaching overseas or organising retreats is such a popular thing to do there, plus in other beautiful destinations too that teaching Yin yoga is widely popular.

Some locations you could find opportunities in are:

  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Thailand
  • Costa Rica
  • Guatemala
  • Greece
  • Spain

So long as you have an internationally recognised qualification, you will be fit for the role! This means that not only can you explore a new country, but you can also teach Yin yoga all the while, it is the perfect match. 

For example, take a look at this job role being advertised in Krabi, Thailand. 

best yin yoga teaching course

They even provide a work permit so it is clearly open to foreigners and in fact,they invite it!

It is a great way to earn and live in a place where Yin yoga is widely appreciated and practised. It will give you experience that not many others will have when you return back home, meaning that advancing your career and maximising your income will become that bit easier.

Before You Go!

Now that you have all the steps and know how to become a Yin yoga teacher, you are ready to enquire about your course and prepare yourself for the world of work!

If you are looking for a course that will get you well prepared, check out OriGym’s level 3 diploma in yoga instructing. Also, if you are interested in career progression and other qualifications, browse through our downloadable course prospectus here.

Written by Kimberley Mitchell

Editor

Having gained a B.A Hons degree in Media, Culture and Communications, Kimberley has gained experience in areas of web journalism, website production and marketing.

Alongside this, Kim expanded her knowledge and passion for fitness, by becoming a fully qualified fitness instructuor and personal trainer. Kim has also gained specialist qualifications in yoga, nutriton, spin and many more.

After working in the industry as a PT, Kimberley went on to study an MA in Digital Marketing and continues to expand her knowledge in the industry. Her main focus is to keep up with current trends and communications with a focus around health & fitness, writing and being creative.

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