How Hard Is It To Become A Yoga Instructor?

If you’re a yoga lover considering making a career out of your passion, then you’ve probably questioned ‘how hard is it to become a yoga instructor?’.

Well, we’re here to share the honest truth about how hard it is to become a yoga instructor, explaining exactly how you can achieve this goal, and any obstacles to look out for on the way. To do this we will cover:

• How Hard Is A Yoga Instructor Course?
• Tips for Choosing A Course Provider
• Top 4 Skills You Need
• How Hard Is It To Get A Job?
• How Further Qualifications Can Improve Job Prospects

The first step to pursuing this career is to become qualified, thankfully at OriGym, we offer an industry-leading Level 3 Diploma in Yoga Teacher Training.

This course will help to provide you with all the necessary skills and knowledge required to become a successful yoga teacher! 

Download our free course prospectus for information!

How Hard Is It To Become A Certified Yoga Instructor? 

If you want to work as a qualified yoga instructor, then you’ll need to complete a yoga instructor course.

So, to answer ‘how hard is it to become a yoga instructor’, it's only right that we talk about how hard it is to get onto, and then complete, this kind of qualification.

Just below we’ve discussed how difficult yoga teacher courses are, and we’ve included some tips to help make your journey to getting qualified as simple as possible.

How Hard Is A Yoga Teacher Course?

This question is a little bit more difficult to answer as it's completely subjective. Whilst plenty of people don’t have any trouble getting through the course content, others do need to spend a little bit longer on certain topics.

However, as long as you study with a course provider that offers sufficient tutor support, passing the qualification is very much possible. 

The pass rate for yoga instructor courses is generally very high, so it's unlikely that you won’t complete the course, it might just affect how long it takes to become a yoga teacher.

One thing that is certain is the answer to ‘how hard is a yoga instructor course?’, is that the course content and level of difficulty will be very similar regardless of which course provider you choose to study with.

This is because any course worth doing will be regulated by Ofqual, which regulates content across the UK to ensure consistency throughout the industry.

Not sure what we mean by this? Allow us to explain!

Yoga Instructor Course Regulation & Accreditation Explained 

If you’re thinking of completing a yoga instructor course in England, you’ll need to look out for a course that is regulated by an Ofqual approved awarding body.

Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, is the government body that regulates all qualifications, exams, and tests across England. It is often referred to as the exam “watchdog” because it is responsible for ensuring that courses and qualifications meet a specific set of criteria. 

The easiest way to understand course regulation is to think of course providers like a school, and regulations as a curriculum! 

Regulation means that regardless of the company that you choose to study your Level 3 Yoga Teacher course with, the course will provide you with a standard level of knowledge and qualification - almost like the curriculum that all schools have to follow!

This means that when discussing qualifications, the answer to ‘how hard is it to become a yoga instructor?’ will be the same regardless of provider.

Not only does this help you, as the student, by ensuring that you know exactly what to expect from your course, but it also allows employers to easily understand the level of knowledge an individual possesses when they apply for a position.

Without a qualification that is regulated by an Ofqual approved awarding body, such as Focus Awards, landing a job or getting yoga teacher insurance will essentially be impossible.

This is exactly why the super cheap or even FREE yoga teacher training courses that you can find online aren’t even worth the time spent completing them. 

Unsure of how much you should expect to pay for your qualifications? Check out the OriGym guide to course costs where we answer ‘how much does yoga teacher training cost?’ and other important questions.

How Hard Is It To Get On A Yoga Course?

Once you’ve decided that becoming a yoga teacher is the career for you, one of the first things to research is whether you have the entry requirements to get onto the course.

Fortunately, getting on to a Level 3 yoga course is not too difficult, as the majority of courses do not have strict requirements. As long as you have passed your GCSEs in Maths & English, and you can demonstrate that you have experience in practicing yoga yourself, you’ll be good to get straight on to a course!

Yoga Instructor Course & Module Breakdown

So, we’ve established that course regulation means that most courses will be of similar difficulty and have a lot of the same content, but you might still be wondering what you can expect from your course?

Well, a typical Level 3 Yoga Instructor course will cover topics such as the core principles of Anatomy & Physiology, the Philosophy and Fundamentals of Yoga, and teaching techniques & skills.

Some key learning outcomes include the ability to programme a yoga session and deliver classes too. Some course providers will also touch on topics around ‘the business’, offering an insight into the industry and how it works, but this isn’t something that is essential as per the Ofqual ‘curriculum’. 

Want to know more about course content? We’ve covered this and so much more in our guide to becoming a yoga instructor.

How Hard Is It To Become A Yoga Instructor? Assessments & Exams

When people ask about how hard yoga instructor courses are, they’re usually thinking about the assessments and exams that they might have to do in order to complete the course.

Whilst the exams and assessments are by no means easy, passing is certainly possible as long as you have the right resources and sufficient support from tutors and staff.

There are no long essays involved, and the majority of assessments are completed online, meaning you can easily refer to your notes if need be.

The most important exam that you’ll complete as part of your Yoga Instructor Course is your practical assessment. This is your final assessment, for which you are normally required to plan and carry out a full yoga class.

If you follow the advice of the tutors and pay attention to the course content and coursework pieces, this practical assessment is nowhere near as daunting, meaning you'll be teaching your first yoga class before you know it.

What Happens If I Fail My Yoga Instructor Course?

Worried that you might struggle with your assessments? Don’t sweat! 

All course providers will offer you the chance to resit, and some will even allow you to resit your practical exams for free!

In terms of coursework, there are no set deadlines and no limit on the number of times that you can submit a piece of work. This means that ‘failing’ your coursework isn’t really an option. Instead, any answers that aren’t quite right will be sent back to you so that you can have another go at answering the question.

As long as you find a reputable, good quality provider to study, you’ll receive feedback on any mistakes, meaning you’ll know exactly what changes to make.

Even if you don’t think that failing your practical assessment is something you need to worry about, knowing that you can resit your exams for free should you need is always a reassuring safety net. Not only that, but offering free resits is a real indicator of course quality - so it's definitely something to look out for from a provider!

Want more tips for finding a reputable course provider? Stick with us because very soon we have included a list of things to look out for! For now, we’re going to share our tips for finding a course provider that will make your journey to becoming a yoga teacher as easy as possible!

Tips for Finding The Best Course Provider

If you’ve ever searched something along the lines of ‘yoga teacher training courses’, then you’re probably aware that there are hundreds of yoga instructor courses out there. 

Although looking for a regulated and accredited course can narrow down your search slightly, it can still be really tough to choose the right one.

Indicators of course quality, such as the experience of tutors or the standard of learning resources, can make all the difference when completing your qualification and when it comes to starting your career, too!

Learning from somebody who has a genuine passion and years of experience in the industry can make passing your qualifications and getting your first job an awful lot easier.

With this in mind, you probably want to know what to look out for to know that a yoga instructor course is actually of good quality?

Course regulation and accreditation aside, here are our top 5 things to consider when comparing courses and providers!

#1 Study Method

Probably the most important factor to consider when comparing yoga teacher courses and course providers is your preferred study method.

Most course providers will offer 3 modes of study. Those are full-time, part-time, and online learning.

The content of each kind of course is equally as difficult (or easy, depending on how you want to look at it!). The only difference in difficulty will depend on your individual preferences when it comes to the way you look to study.

If you struggle to motivate yourself without deadlines or find that you learn best from face-to-face teaching, then a full-time course will be the easiest option for you.

On the other hand, if you like to set your own pace and enjoy working independently, then you might find it easier to opt for an online yoga course.

If you’re unsure about which way you work best, part-time courses work as a happy medium. Part-time yoga instructor courses take a blended learning approach, combining elements of online learning with the benefits of face-to-face teaching through practical workshops.

We’d say that part-time courses are probably the easiest option overall, as you can ask any questions during the workshops but still work at your own pace and have full flexibility over your studies.

#2 Do They Provide Free Resits?

We’ll keep this brief as we touched on this topic a little earlier, but we really can’t stress how useful it is to have the option to resit your practical exam for free.

Should you fail your assessment, the last thing you want is to be hit with an additional fee on top of having to arrange to repeat your practical exam. Having already paid around £1500 for your course, you wouldn’t expect there to be any more hidden costs!

Don’t feel awkward asking your course provider about the cost of resits, it only makes sense that you should know exactly what you are paying for prior to signing up for a course.

If they charge for students to resit exams, who knows what other additional costs could come your way as you get into your course. Some providers will charge extra for everything including admin fees or even having your certificate sent out to you!

#3 Location

One of the most important factors to consider when comparing courses is the location of the course providers centre.

This is especially important to consider if you’re thinking about committing to a full-time or part-time course, as the time and money involved with travelling long distance can add up very quickly!

Even if you’ve got your mind set on an online yoga course, the requirement to pass a practical assessment means that you’ll still need to choose a course provider within a reasonable distance.

Otherwise, what seemed like a cheap yoga course at first could end up costing you more than competitors by the time you have covered the costs associated with travel.

Whilst this won’t affect how hard your yoga teacher course is, being within a reasonable distance of the course centre will certainly make the overall process of getting qualified a lot easier.

#4 Tutors Knowledge & Quality of Resources 

The level of support that you recieve and the quality of the learning resources can make all the difference in the answer to ‘how hard is it to become a yoga teacher?’.

It makes sense really. If you’re left to your own devices without much tutor support, or if you don’t have access to informative resources, completing your coursework and passing any subsequent exams will be far from easy!

On the other hand, finding a course provider with qualified tutors and high-quality resources that cover each topic in sufficient detail will make passing your course much easier.

For that reason, we can’t stress enough how important it is that you ask about these things when comparing yoga courses. 

Don’t be afraid to ask course providers about the level of qualification and experience their tutors hold, how and when you can contact these tutors, and ask about what resources you’ll have access to.

#5 Post-course support 

This is not something that will make your qualification easier, but becoming a yoga instructor doesn’t stop at passing your course!

Very soon we’ll discuss how hard it is to land a job as a yoga instructor, but before we get to that, here’s how you can make that process easier by comparing the post-course support offered by providers!

Post-course support is not something that is required as part of the regulations set out by Ofqual, and so it can vary greatly among course providers.

Considering that you’re here searching something along the lines of ‘how hard is it to become a certified yoga instructor’, we think it's safe to say that you’ll want to work as a yoga teacher in the near future.

That said, it's never too soon to think about how you’re going to land your dream job as a yoga instructor, and so looking for a course provider that offers career support should be a no brainer!

When enquiring with course providers, don’t be afraid to ask what (if any) post-course support they offer, what relationships they have with your potential employers, and how they can support you in kick-starting your career.

To give you an idea of what you should look for in terms of post-course support, here are some aspects of the extensive career support that we offer to all of OriGym students:

• Free CV analysis
• Help with interview preparation
• Advice on business & marketing skills
• Access to exclusive jobs boards
• Guaranteed post-course interviews

How Hard Is It To Become A Yoga Teacher? 4 Skills You Need!

Before we jump straight in and discuss the skills that make a good yoga teacher, a quick disclaimer! 

If you don’t think that all (or any) of these skills come naturally to you, there’s no need to be disheartened! 

Great yoga teachers come with various traits and teaching styles, these are just some skills that might make it easier to pass the course and go on to become a successful yoga teacher!

#1 Motivated

Even if you find the content of a yoga instructor course fairly easy, you’ll still need some element of motivation to pass!

Nobody is going to do your coursework or complete your assessment for you, and so having the motivation to do your work and revise for your exams is essential.

Even once you have completed your exams, finding a job or starting up your own business is not something that will happen overnight. 

There are tons of yogis out there who would love to land a job as a yoga teacher, so having the motivation to work hard and set yourself apart from the competition is really important. 

#2 Passionate

As with most things in life, having a passion for yoga makes it much easier to be motivated to put in the hard work necessary to get qualified as a yoga teacher.

This is something that is especially important for online or part-time students, as these modes of study require a lot of motivation and self-discipline. 

Typically, students that are truly passionate about yoga are much happier to put in the time and effort necessary to get through the course content and pass the subsequent assessments. 

As a result, passionate yogis don’t find it that difficult to become a yoga instructor at all!

#3 Knowledgeable

It’s fairly obvious that having a good knowledge of the principles of yoga is an essential skill of any yoga teacher.

Whilst you will gain a lot of your knowledge during your course, it always helps to have some kind of existing understanding of the basic principles of yoga.

If you’re a yoga-lover yourself then you probably have a lot more knowledge and understanding than you think! However, if you haven’t practiced before then it might be worth taking the time to attend a couple of yoga classes or watching some of our favorite yoga youtube channels before you jump straight into a qualification!

#4 Patient 

Finally, one skill that will not only make it easier for you during your studies but also when it comes to working as a yoga teacher, is patience.

Not everybody manages to pass their exams first time, and students often receive feedback to change elements of their coursework.

This can be really frustrating as most students want to get qualified as quickly as possible. However, patience is key! Taking your time to really absorb all of the knowledge is the best way to ensure that you are prepared for exams, giving you the best chance of passing!

How Hard Is It To Get A Job As A Yoga Teacher?

By now you should have a pretty good idea of how hard it is to get qualified as a yoga instructor. But, as we mentioned earlier, getting qualified is only part of the equation.

So, how hard is it to land a job as a yoga instructor? Here’s everything you need to know!

Demand for Jobs 

In recent years, the fitness industry has truly exploded. Services such as 1-1 personal training sessions have boomed in popularity, and interest in yoga has grown just as much.

According to August 2020 statistics, every week between 20,000 and 30,000 yoga classes are taught in the UK with up to 460,000 Brits taking part in yoga classes each week.

Although the industry has been put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is expected that we will see the popularity of yoga and the number of UK independent yoga studios continue to increase in the near future.

Where You Could Work?

Before qualifying as a yoga instructor, it's important to think about where you might work. 

Whilst plenty of big chain gyms and leisure centres employ yoga instructors to run classes, there are almost 5000 yoga studios currently operating in the UK.

If you have ambitions of becoming your own boss, you could even open up your very own yoga studio, or work as a freelance instructor as opposed to tying yourself down to one particular space.

How A Level 4 Qualification Will Improve Job Prospects

If you’re concerned that the number of aspiring yoga instructors in the UK will make it difficult for you to land your dream job, don’t give up.

A bit of healthy competition never hurt anybody. So, instead of thinking that it will be too tough to stand out among the crowd when applying for your dream job, do something about it!

Despite the range of benefits of becoming a master yoga teacher, very few UK yoga instructors are Level 4 qualified.

Studying advanced yoga qualifications and regularly completing CPD courses is a surefire way to show a potential employer that you are committed to expanding your knowledge and becoming the very best yoga teacher you can be.

Not only that, but further qualifications allow you to specialise in a specific area of yoga. For example, pre or postnatal, childrens' yoga, or an expert working with elderly clients. What better way to stand out than bringing a completely new specialty to a studio?!

If you find that there is no other studio in your area offering that speciality, why not take the opportunity to fill that gap in the market? The OriGym guide to starting your own yoga business plan covers everything you need to know to take that leap!

We even have a range of useful resources to help any yogi aspiring to start their own business:  

• Tips for Marketing a Yoga Business
• OriGym’s Guide to Yoga Teacher Insurance 
• How to Get Private Yoga Clients 

Before You Go!

Now that you know the answer to the question, 'How hard is it to become a yoga teacher?' you can put our advice into practice and begin to pursue a career within this sector.

If you're ready to qualify, check out our Level 3 yoga teacher training diploma here!

Alternatively, you can download our course prospectus for information on the range of health & fitness qualifications that you can study with us here at OriGym.

References 

https://www.ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/market-research-reports/pilates-yoga-studios-industry/ 

https://www.finder.com/uk/yoga-statistics