What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training and How to Prepare

If you’re wondering what you have to know before yoga teacher training, our tips will tell you what to expect!  This article will cover:

• 9 Things to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training
• How to Prepare for Yoga Teacher Training
• Tips for During Yoga Teacher Training

Our own Level 3 yoga teacher training course is an entry-level qualification that accepts both seasoned experts and complete novices.

You can find more information relating to this course by downloading our free course prospectus and checking out the module breakdowns. 

9 Things to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training

#1 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Be Aware of Your Intentions for the Course

The first of our tips for yoga teacher training is to consider what you hope to get out of the course.

At the start of a yoga class, teachers usually ask students to set an intention, a Sankalpa, which is a short phrase or sentence expressed to bring about a positive change.

You can set an intention when preparing for yoga teacher training so that it gives you focus and something to aim towards by the end of the course!

Being aware of intentions will help you decide which course to take as well as keeping you motivated throughout.

For example, if you’ve got particular career aspirations like becoming an Ashtanga yoga teacher then this will mean you should choose a course where you can specify yoga styles you want to focus on.

You could also set an intention such as:

I want to focus on grounding myself and helping others to ground themselves through their practice"

I want to deepen my practice and share that wisdom with others

This is what you have to know before yoga teacher training so that you can choose the right course and make sure you get the most out of it!

#2 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: You Should Have Some Practical Yoga Experience

Next up for what you have to know about yoga teacher training is that it will be easier and quicker if you’re already practising.

This is because not only will it give you a headstart with some of the asanas and tradition of yoga, it will also give you an idea of whether you like it or not!

This will also mean that your practice is further developed for when you become a teacher. The more passionate you are before starting your training the more room there is to grow your practice rather than just developing an interest.

A lot of courses will combine practical elements with learning online. This is why you’ll get through a lot of the learning material quicker if you’re already familiar with asanas and yoga as a tradition.

However, don’t despair if you don’t feel like you’re an expert! After all, what you need to know before yoga teacher training is some of the fundamentals. 

You still want to leave plenty of room for learning and building on the basics you’re already familiar with! This is why our own course doesn’t require any pre-existing knowledge so that the course is available for everyone.

More information relating to the course can be found in our article analysing 'How to Become a Yoga Instructor'. 

#3 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Your Postures Don’t Need to be Perfect Yet!

Just as some existing knowledge and practice will positively inform your yoga teacher training, you don’t need to have already mastered every asana before starting!

If you want to know how to prepare for yoga teacher training you shouldn’t worry too much if you haven’t perfected some of the poses yet.

You’re there to learn and develop your own practice as well as learning what makes a good yoga teacher. 

If you appreciate and trust the process you’ll also avoid pushing yourself too hard and risking injury when trying to master an advanced pose.

This will also translate into your teaching as you’ll be more equipped to deal with modifying poses for people and be able to encourage them to keep trying.

You can gradually build up to certain asanas and remind yourself of your intention throughout training so that you stay motivated to advance!

This is why one of our tips for yoga teacher training is to be mindful and listen to your body when practising postures and transitions. 

#4 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Embrace Not Knowing and Learning

When it comes to yoga, there’s a lot to remember including:

• Different styles
• Postures
• The history of yoga
• Yoga symbols 
• Sanskrit phrases and names

This will mean that there may be words and concepts that you don’t understand initially. Don’t panic though! Yoga teacher training providers don’t expect you to recognise and remember them all by heart, or have an in depth knowledge before starting.

Rather than feeling like a failure when you can’t quite grasp something, think of it as a chance to explore, learn and grow.

That’s why one of our tips for yoga teacher training is to ask teachers, mentors, or even your fellow students for help. You’re likely to learn much more in the long term if you take this approach.

That’s why one of the things on our list of what to know about yoga teacher training is to embrace not knowing and ask plenty of questions.

#5 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Choose the Best Provider

With so many different options for yoga teacher training out there, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you.

So, what you have to know about your yoga teacher training includes:

• Whether the course is accredited by the appropriate body
• How many hours of yoga teacher training the course has

This means that the provider and course has been reviewed and approved by an accreditation body such as CIMSPA.

This is essentially a stamp of approval to show that what you’re learning is of the highest quality and that the information being taught is accurate.

This is why both of our yoga teacher levels are accredited by CIMSPA, ensuring what you learn and how you learn it has all been approved and of the highest standards.

You should be able to find this information readily on the course provider’s website along with people’s reviews and testimonials to get an honest opinion of the course!

You should also make sure that your course has at least 200 yoga teacher training hours. This means exactly what it says: it’s how many hours of learning are included to guarantee the expertise of the graduate.

#6 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Look at the Support Offered

Although many yoga teacher training courses cover similar topics, there’s huge variety between them in terms of quality of teaching and the support offered. 

This is why you should also ensure there’s plenty of post-course support so that you’ve got help actually starting your career.

This way you won’t just have support learning the material, and extensive help for teaching your first yoga class, there’s also plenty of support after you finish.

For example, our own course doesn’t just cover the fundamentals of the practice itself but gives you access to the following:

• A free business consultation
• Our bespoke business resource platform with marketing and advertising tips
• Our jobs board where hundreds of leading brands advertise positions

If you’re wondering how hard it is to become a yoga instructor, it will be a lot smoother if you ensure you’ve got this support!

#7 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: Different Providers Offer Different Course Structures

If you’re wondering what to know about yoga teacher training before you begin, another important point to consider is the fact that course structures and methods of delivery will vary.

Some courses will take longer to complete than others, and so it’s important that you consider how this will fit in with your life, schedule, and other commitments. 

For instance, courses based in other countries such as India are more intensive and are usually done through full-time yoga retreats over the course of a number of weeks.

In contrast, OriGym’s yoga teacher training courses are flexible, and allow you to study in your own time.

Methods of assessment can also vary from course to course, as well as what you need to do to pass and become qualified. If there are exams, can you re-sit for free, or would you incur additional fees?

Before embarking on your journey to become a yoga teacher, it’s therefore important to decide which aspects of training are most important to you, what you hope to gain, and how you’d like to learn.

#8 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: It May Be an Emotional Experience

Whether it's your tears or someone else’s, what you have to know before yoga teacher training is that it's likely to be pretty emotional!

Practising yoga, and learning more about teaching it, requires you to focus on the self and look introspectively.

This can sometimes feel overwhelming but don’t let this put you off! This is part of the journey and will contribute to you being a more empathetic and engaged teacher.

In this situation, it’s important to embrace these feelings. Prioritise your rest and recovery, and even your own personal practice, to help manage your emotions.

Rather than keeping them in, let your emotions out! This will be much better for you in the long run than keeping them in, and you’ll find yoga teacher training much more rewarding too.

#9 What to Know Before Yoga Teacher Training: This is a Great Opportunity for Meeting People!

Lastly on our list of tips for yoga teacher training is that you should be open to making new connections.

You’ll be meeting a whole host of other yogis as part of your training as part of the workshops and practical side of training.

This is a fantastic opportunity to network with other people who may practice in some of the best yoga studios. 

Not only will you learn from these people during your training, and help inspire your own practice, what you have to know before yoga teacher training is that this is also a professional opportunity!

Connecting with other practitioners means making potential business connections or exciting opportunities for events and classes together.

For example, fellow class members may be interested in starting yoga podcasts or a retreat of their own.

If you build rapport with class members it can create opportunities to collaborate on these things. You may even end up collaborating and joining forces to create your own yoga studio!

How to Prepare for Yoga Teacher Training

Now that you’re aware of what to know before yoga teacher training, here are some ways that you can ensure that you’re well prepared for the course itself.

#1 Preparing for Yoga Teacher Training: Be Sure to Attend a Variety of Yoga Classes

As well as practising on your own, we’d advise you to set time aside to attend yoga classes of different styles, with different teachers, before starting your teacher training.

Going to a variety of classes will help to diversify your personal practice, as it will help you to decide which is the style that you’d like to teach.

You may also pick up some tips from teachers including:

• Sequencing 
• Yoga class themes
• How to open a yoga class 

By noticing how teachers use cues to direct a class, or how they modify poses for different abilities, you’ll be able to develop your own teaching instincts.

You can then develop these further during your yoga teacher training, which is a great experience for when you start planning and delivering your own sessions!

#2 Preparing for Yoga Teacher Training: Consider Starting a Yoga Journal

Another of our tips for yoga teacher training preparation is to invest in a journal before you begin your course.

The journaling process can help you gain some insight into your practice and you can return to it at any point during your training for motivation or to record your development.

As you reflect on these insights, you will find it easier to process this journey, as well as any feelings that have come up during this experience.

This is a great way of tracking your experience and if you invest in a yoga teacher training journal you can compare your experience from before and after your training and see how far you’ve come!

You can also continue to use it to organise your practice outside of training and use it when you move into teaching to plan out your week.

For example, you might be working on a Yin practice and teaching a hot yoga class. There might be benefits of hot yoga over other practices that you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t have regular moments of reflection through journaling.

This will help inform how you want to teach and make sure you’re always developing your practice.

Tips for During Yoga Teacher Training

#1 Preparing for Yoga Teacher Training: Try to Maintain Your Own Practice Throughout the Course

During your course, your training won’t always be physical practice. You’ll also learn about:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Philosophy of yoga
• Planning a yoga session

This is why it’s important to continue practising asanas in your own time to prepare yourself for your increasing activity levels, and to keep developing your physical practice even when your learning is more theoretical. 

As you may know already, there’s huge benefits to practising yoga every day for your mental health as well as physical. 

Doing yoga throughout your training will therefore give you a chance to regularly check in with yourself, stay grounded, and keep track of the way in which your learning is informing your own practice!

#2 Preparing for Yoga Teacher Training: Make Sure to Look After Yourself Whilst Learning

Completing a yoga teacher training qualification is incredibly rewarding, but can be an intense time for you, your body, and those around you.

Therefore, it’s important that you’re giving your body everything that it needs to both survive and thrive!

Whether you’re maintaining a yoga diet or just making sure you’re eating in a consistently balanced way, there’s huge benefits of healthy eating for your teacher training and beyond. 

This will ensure you have enough energy to tackle the practical elements of your training and keep your brain alert for the theoretical side.

You should also make sure to put enough time aside for rest and recovery, including 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Practice yoga, but don’t put too much strain on your body!

Before You Go!

We hope that this article has armed you with exactly what to know before yoga teacher training.

Now that you know exactly what to look for in a course, and what to expect, all you’ve got to do now is sign up and start your journey!

You can check out our Level 3 yoga teacher course here or find out about all of our yoga courses by downloading and browsing our free course prospectus!