How To Turn Yoga Into A Career

Your enthusiasm for practising yoga is limitless, which has led you to question how to turn yoga into a career.

In this article, we'll help you achieve exactly that by breaking down the steps you'll need to take: 

• Step 1 - A Successful Yoga Career Begins With Your Own Practice
• Step 2 - Undertake Yoga Teacher Training To Begin Your Yoga Career
• Step 3 - Find The Studios You Want To Teach In
• Step 4 - Develop A Presence In Those Studios
• Step 5 - Take On Your First Classes In A Freelance Capacity
• Taking The Yoga Career Path Further - 6 Yoga Career Progression Options

Before we begin, if you're ready to turn your passion for yoga into your career, why not enquire about our internationally recognised Level 3 Yoga Teacher Training course? Alternatively, you can learn more about getting qualified by reading our guide on how to become a yoga teacher here.

Step 1 - A Successful Yoga Career Begins With Your Own Practice

Before you embark on a yoga career, you must make sure you’ve developed your practice. 

Every yoga teacher’s journey is different but is informed by who they are as a practitioner first. To become the best practitioner possible there are several areas, you should focus on: 

• Attending yoga classes
• Studying essential texts
• Attending workshops/retreats/events
• Having discussions with your teachers
• Explore online options

Let's look at how you can do each of these effectively.

Attending Yoga Classes Improves The Physical And Mental Understanding Required For A Career In Yoga

If you have a schedule as a practitioner, you’ll have familiarised yourself with a key principle to pursue yoga as a career.

You’re managing your time effectively and learning the content that you’ll eventually lead, which as a teacher helps you deliver a high-quality service to future students.

Attending different classes will also be beneficial, as not only will you broaden your physical capabilities but you also deepen your understanding of different practices.

If you’re only attending one yoga class, then maybe it’s time to attend further classes to improve your capabilities as a practitioner.

Depending on your schedule, you may not have to attend different studios to learn more about yoga. 

Liverpool Yoga Studios, for example, runs different classes at their venue, including Hatha, Rajadhiraja, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga:

If you dedicate time to attending these different classes, you will improve your abilities as a yoga practitioner, which will benefit your students and your career in yoga.

Reading Yoga Texts Will Help Develop Your Knowledge Of The Practice Further

When you’re questioning how to turn yoga into a career, you should consider reading yoga books to improve your employability. For instance:

• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali will help you understand the practice of yoga and how to achieve detachment (Kaivalya).
• The Bhagavad Gita will teach you Karma, Bhakti and Jhana as forms of yoga and our true purpose in life.
• The Hatha Yoga Pradipika will deepen your understanding to cleanse the body at the start of each yoga session.
• The Classic Yoga Book: Light on Iyengar explains every pose you perform and the benefits they bring.

When you find yourself with some time to study, don't be afraid to pick up one of these books on yoga and elevate your understanding of this practice.

Attending Workshops And Other Events Will Help You Learn New Skills for a Yoga Career

If you’re looking to attend events outside of your normal schedule, attending workshops, retreats and events can boost your skillset and networking opportunities for a career in the yoga field. For example:

• Workshops can teach you a form of yoga you wouldn’t learn in a normal class. They also allow you to ask questions to a yoga professional to guide your learning. 
• Retreats offer an excellent opportunity to study a type of yoga in depth over a longer period compared to a normal class.
• Events are a great way to network and promote yourself within the yoga community. It’s also an opportunity to receive additional training and feedback.

Remember, developing your skills as a yoga practitioner doesn’t have to be confined to your local studio. 

Transcend Studios has offered aspiring yoga teachers the chance to attend one-off classes, where they’ll learn yoga techniques to restore and keep the body balanced during the winter months: 

Visiting workshops, retreats or events will help you learn more about yoga from experienced yoga teachers and give you a taste of what it’s like to operate in the profession.

Talking To Your Yoga Teacher Will Deepen Your Understanding of a Career in the Yoga Field

How to turn yoga into a career should also involve you seeking guidance from your yoga teachers. They’ve got an abundance of experience when it comes to delivering a successful yoga class.

They can guide you in performing complicated poses, improving your breathing during classes, and even help you understand and answer “Is yoga a good career for you?”.

You can ask them for advice on the steps they took to become a yoga teacher. This will help you on your educational journey and also find the right path to employment.

Talking to other teachers is a great way to further your professional development.  Establishing networks with them is also a great way to become aware of upcoming career opportunities.

So don’t be afraid to ask questions to improve your abilities and career prospects.

Don’t Be Afraid To Undertake Online Research And Classes To Boost Your Skills For A Career In Yoga

If you’re finding it difficult to attend more than one yoga class, there are plenty of online options for you to boost your understanding of potential yoga career paths.

You could sign up for online classes, supplied by companies such as Glo, to learn yoga to a schedule that works best for you.

You could also learn yoga types online that might not be available in your area, giving you an advantage over other aspiring yoga teachers.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to study, there are endless websites to provide you with the essential knowledge to improve your yoga career opportunities.

Yoga Journal is a great online resource with a list of different yoga poses you can learn by following their instructions.

When it comes to improving your practice of yoga, online resources can help further your knowledge through classes and websites containing useful information.

Step 2 - Undertake Yoga Teacher Training To Begin Your Yoga Career

Once you’ve optimised your skills as a practitioner, it’s time to secure the right qualifications to pursue a career in yoga.

When you’re choosing the qualification that’s right for you, it’s important to understand what you’re looking for in the course that you’ll enrol on.

First, it’s important to make sure the course is Ofqual regulated and offers the correct level of hours to study.

Most courses offer 200 hours of study time, but with OriGym’s Yoga Courses, you’ll receive 400 hours of guided learning.

This will give you a competitive advantage over other applicants when you’re applying for a position as you will have greater levels of expertise and transferable skills.

The second thing you should be looking at from your yoga course is the modules it provides. These modules are crucial for teaching you the fundamentals of understanding yoga.

The correct course will teach you anatomy and physiology, including how the body functions during yoga movements and studying movement during asanas yoga. 

It should also teach you how to create a session plan for each yoga class run. It will enable you to make adjustments for students with additional needs.

Finally, the ideal yoga qualification will have taught you to become a leader during your classes finding ways to motivate students when they might be struggling. 

All these teaching points can be found in OriGym’s yoga course which will put you in a strong position to demonstrate your ability as a yoga teacher to future employers.  

Step 3 - Find The Studios You Want To Teach In When Searching For A Career In Yoga

There will be plenty of yoga career opportunities once you’ve obtained your certification. However, it’s best to optimise your employment prospects towards studios that reflect your expertise.  

To do this, you should ask yourself a couple of questions, including: 

•  Have I accumulated enough yoga hours to apply for this position?
•  Do I have enough experience with the types of yoga taught at this studio?
•  Do I need specialist experience to teach at a yoga studio?
•  Do I need any additional qualifications or experience (first aid training/yoga types)

Have I Accumulated Enough Yoga Hours to Apply for This Position?

When you’ve identified a position you wish to apply for, make sure you read the yoga job description carefully.

In certain circumstances, you’ll need to have accumulated a certain amount of hours from yoga teacher training. 

For instance, this position posted on Virgin Active requires you to have 200 hours of yoga training completed:

If you complete OriGym’s Level 3 yoga course, you’ll have over 400 hours of essential and theoretical work. This will be demonstrable evidence you can present during the interview.

Do I Have Enough Experience For The Types Of Yoga Taught At This Studio?

Before you apply for a position, it’s also crucial to make sure you hold the relevant experience for the role.

This will give you an understanding of the work you have to complete to meet standards set by those operating within the industry.

For example, Natural Fit Health Club are looking for a yoga instructor who has experience performing and coaching yoga classes and one year’s experience working with a team: 

When you’re searching for the ideal studio to work in, make sure you meet the criteria set out by the studio.

Do I Need Specialist Experience To Teach At A Yoga Studio?

Another question you should ask yourself is whether you need specialist experience for the types of yoga career paths you’re interested in.

For example, does a studio want an instructor with who can teach Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga because it’s underrepresented at their venue?

As you can see from his job description posted on Harri, they are looking for a yoga instructor with 200 teaching hours but also able to carry out 4 different types of yoga:

So when researching an ideal studio to work at, make sure your expertise matches their demand and you’re able to carry out the classes they want.

Having additional qualifications is beneficial to securing future employment. For example, OriGym's Level 4 Yoga Diploma provides the chance to develop a lucrative specialism, as well as advanced skills to take your classes to the next level.

It’s also important to apply for positions at yoga studios you’ve practised at. This can increase the likelihood of employment thanks to the presence you’ve established within that community.

- - - -

If you enjoy this article, we think you’ll find these interesting too!

• How to Become a Successful Yoga Teacher
• What Makes A Good Yoga Teacher
• How Long Does It Take To Become A Yoga Teacher

Step 4 - Develop A Presence In The Yoga Sphere To Boost Your Yoga Career

Now that you hold the relevant qualifications, it’s natural for you to feel the urge to get out there and start teaching.

However, before applying for any yoga career opportunities, it’s important to establish a presence at the studios you attend and wish to work at.

Let’s look at how you can achieve this.

Establishing A Studio Presence Is A Good Yoga Career Move

Attending different studios as a yoga practitioner can help you establish a presence, making you a familiar face with your peers and teachers.

It provides you with an opportunity to assist other students in the class who might be struggling with poses.

This will allow you to illustrate the yoga teacher knowledge you possess and react to questions your peers have and assist them to perform yoga poses correctly.

It might be useful to stay and discuss the session with your peers after the class is over. Hearing their thoughts about the skills they wish to develop will enhance your understanding of yoga.

One of these studios you attend could be a place of future employment for yourself if they align with your practice. 

It also allows your teachers to witness your physical capabilities and your knowledge, which will make a positive impact when you approach a studio for a position.

You might be able to get a reference from your teacher when you enquire about opportunities, which will give your yoga teacher CV a boost.

Start A YouTube Channel To Open New Yoga Career Paths

Starting a YouTube channel is a great way to boost your profile as a yoga profile, you can even promote this to your peers after a yoga class.

Your channel could be a great way to demonstrate your capabilities and show off your personality through online classes and offering tip videos.

The Stellar Life offers great insight into how you could run a channel. It offers a range of yoga practices that you can perform as part of your everyday life.

When you apply for a position, you could make the recruitment team aware of your channel which could give you an advantage during the interview process. 

You Could Start An Online Social Media Profile For A Career In Yoga

To boost your presence, you could establish a social media presence. It's a great way to show your classmates and teacher what you're capable of and offers an ideal way to market yourself digitally as a yoga teacher.

Instagram, for instance, is a great platform to boost your profile. It currently has over 1 billion monthly users and focuses on visual content for its users. 

Here you could create short clips where you perform yoga poses to educate users that simultaneously demonstrate your skills.

Adriene Louise has amassed 1.2 million followers on her Instagram page by demonstrating her yoga capabilities: 

If you’re able to post frequently on your channel this will create a portfolio you can present to future employers.

Assist Teachers At Your Yoga Studios To Understand How To Turn Yoga Into Your Career

Offering your time to assist teachers and management is a great way to demonstrate your enthusiasm but it’s also a chance to network and promote yourself to kickstart your yoga career.

You could arrive before a class starts and assist the teacher in setting up a class. You could also make sure the yoga space is clear and prepared for the next class - creating aromas and selecting the appropriate lighting based on the yoga teacher’s intentions for their students.

If the teacher you’re working with permits you to, you can take questions from students and assist them with any difficulties they’re encountering with the poses. 

You Can Offer to Run Taster/Substitute Classes When Seeking Yoga Career Opportunities

You could also establish your presence by running tasters and substitute classes. For example, you could run a Hatha class for a limited period to demonstrate your abilities.

You could use this time to gather feedback from students and present this information to management when discussing vacancies with them.

It’s a good way to increase your yoga career opportunities with yoga studios as it demonstrates you can deliver a fun and professional service.

Alternatively, you can offer to run substitute classes with your preferred yoga studio. In the event their preferred teacher is unable to attend, you could step in. 

You could pass over your details, preferably on one of your yoga business cards, to demonstrate your professionalism and wait for a call from the studio.

Promoting yourself within the yoga community allows you to secure a position at your preferred studio rather than taking a job out of necessity.

Step 5 - Take On Your First Classes in a Freelance Capacity to Start Your Yoga Career

The great news is that your chances of employment are greatly increased as a freelance yoga teacher than trying to secure a full-time position. 

Taking on freelance work is a great way to begin yoga as a career, particularly if you could run a class at one of the yoga studios where you established a presence.

Hosting freelance classes gives you the chance to deliver different yoga classes, such as power yoga for students interested in more intense forms of yoga.

Let’s look at two options you can to secure freelance work.

Working For A Studio You’ve Already Built Up A Rapport In Boost Your Chances Of A Career In Yoga

Once you’ve built a rapport with a yoga studio, you’ll have the foundations to seek freelance work with them. 

Now bear this in mind, this will all be dependent on the studio's availability. For instance, there might be a demand for Vinyasa classes at this studio that is understaffed.

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to stick religiously to one yoga studio out of loyalty. If you’ve followed our advice, you’ll have visited different studios.

This will allow you to reach out to other yoga studios to see what positions they have available. 

By reaching out to these other studios, you’ll be able to start building a weekly schedule to start teaching people and generating income for yourself.

Alternatively, you can hire a yoga studio based on the availability of the rooms at the venues you’ve attended as a practitioner. 

They might be limited in availability, but if you find a time slot that works for both you and the owners, you may potentially find yourself in a position where you can start planning and running your classes.

If you’ve established a good working relationship with management, they may even be able to provide you with a space at a discounted rate. 

Apply For Other Freelance Positions For A Career In The Yoga Field

If you would like to branch out and not rely on your local yoga studio, you can find other freelance work within the industry to pursue yoga as a career. 

On Indeed, Educated Spa is looking to recruit a Yoga Instructor for two classes a week that deliver restorative and power yoga classes in the morning and evening: 

When applying for freelance positions, make sure you meet the requirements outlined by the employed and that it doesn’t conflict with your current schedule

Make sure you’ve secured all the yoga teacher insurance, carried out relevant yoga risk assessments and made reasonable adjustments before you carry out any classes.

Taking The Yoga Career Path Further - 6 Yoga Career Progression Options

After working as a yoga teacher, you may want to consider new yoga career paths, not only to challenge yourself but also to boost your earning potential.

Here are some of the pathways you could consider.

Yoga Careers Paths Can Include You Expanding To Include Private Classes

Running private yoga classes is a great way to demonstrate your skills as a yoga teacher. It allows you to work with students who have different interests and additional needs. 

To get more private yoga clients, it’s important to have an understanding of the types of students.

Are you looking for a yoga career working as a specialist yoga teacher, perhaps delivering post-natal yoga classes to assist mothers following their pregnancy? 

Lucy Parkes is a great example of someone providing this service. Her yoga classes help new mothers following the first six weeks of the child being born.

Her courses include a wide range of areas that can help mothers with pelvic floor & core and c-section recovery to name a few:

If this is your demographic, you would need to consider what support these mothers need; bolster pillows and yoga blocks, for example, to provide support.

Another option is to market yourself as a yoga teacher who can deliver different types of yoga classes.

One option is to research which types of yoga are most sought after, this will help develop the brand of yoga that you would like to promote. 

Yoga Baron has a great chart that details the monthly searches for yoga that are carried out and ranks them based on popularity. 

Data like this could help you select the correct services to sell, attracting customers but also generating revenue.

It’s also important to make sure your research is accurate, this is because it helps you understand:

• Competition in your area
• What services customers are seeking 
• Understand the investment required
• How the business will be marketed

If you have a well-written business plan you’ll be able to guarantee future success as a yoga teacher. 

Take Your Practice Outside the Classroom to Explore New Yoga Career Paths

Another great career option you could consider is running outdoor yoga classes. This is a great way for your students to connect with nature and improve their well-being.

To help these classes reach their true potential, it's recommended that you run these classes during the warmer seasons.

Mindful Earth is a great example of how you could promote outdoor yoga classes to practitioners in your area: 

Running outdoor yoga classes is a great way to utilise the weather to your advantage, creating a new and fun environment for your students to attend.

The outside will also provide uneven terrain that will improve students' balance compared to the flat terrain they experience in a studio.

Great weather is never a guarantee, so if you plan the class correctly, you can always utilise an indoor space, if the weather turns bad.

Operate a Yoga Retreat to Explore New Yoga Career Opportunities

If you’re feeling ambitious when looking at new yoga career paths, you could plan a yoga retreat to expose your brand of yoga to a wider audience.

For any yoga retreat to be a success, you need to make sure you have a schedule that meets the criteria you’ve set.

You might find it appropriate to offer Hatha for beginners and Vinyasa for more advanced students if you wish to create an inclusive atmosphere.

A great example of a yoga retreat can be found on Mindful Earth, who are offering flow core challenges, twist-inspired yoga with meditation: 

It’s also important to recruit a team to help you deliver the classes within the retreat, so when you advertise for staff make sure they’re qualified in the areas you’re looking for.

Also, you may find it essential to choose the right location for your yoga retreat. To achieve this, you should consider whether: 

• The proposed site can the number of people you expect to attend?
• Is accessible for people travelling to this location?
• Will it possess the right accommodation and facilities for your guests?

To increase the retreat's chances of success, it’s also important to consider: 

• When you want to hold the retreat
• The length it will run for
• How much you will charge
• How the event will be marketed

These considerations will help you run an effective retreat that will be a pleasurable experience for everyone who attends.

Run A Yoga Workshop To See New Ways To Explore A Career In Yoga

If you’re not ready to run a yoga retreat, teaching a yoga workshop is a great alternative to exploring new career paths.

Similar to a retreat, a workshop’s success is rooted in your planning and research. This will help you market your workshop so it reaches the correct audience.

Your research can take shape in the form of online research to see if anyone in the yoga community is running a similar workshop nearby.

For example, Amity Yoga ran wellness workshops in the Merseyside area during the morning.

If you were looking to run a wellness workshop on Merseyside, you could offer classes in the evening in the city centre to offer an accessible class for people finishing work.

The current classes you attend could be an opportunity to receive feedback from your current student base to see if they would be interested in attending the workshop you’re planning to host.

If you don’t have a studio to operate from, it’s important to scout a venue that would be ideal, along with its hiring cost.

Similar to a retreat, it’s also important to consider the following: 

• Facilities and accessibility
• Budget to run the workshop
• Marketing required

The final step to consider when promoting this event is to ensure all marketing materials include the relevant information that your target audience needs, which includes:

• Name of workshop
• Purpose of workshop
• Pricing
• Running time
• Date
• Address
• Online contact details

These details are present in the detox yoga workshop advert below:

If you consider these ideas we’re sure you’ll attract the right people to your workshop and guarantee its future success.

Progress Into Yoga Studio Management For A New Yoga Career Path

If you’re looking to break away from teaching yoga classes, you could consider pursuing a yoga career in management.

This is where your yoga teacher experience will serve you well, whether you’ve undertaken a permanent position or freelance work, you can present evidence of your success in the industry. 

You’ll also possess transferable skills that can help a business succeed, which might manifest in your yoga teacher marketing abilities or administration skills.

When you apply for any yoga manager position, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’re a team that can motivate their staff, so make sure you’ve got this experience before applying.

An example of this can be found by Capio Recruitment Limited which is looking for a Coffee Shop and Yoga Studio manager who could motivate their staff:

Working as a yoga manager requires you to have a strong understanding of company policies and health and safety procedures.

This will make sure staff are following the correct procedures, protect the company from any liability and most importantly, ensure the safety of your customers.

Your current experience will enable you to structure studio routines to optimise attendance from customers.

Finally, it’s important to make sure you’re able to listen to customer feedback to amend class structures to improve customer service and satisfaction. 

This will help improve retention rates and spread positive feedback within the community, increasing the likelihood of new members coming to the studio.

Open A Studio To Take Your Yoga Career To The Next Level

If you enjoy the idea of being your boss then opening a studio is the next natural step for a career in yoga.

Before opening your studio, you need to make sure you’ve considered all planning for your business to succeed. This includes: 

• Understanding who your target audience is
• Current market status
• How your business will be marketed
• Investment required and future profit projections

You’ll also need to have the correct venue selected, so it is the prime location to attract customers to your location. 

This will give you an advantage over others within the community when it comes to promoting your business and services. You’ll be operating in an area that provides classes that are in demand.

The first step in opening your studio is hiring staff that have the appropriate qualifications and experience. Your recruitment drive can be aided by looking at current job advertisements online.

Before You Go!

By now you should have a good idea of how to pursue the exciting prospect of turning yoga into a career! 

Why wait any longer? Enquire about our internationally-recognised Level 3 Diploma in Yoga Teacher Training to take the first step towards this exciting journey.

Want to know more about OriGym and our courses? Download our free prospectus here.