What Yoga Teacher Training Should I Take? How to Choose the Right Program

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It seems to be that time of year again...the time when many yogis are considering teacher training and deciding which program they should take this fall. I've gotten quite a few questions about teacher training programs as of late, so I thought that I should revisit this topic and share my two cents on the subject. 

First, I should tell you that I've already written a post entitled How to Know When You're Ready for Teacher Training. If you've already read this post and decided that yes, you are ready for teacher training, here are the things you should take into consideration when deciding which training to take:

What training do my teachers recommend? 
If you want to enroll in teacher training, you've probably been taking classes with a specific teacher or a handful of teachers for a while now. Presumably, these teachers teach in a way that speaks to you and works with your learning style and body. So who better to consult than these individuals? 

If you have no idea which training to take OR you're trying to decide between a few, I recommend consulting your teachers and getting their opinions. Do what you want with the information that you receive, but they'll probably have some inside information that you don't as a student, and might be able to point you in a direction you hadn't considered.

Who is leading and/or teaching the training? 
If you're considering a specific training (or deciding between a few different trainings), you need to take a couple of classes with the main teacher or teachers who will lead the training in order to ensure that you want to teach in the way that they do. If you take a class with the head of a training program and find that you don't enjoy it, then you should probably find someone whose style resonates with you and train with him/her instead. 

When you train with someone, you start out teaching like them. It's just a fact. Eventually you will find your own authentic teaching voice and develop your own style, but this style will be heavily influenced by your training for quite a while. So, pick someone whose energy, vibe, and style feels right to you. 

What style of yoga does the training focus on? 
Although some programs may cover a variety of styles over the course of the training, most programs teach trainees how to teach a specific style of yoga. Before signing up for a training, you need to find out what style of yoga that training teaches and be sure that you want to teach in that style. I know this sounds obvious, but if you've been taking yoga at a gym for 5 years, you might not know what style you've been doing! Talk to the teachers whose classes you like and ask them what style they teach, and then look for trainings that teach that style. 

Does the training schedule work with my life?
One of the most grueling aspects of teacher training is the schedule. Many part-time training programs take place on the weekends, and usually they're almost every weekend for a couple of months, or at least a few weekends per month for about 6 months. This is a BIG time commitment and scheduling strain, especially if you work full-time and/or have a family to take care of on the weekends.

Thus, if you can't give up your weekends for 3-6 months, you may want to look at immersion or intensive programs, which take place over the course of a month or in a couple of condensed time periods. Similarly, if you can only give up one weekend per month for a year, that's another schedule to look into. For most, the training schedule is a big factor, so you should definitely take that into consideration when deciding between programs. 

Where does the training take place?
This isn't as important if you're taking a local training or even commuting to a training that's a couple of hours away, but if you're doing an immersion program in another country or some exotic locale, it's important to do quite a bit of research on the location to ensure it's a place where you want to spend a month or so. What kind of food will you be eating? What will the accommodations be like? Is this a place where you will be comfortable and can focus solely on the yoga? Check on these things before signing up. 

Is the training connected to a studio where I'd like to *perhaps* teach someday?
This is not a deal-breaker, but I think it's a good thing to consider if you're taking a local training and you know that you want to teach when you graduate (and even if you don't, you could definitely change your mind!).

 Often, when hiring, studios will give preference to teachers who have gone through their teacher training or a training associated with their studio/taught by one of their teachers (some studios ONLY hire from their teacher training!), so this is something to keep in mind. If you know that you want to teach at a certain studio when you graduate, you should take their teacher training OR the one that they recommend so that your teaching aligns with their mission and values. 

How long has the training been around?
Again, not a deal-breaker, but I think it's a good thing to note if you're deciding between a couple of programs. Can a brand new program be amazing? Absolutely. But if you're comparing a brand new program to one that has been around for 10 years, you might want to think about that and how this factor could affect the education you get and the connections you make. That being said, if you're in love with a teacher who has decided to do her first training and she seems to have her sh*t together, sign up! :)

Want to learn more about teaching yoga once you graduate from teacher training? I've written an eBook all about it for you:

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How much money you can make teaching yoga? 

How do you get a teaching job, promote your classes, and grow your yoga biz?

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This is the book that I wanted to read when I first decided to become a yoga teacher, but couldn't find anywhere; It's an honest and straightforward glimpse into what it looks + feels like to teach yoga as a primary source of income. 

Learn more about the book {HERE} or place your order below!

Thanks for reading and good luck with your teacher training decision! 

Feel free to comment or email me with any further questions ;)