Yoga: It's a mind body spirit thing.

Courtney Smith – I discovered yoga while working at an advertising agency in New York City. Seven years into my job, I was burnt out, disillusioned by the corporate world, and looking for something more meaningful. There was a studio next to the office where I began taking classes. It started with two days a week, but within six months, I was a daily student. I started leaving work early to get to my favorite teacher’s classes, and very quickly, I realized my yoga was more important than my job.

My first teacher, John Doe, offered a 12-week Yoga Teacher Training. I joined initially out of personal interest, but by the end of the first month, I had already given notice at my job and made plans to make yoga my career, not just my hobby. I got my first teaching job upon graduating, and to date, I’ve taught in seven studios in the New York Metro area. I’ve trained with leading yoga, anatomy, and philosophy teachers including Larry Page, Carl Sagon, and Paige Linderman.

For me, yoga is about the balance between strength and flexibility, exertion, and releasing. So, my classes combine both strength and mobility work in a dynamic, Vinyasa Flow style. Expect to move, sweat, and breathe.

Can You Do Yoga Teacher Training Online?

It’s not always possible to commit the in-person time and presence to obtain your Yoga Teacher Certification.  If you’re wondering, “Can you do yoga teacher training online” the answer is: Yes, you can!

With many of these courses, it’s finally possible to earn you Yoga Certification Online.  You don’t have to go through YTT from an RYS (Registered school from the Yoga Alliance) to teach Yoga but it is encouraged because being certified will definitely be a draw to potential employers.

Doing a Yoga Teacher Training Program

There are hundreds of schools and institutions that offer yoga teacher training programs. We are going to review the best online yoga teacher trainings and 10 of the best in-person yoga teacher training certifications that are Alliance-approved. You can confidently choose any one of the following schools to pursue your career as a yoga instructor. 

But once you complete training, another thing that you must do before beginning your practice is to watch classes and observe how other trainers teach their students. Observing classes and sitting down with different instructors can help you gain valuable experience to let you excel in your journey. A Yoga Alliance-approved class facilitates observation sessions for yoga teacher trainees. You will learn more about this in your teacher training class.

How to Become a Certified Yoga Instructor?

International recognized Yoga Alliance is the gold standard for yoga teacher training certification.  Formed in 1997, the Yoga Alliance works as a non-profit professional organization that defines minimum standards for yoga certification programs.  Many gyms and studios require yoga teachers to become certified with a Yoga Alliance-approved program, whereas others prefer that you simply register with the Alliance.

To become a certified yoga instructor, you need to enroll in a 200-hour hands-on program, again, these are known as YTT 200.  Although different schools offer shorter certificate programs, the Yoga Alliance requires you to receive 200 hours of training as the minimum for the certification.