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ISSA, International Sports Sciences Association, Certified Personal Trainer, ISSAonline, How to Get Experience as a Yoga Instructor in 4 Simple Steps

How to Get Experience as a Yoga Instructor in 4 Simple Steps

Reading Time: 6 minutes 15 seconds

BY: ISSA

DATE: 2022-12-19


You love yoga so much that you want to teach this practice to others. Or you're a personal trainer who wants to offer more to their clients. Maybe you dream of someday becoming a yoga teacher with your very own students. This begins with gaining experience as a yoga instructor. The problem is, it isn’t always easy to get yourself in front of a yoga class.

Challenges of Getting Experience as a New Yoga Instructor

If you want to work at a yoga studio, many require a certain amount of experience before you can apply as a yoga teacher. This can be frustrating for new yoga teachers. You feel like you can’t get hired unless you have the experience, yet you can’t get the experience you need until you get hired. Talk about being stuck!

Another challenge of getting experience teaching yoga is, even if you somehow find your way in front of a yoga class as a new teacher, your students may find it difficult to trust you. They might question whether you know how to teach yoga safely or if you will be able to help them get into proper form for a specific yoga pose.  

This may make it tempting to forego experience and set up your own class or plan your own yoga retreat. However, there are a few advantages to getting in front of students before you take this major step.

Benefits of Gaining Experience in Leading a Yoga Class

Getting in front of a live class before striking out on your own enables you to hone your skills as a yoga teacher. You gain a better understanding of the types of teaching methods that work best with your students. You also learn how to cue your class more effectively. These are strategies you can take with you to build and grow your yoga business.

Plus, working under another yoga teacher for a short period gives you access to their knowledge. They share the tips and tricks that work best. They also give insight into the mistakes they’ve made or the things they’d do differently as a new instructor. Having a mentor exposes you to a lifetime of experience. It enables you to make decisions about your own future as a yoga teacher based on the realities of this industry and practice.

4 Steps to Increasing Your Yoga Instructor Experience

So, what can you do to get more training as a yoga teacher? Like with most any path to success, it involves following a process. With that in mind, here are four steps to consider.

Step #1: Develop Your Own Personal Practice

If you’ve never set foot on a basketball court, it would be pretty hard to teach this sport to others. The same is true with yoga. Becoming a regular yoga practitioner helps you see firsthand how each pose (asana) impacts the body. For instance, some poses increase back strength, which can help ease back pain. Others strengthen or stretch the upper body or core.

The more you practice, the more you begin to understand the individuals who are drawn to this form of meditative exercise. You learn more about their mindset and how the poses make them feel. You become clearer on the yoga philosophy and what it means to live the yoga lifestyle.

Developing your own yoga practice also helps you realize where your students will likely struggle. This could be because of a difficult pose, or it might be because they have limited mobility. If you’ve found a way to do that pose that is easier or causes fewer problems, you can pass this tip on to your students.

The more you practice yoga, the more you can speak from experience. This gives your students a higher level of trust in your abilities. After all, who would you rather have as a teacher: someone who has never done yoga before or someone who has been practicing faithfully for the last few years? In this way, practicing yoga consistently can help boost your credibility, even if you don’t have a lot of teaching experience.

Step #2: Complete Yoga Teacher Training

Another way to boost your credibility is to take a yoga teacher training program. Some studios require that you have this type of training before you can apply to work as a yoga teacher. If you want to go out on your own, completing a yoga teacher training program gives students reassurance that you know how to teach this practice.

When choosing a yoga school, choose one that offers certification. This enables you to put “Certified Yoga Instructor” on your resume when applying to lead classes in a studio or gym. It says that you take your career seriously. It also tells employers that you are willing to do what it takes to become the best teacher you can be, gaining the knowledge necessary by pursuing your yoga certification.

If you have a website, marketing your yoga instructor certification sets you apart from those who lack this designation. Being certified means that you’ve met the requirements necessary to teach this practice. You have the skills to lead a yoga class.

Some teacher training programs are offered online. The ISSA’s Yoga certification course is one. Benefits of online yoga teacher training include convenience and the ability to learn from anywhere. The ISSA’s course is also self-paced, so you control the length of time it takes to become a certified yoga instructor.

Step #3: Gain Experience (and Mentorship) at a Yoga Studio 

Once you’ve completed yoga teacher training, you may find it easier to get hired by a yoga studio. One, you’ve shown that you’re serious enough to complete teacher training. This suggests that being a yoga teacher is a career choice and not just a job. It also makes you more appealing than someone who hasn’t taken this initial step.

Two, yoga studios have some level of reassurance that you know how to interact with each yoga student. Your yoga certification reinforces that you have the skills to create an effective yoga sequence.

The key to making this step work is to select a studio that teaches the same style of yoga you want to teach. If you want to lead a hot yoga class, also known as Bikram yoga, search for studios in your area that offer this option. If you’re more into restorative yoga, find a studio that has this type of class. Get in front of the class that provides teacher training experience in the style you plan to teach yourself.

You can find local yoga studios that are hiring by searching on sites such as Indeed and LinkedIn. Read through the job requirements and qualifications carefully. Tailor your yoga instructor resume to show that you are the best person for the job. 

Step #4: Increase Your Yoga Instructor Skills by Teaching Online

After you have a little experience under your belt, you will be more ready to go out on your own. This provides even more experience that you can draw on to master your teaching techniques. One way to do this without the expense of buying, building, or leasing studio space is by teaching yoga online.

You can grow your fitness career by becoming an online yoga teacher. Teaching yoga over the internet gives you access to a larger client base. It also enables you to reach students who find it difficult to attend in-person classes. Maybe they travel a lot for work or have small children at home. This makes it harder to get to a brick and mortar studio or fitness facility.

Building a yoga teaching business online offers the ability to create your own opportunities for growth. You can gain as much experience as you’d like as you are only limited by the number of classes you decide to teach. 

Want to Get Started Before You Earn Your Yoga Instructor Certification?

If you have not yet completed a teacher training course, this is likely to take a bit of time. Does this mean that you have to wait to begin to gain experience in the world of yoga? Not at all. 

Some studios don’t require you to be a registered yoga teacher. And if they do, they may still hire you to work as an interim instructor who fills in when their normal instructor is unavailable.

This is a good way to get more practice teaching yoga before having your own dedicated class. Go into the current instructor’s class and watch how they lead. Pick up on how they teach their students. Pay attention to what they say about the yoga practice.

The more exposure you have to yoga, the more experiences you can draw on when developing your own teaching style. You begin to learn what works for you and what doesn’t. You also start to set yourself apart from other yoga teachers by creating your own personal style.

What do you say? Are you ready to enroll in yoga teacher training so you can begin teaching others the art of this particular practice? If so, the ISSA offers Yoga Instructor certification. This course teaches basic information about the practice, such as yoga philosophy and theory. It also dives into how to build a successful yoga business. Complete this yoga training and you will have the skills needed to lead other practitioners. You will have also earned the designation of Certified Yoga Instructor.



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ISSA | Yoga Fundamentals

Learn the benefits of yoga, techniques and tools for teaching, and fundamental information for jump-starting your career.



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