Yoga Instructor Courses India - All You Need to Know

Yoga is a form of exercise that aims to improve the health of your body, mind and soul. It originated in India in the Vedic Age. Yet, it is only in recent times that the whole world recognised its benefits. Many people spend their lives practising yoga. They use yoga to explore their bodies and push their limits. On the other hand, many people go on to bring the uninitiated into the fold of yoga. They teach yoga to people and expand the borders of this wonderful discipline. One can go from being a student to a teacher through yoga instructor courses.

You might be under the impression that if a person practises yoga, he can teach yoga. But this is far from the truth. A good student does not necessarily make a good teacher. Similarly, knowing yoga does not guarantee the ability to be a yoga instructor. That is where the need for yoga instructor courses, also known as yoga teacher training courses, come in. These courses do not teach you just the various forms of yoga. They also teach you how to recognise problem areas in students and give the right solution. You also learn to achieve perfection in poses so that your students can emulate you.

Types of Yoga Instructor Courses

There are three basic types of yoga instructor courses. These are based on the level of expertise you have in yoga teaching. These courses do not concentrate just on teaching a bunch of poses. You must also learn the history and philosophy of yoga and the glossary of technical terms. You also need knowledge in human physiology and anatomy, safety and first aid. Teachers divide the courses into modules, teaching them over several weeks. The different course tiers are as follows:

• 200-hour course - 200 Hour yoga teacher training course is the beginner course in yoga training. This course is for those who have had sufficient training in yoga. They are now ready to learn how to teach it to others. Most places will require you to have trained at least a year in yoga.
• 300-hour course -This is the advanced level of yoga training. It is for those looking to raise their standard as a yoga teacher. You will need to pass the previous course to be eligible for this. Through this course, you learn to teach the more complex asanas.
• 500-hour course -This yoga instructor course is for reaching the pro level. You must have at least 500 hours of prior training to take this course. This will include the 200-hour course plus 300 hours as a single course or cumulation of smaller courses. It is best to have a veritable teaching experience before taking this course.

Aside from these, there are also courses of shorter durations like 50 or 100 hours. These are usually specialisation courses. They give training in specific branches of yoga.

It is important to note that you can take these yoga instructor courses in local studios or at locations abroad. If your schedule is hindering you, you can also take yoga alliance certified courses.

What You Need to Take a Yoga Instructor Course

You cannot just wake up one day and decide to take a yoga instructor course. You will need to fulfil some pre-requisites to do so. These are as follows:

• You will need prior training in yoga. The basic course requires at least a year of yoga training. Whereas higher courses require training in both yoga and yoga teaching.
• You will need to have hands-on teaching experience. This applies to the higher courses only.
• You will need to have a certain level of theoretical knowledge in yoga. The courses themselves will also provide a reading list.
• You will need to know basic first aid and safety measures. CPR knowledge is a must.

What You Learn in Yoga Instructor Courses

Yoga instructor courses are not just a bunch of classes teaching you to teach yoga. They do not just teach you more and more difficult poses. You need deeper knowledge to teach yoga. Thus you must know all about the inception of yoga, different schools of yoga, various terms in yoga, etc. You have to know both the history and philosophy behind yoga. This is because yoga is not just an exercise of the body. It also trains the mind and the spirit.

Other than yoga-related knowledge, you will need a deep understanding of human physiology and anatomy. You will need to know which pose affects which part or organ of the body. It will also help you understand how to help others master an asana. In the same vein, many courses will require you to have prior training in CPR and first aid. This is to make sure you will know how to handle any accident or emergency. Some courses might teach this part themselves.

How Long Do Yoga Instructor Courses Last

Yoga instructor courses are usually in module form. Classes come one or more days a week. You must attend a certain number of hours or complete certain modules per week. In this format, a 200-hour course can take anything between 3-5 months. Whereas the 500-hour course should take 6-12 months. You can arrange classes to fit your schedule. That is where the variation in time hems from.

What Comes After a Yoga Instructor Course

Completing all the mainstream yoga instructor courses is not the be-all and end-all of being a yoga teacher. Unless you keep yourself updated, you will fall behind. You can do so through refresher courses. Another avenue you can take is specialisation. This is to become a teacher in a specific school of yoga like Hatha yoga, Yin yoga or Tantra yoga. You can attend workshops to for deeper knowledge too. The sky is the limit!

If you are looking for yoga instructor courses in India, Savitra Yoga has just the thing for you. Our Yoga Alliance Certification Courses of 100, 200 and 300 hours will give you all-round training in yoga instruction. We will fulfil your dream to become a qualified RYT no matter what your demand.