Which Yoga Teacher Training suits me? 10 criteria to make the best choice

So many options – how to find a Yoga Teacher Training that suits me?

The choice of yoga teacher trainings is huge, there are so many styles and the price range varies enormously. How do I find out which Yoga Teacher Training really suits me? What should I look out for when researching? What are the differences? I have completed three yoga teacher trainings and had very good and bad experiences. In the beginning I had not considered one important aspect. Besides, I took something else far too seriously. My experience and the 10 criteria on how I would choose my next yoga teacher training.

In the summer of 2019 I made the decision to deepen my yoga practice. I had already gained yoga experience in different studios and classes for three years. I didn’t just want to do yoga, I also wanted to take a break from my everyday life and job. I felt that the only way I could progress in my daily practice and spiritual development was to get out of the big city, be surrounded by nature and engage in yoga all day. These criteria were important to me when I was choosing my first training session: I wanted warm weather with a beach and a yoga teacher training course where I would be initiated into Indian philosophy in addition to the Asanas. Simple, huh?!

 I always wanted to go to India, the country of origin of yoga. However, the selection is so huge that you can spend hours going through all the trainings. The advantage: Trainings there are comparatively cheap. However, you should note that visa costs and flights are added. During my search, I noticed that most of the teacher training courses were registered with the Yoga Alliance in the USA, while others were not. Some higher-priced and apparently very popular trainings did not have a certification. At first I didn’t understand why. After all, I had heard and read that it is important when searching to make sure the school is registered. Why? If you want to teach after the training, there should be studios that ask for the certificate. In addition, you can then create a profile on the Yoga Alliance Homepage, which is quite pricy. But what’s the point?

 My experience: When I applied to studios after my training, no one asked me for a certificate. Instead the owner of the studios wanted to know if I could teach, if I had recommendations and what tradition I stand for (what style I can teach). I then offered to just give a trial class, in the park with a couple of friends and the studio´s owner. Although there were many other applicants who had already completed 500 hours of teacher training and had their certificates, I got the class with my 200 hours. The practice counted for more than the certificate.

My first yoga teacher training was a good choice – by accident

In the end, it all comes down to whether you want to and be able to teach. In my three trainings, there were always participants who were not yet ready in their own practice or who did not feel comfortable teaching. They still got a certificate. Only those who miss too often do not get certificates. In my case, I experienced it with three people who didn’t get a certificate at the end. The certificate says absolutely nothing about a person’s performance and ability to teach. A fellow student who didn’t get the certificate at the time because she was ill most of the time has become a good teacher who teaches classes today – even without Yoga Alliance.

If you really just want to deepen your practice, you don’t need a Yoga Alliance. Other criteria are important here (I’ll go into that later). It can be helpful to have a certificate from the Yoga Alliance. Because this means that the school must meet certain requirements in order to be able to award the Yoga Alliance registration. This includes, for example, not only teaching asanas, but also ethics, anatomy, sequencing and other techniques. The program and the manual (teaching material) are also checked by the association if the school wants to be accredited. However, the Alliance no longer controls what is ultimately taught afterwards. But: If teachers do not behave appropriately, complaints can be reported to the Yoga Alliance. The school then has to face the consequences or make a change. The Yoga Alliance can play an important role as a supervisory body for violations of ethical requirements. But that’s almost it.

 A Yoga Alliance registration is no guarantee for the content and an excellent training, so not a real sign of quality. I noticed that especially during my second training session. But one after the other.

 My first training in Goa India was a great success. I did a multi-style training because I wanted to get to know different styles. It wasn’t the school that was special, it was the teachers I had. They taught me everything, gave me their attention and time. I was lucky that these same teachers were working for the school at the time. I didn’t pay much attention to that in my first research. I just got lucky. I was just looking at the school’s reviews, not the teachers’ style. In the end, however, the teachers organize the lessons, the school only provides the framework for them. My learning: Take a good look at who will be teaching beforehand. Are there videos where you see them teaching, do you like their voice and way of explaining? You spend a lot of time with the teachers, you should at least like them and have a good feeling about them. There’s no harm in writing to them and getting in touch.

My second yoga teacher training was a nasty surprise

A year later it was clear to me that I wanted to do another teacher training course. The Corona lockdown and the endlessly long winter made me just want to get out into nature. Many borders were closed, the choice was shockingly small. I had to look around in Europe. This time I wanted to learn more breathing techniques, especially Kundalini fascinated me. Most Kundalini schools do not have Yoga Alliance registration. But not those who are in the Yogi Bhajan tradition, and they are most of them. Since I didn’t like the cult surrounding Bhajan even then, I looked for other Kundalini styles and found it in Italy: Hatha Kundalini.

The school was also registered with the Yoga Alliance and that was still important to me at the time. Unfortunately, I paid too little attention to whether I harmonize with the teacher during my research.

I also underestimated the fact that we had to cook for ourselves during the training. That’s the worst! During the training you should do nothing but engage in yoga practice, everything else should be taken care of. In any case, three meals should be included. Here, too, there are enormous differences in the training. Investing the little free time cooking is not a good idea. You should also make sure that you don’t have a full program of training every day. Experience has shown that after a week and a half you are physically exhausted, tired and need a little break to process all the impressions. The training also challenges the mind. There should be at least one or two days off.

Although my teacher was really knowledgeable, his way of delivering and teaching was terrible. It took me a lot of perseverance and patience to follow him. A classmate dropped out because he couldn’t get along with him, and others were also struggling. At the end, I still learned a lot. From what I’ve heard from yoga teacher friends, it’s more common that teachers in India in particular preach more than they teach. My teacher, a European, copied this style and preached instead of teaching us something in a playful way. That is, these types of teachers just go through with their program instead of interacting with the students, asking questions, incorporating exercises, and making connections to everyday life. This is also important: Knowledge alone is not enough to be a good teacher – or get one. You must also have the ability to integrate the knowledge without becoming boring or overwhelming students. Here you should pay attention to the feedback of previous students, how they express themselves to their teachers.

If you just want information, you can also study the manual that every school gives out. But if you want really exciting experiences, wisdom and insights, you need discussions, exchange and jointly designed lessons. There are also huge differences in the manuals. A manual usually contains all the important teaching materials from the lesson, pictures of the anatomy, breathing techniques, asanas and much more. You can’t always remember everything, and there isn’t always enough time to take notes, so the school manual should be well prepared. I have three manuals at home and others from friends.

I noticed that most of them are similar. Sometimes the schools have their manuals written by external ghostwriters. Because it is a lot of work to write 150 to 300 pages yourself, cheaper to pay someone else. Ghostwriters often use the same information. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong or bad. However, it can mean that you get taught the standard techniques. I found some of the same sections of text in the manuals of different schools. And then there are schools that have researched and designed their own manuals. Here, too, I have seen a rather modest and a very good example. I use the good example a lot and with pleasure because it contains so many rare techniques and Kriyas (evolutionary practices). The standard manuals are gathering dust in my closet. Just ask the school how the manual came about and maybe have the table of contents sent. Even if you don’t know what to expect and what you will learn at the first training session, the manual is an important source of knowledge, especially after the training.

My third Yoga teacher training in Colombia was a game changer

For my third teacher training, a 300-hour course, I wanted to do a Hatha Training. At the same time, I felt the need again to be surrounded by nature, the beach and a beautiful place. Being in the same place for almost a month means the choice is important. Actually, I wanted to go back to India. But then my eyes fell on Colombia. I had never considered South America for myself. But when I saw that an international team would teach there, three teachers with different styles who I liked right away, my decision was made. In addition, I liked the resort: Right on the ocean, surrounded by the Sierra Nevada, the jungle.

A special extra were all the ceremonies that were part of the training or could be booked in addition: Temazcal, a kind of South American sauna, a cacao ceremony and Ayahuasca. The Ayahuasca ceremony in particular fitted perfectly into the program. We did it at the end of the training. As a result, we were well prepared with a lot of meditation, daily yoga and mindfulness techniques. The combination of amazing teachers, beautiful surroundings and the additional ceremonies made my stay an unforgettable experience. However, in my third training session, I didn’t get enough food. Exactly, that may sound strange, but unfortunately it was a fact that the food contained too little protein. I would also pay attention to this in the future: What is on the menu?

These 10 aspects are important when choosing a Yoga Teacher Training:

1. Who are the teachers who teach for the school? Connect with them, search the web or Instagram for information about them, and see how they teach.

2. Do I really need a Yoga Alliance certification? It is helpful if you want to teach yourself, but you don’t need it to deepen your practice. Especially since many well-known schools do without certification or cancel again because the association demands very high membership fees with little added value.

3. Where does the training take place? Just being indoors in a busy city can ruin the whole experience, or at least make it harder to connect with yourself, your classmates, and nature.

4. What style am I really interested in? Asanas are offered everywhere. However, when it comes to philosophy, lively anatomy lessons, breathing techniques, meditation or rituals, the differences are immense. Spiritual depth is less found in asana-based practices like vinyasa and more in Hatha and Kundalini, which place more emphasis on pranayama, mantras, pujas, and ceremonies.

5. Every training stands and falls with its participants! Reviews, videos and other ratings give an impression of the group dynamics and which people or age groups are more common here. It has been shown that mixed groups between genders, age and origins harmonize best.

6. Food is the basis for successful training! The body needs a lot of nutrients and especially protein. More than usual, because training challenges body and mind. Pay attention to the menu.

7. Everyone needs a break! Look at the program or ask if there are days off. The body and the mind need a break from time to time. In most cases, however, one full day off per week is sufficient.

8. Attention gurus and preachers! Men in particular have a tendency to stage themselves as little gods. Mixed teams of teachers who act on an equal footing with the students are an advantage.

9. Do you want to know more? Research what’s in the manual if you value information you’ll want to look up after your training.

10. Yoga classes are not everything – which activities are included? Some training courses offer additional events. Ceremonies in particular make the training an unforgettable experience.