Yoga teacher
Yoga teachers teach yoga as a form of exercise to increase fitness and wellbeing.
Also known as: Yoga instructor
- Typical hours24 to 37 a week
What you'll do
As a yoga teacher, you could:
- design course and lesson plans to suit different abilities
- teach simple and complex yoga positions
- adapt positions for conditions like pregnancy or arthritis
- teach breathing techniques
- assess students and review your own courses and teaching skills
- market your classes and do business admin tasks, if you're self-employed
Working environment
You could work at a fitness centre or at a health centre.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- customer service skills
- the ability to work on your own
- leadership skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to teach pupils how to do something
- the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
- patience and a calming manner
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a yoga teacher
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- specialist courses run by private training organisations
College
You can do a yoga teaching qualification at college or in a community learning centre.
Courses include:
- teaching yoga to children aged 5 to 16
- yoga teaching
- teaching gentle years yoga (for those working with older adults)
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Other routes
You can train as a yoga teacher by taking courses with a professional body, for example:
- The British Wheel of Yoga
- Yoga Alliance Professionals
- Iyengar Yoga UK
Some knowledge of anatomy and physiology will be useful.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- have insurance
- pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
Career path and progression
With experience you could run your own yoga workshops or yoga retreats.
You might also:
- train as a yoga therapist
- specialise in working with particular age groups
- take further qualifications to train and mentor new yoga teachers
- combine yoga teaching with teaching other fitness classes
Career tips
You'll usually need at least 2 to 3 years' experience of practising yoga with a qualified teacher to teach it yourself.
You may find it helpful if you have a background in teaching exercise and fitness.
Guides for this industry
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