We’ve heard of Dos & Don’ts before… but have we heard of the online yoga edition? In this article, we’ll cover some basic elements of what you should and shouldn’t be doing during your online yoga teacher training to help you get the most out of your program!

Do

Create space for yourself. When you’re engaging in a course that requires you to carve out specific time to study and practice, it’s important to allow fluctuation. Remember to give yourself space and allow yourself to make adjustments that work for you! Time management can sometimes be overwhelming. Be patient with yourself as you navigate that.

Don’t

Don’t compare yourself to other students or teachers. This journey is uniquely your own. Everything you learn throughout these online yoga courses are specific to your learning experience. If you start comparing yourself to how other people manage their time, hit certain poses, or digest information, you’ll always feel like you’re competing. When we look outward, we forget the passion we hold inward, and the attention we should be pouring into our own practice gets clouded by the need to go by other peoples’ progress. 

Do

Reach out for help. In this world, we’ve had to adjust greatly to translating everything to an online environment – this has been extremely challenging for physical activities like yoga. Being patient and realizing you have resources to depend on will always help you. Remember that you possess the power to put your practice into motion, but it’s the community aspect of yoga that keeps us interconnected and builds us up when we feel confused or overwhelmed.

Don’t

Forget about your studies. Being back in a learning environment can be tough; learning new materials and learning an abundance of new material can be shocking and may cause your brain to feel a little jumbled. When your brain is feeling a little frazzled, take a step back and reevaluate how you are choosing to digest the information and the frequency in which you are. Perhaps you just need to dedicate a little more physical time on your mat, or maybe you need to dig a little deeper into the vocabulary and the philosophy behind the practice. Whatever it is, make sure you are checking back in with the materials often. Make sure that you are sitting with your mat, often. Enrolling in online yoga teacher training is a commitment, but it can mold to your specific lifestyle.

Do

Value your teachings. Sometimes when we don’t have a physical thing to hold, it can be hard to appreciate it. While the physical materials in an online yoga teacher training are limited, the wealth of knowledge you gain is plentiful. Remember to harness your teachings, however you can. Sit and reflect how this yoga teacher training is helping you elevate to your higher self. Realize the wisdom you hold and the wisdom you gain each and every day you make it a point to learn and practice. Paying for a course means nothing if you can’t find the true value in all that you’re doing. The world of yoga is so vast and has been expanding more and more as time goes on. Grow with the teachings, grow with yourself, show up, stay present and honor all that your brain takes in, even after the teachings are over.

Don’t

Forget why you started. Becoming certified in yoga can look different for many different people. The most important part for any individual is their “why.” Why did you decide to enroll in online yoga teacher training? Remembering why you started in the first place can help keep you on track. 

Do

Thank yourself. YOU brought yourself here. You signed up for the course. All of the work you complete throughout your time in these yoga programs you are doing for YOU. No one is taking attendance, no one is checking in to see how much time you are dedicating to the practice; you are in complete control of your own outcome and what you take away from this journey. 

If you’ve ever been interested in enrolling for online yoga teacher training courses, hopefully these pointers were valuable for you!

 

Wondering how to stay ‘cool as a cucumber’ during your yoga certification? Follow these 4 simple steps:

1. Create a Schedule

Schedule a weekly time to login and work on the training; it can be once a week or multiple times a week, but it should be consistent and fit your schedule. Creating a regular appointment on your calendar for you to stick to will greatly help you commit to your learning.

2. Connect

Connect with other people in the course on social media or through daily Zoom sessions to help hold yourself accountable and find a means of support outside yourself.

3. Reward Yourself

Make sure you reward yourself along the way. Whether you’re completing specific sections or milestones within the course, it’s important to celebrate your successes.

4. Set a Goal

Goals are great for actually putting things into motion. Set a goal for your graduation date and try to keep yourself on track to hit that goal. If life gets in the way and you fall off the wagon at any point, give yourself some grace and be gentle with yourself. The important thing to remember is the course will always be there for you to come back to. Don’t let returning to the course be a hurdle; if you’ve missed a few weeks, try to come back and watch just one video.

You’re doing this for you… make it worth it.

You’ve decided you want to further your yoga career, now what?

There are a couple things that will prepare you for your journey towards becoming a yoga instructor. Let’s explore all of the things necessary to get your yoga certification virtually, efficiently and in a way that’s perfect for you!

“I’m passionate about yoga…”

You’re the yogi who has experimented with every type of yoga: Ashtanga, Yin,Vinyasa, Restorative, Bikram, Hot Yoga, and others but you’re ready to zone in and take the next step. Perhaps one of them really clicked with you and you want to perfect your practice in a specific type, or perhaps you want to move through the natural progression of higher hour courses. You’ve decided your passion sits deeper than just attending classes at your local studio twice a week and you really believe you can foster the skills to be able to lead a group of people in a yoga class.

Search for the right yoga school

Research, research, research. Since the pandemic, a lot of aspects in our lives have moved to an online atmosphere and we have been forced to adapt to virtual learning. When debating whether or not to attend school online, it’s important to evaluate what the learning environment will look like…which can be difficult when it comes to something physical, like yoga.

Learning yoga online can be a whole different world for many people. A lot of online courses will supply you with printable materials, access to videos you can watch from the comfort of your home and as frequently as you’d like to, and interactive Zoom meetings where you can engage with students and teachers. 

When selecting the school that’s right for you you should:

• Determine what type of courses they offer, e.g. Yin, Vinyasa, 200HR YTT, 300HR YTT, 500HR YTT
• Evaluate what type of materials are important to you and whether or not the online yoga school provides them
• Read reviews and research their values and credibility
  • Are they registered with Yoga Alliance?
  • Do their values as a studio align with your own personal ethics and understanding of the philosophy of yoga and its teachings?
  • Do they have a lot of positive feedback and student testimonials to help support their brand?
• Check to see if their website and teaching platform is easy to use and navigate
• Check overall pricing and any pricing plans they have put into place, along with insurance and financing options best fit to your budget/lifestyle
• Meet the instructors virtually via their website or socials to see if you like their teaching style
• If they have any videos up on YouTube – even better! 

Put it into practice

Once you’ve selected your school, it’s important to become dedicated and immersed into your teachings and learnings. Students that tend to excel in online yoga certification programs allow themselves the space to practice frequently but also bring their practice off the mat into their daily lives where applicable.

A good online yoga teacher training school will not only give you high quality virtual training, but they will also provide you with additional readings and information valuable for turning yoga into a lifestyle. The more materials and resources, the better. Not only can these resources help you to learn more, but they can act as a guide for how you want to lead your own classes.

You’re back in school again, for all the right reasons!

Build upon your training: 200HR YTT, 300HR YTT, 500HR YTT, etc.

Following a sequence of being certified for 200, 300 and 500 hours can really help you build upon your practice and master all the intricate facets of yoga. The natural progression of the compounding hours exposes you to intimate details of what it means to become a yoga instructor. It’s important that you feel comfortable in advancing in courses as you move through your online yoga teachings.

• 200HR YTT: The basic, fundamental skills of being a certified yoga instructor
• 300HR YTT: A deeper, more intricate understanding of being a certified yoga instructor
• 500HR YTT: A combination of a 200HR YTT and 300HR YTT training

What happens after I become a certified yoga instructor online?

Create your class

Find interesting, engaging content for how you want to lead your classes. You’ll have learned a lot of information throughout your yoga teacher training certification course, which you can translate over to your teachings.

Make sure your classes are structured in a way that’s true to your practice, but also make your classes accessible. People can oftentimes find yoga very intimidating. Don’t you want to be known as the studio or virtual studio that welcomes everyone? Sometimes “you wanna go where everybody knows your name…”

Attract your people

Planet Fitness has bagel Mondays and pizza Thursdays, and while people know they’re there to workout and get in shape, they are VERY thankful for the extra carbs. Perhaps you want people that are enticed to try yoga but never really had anything forcing them to actually partake. Think of something fun and invigorating that will make them take that initial step…or start coming to you as their neighborhood yoga spot. If your class is online, think of ways to set yourself apart so that you aren’t competing with better established online yogis.

A couple of interesting concepts to try when attracting people to your yoga classes are:

1. Run promos – This can be ANYTHING, like, free sage bundles after practice, your first class has a drop-in fee of only $5, discounts for students (if you’re in a college town or reaching an audience online where you know colleges are present), or run a 30-day unlimited special (virtually or in a studio).
2. Set yourself apart – Capitalize on your strong-suits. Yoga is hyper focused on the body and mind. There are so many creative ways to tap into that. Yoga classes that offer readings, or even a deep meditation at the end bring back the classic elements of fusing your body, mind and spirit together. 

Market your business 

AOL may have started the online revolution, but COVID-19 surely accelerated it in terms of operating businesses. The internet is probably going to be your heaviest hitter for attracting new business and retaining business alike. Make sure you’re engaging with people through active socials – i.e. Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and at the root of it all, a powerful website. Make sure you have someone solely dedicated to your online presence. Constant content and engaging content will make your audience feel more connected with you and your brand.

If you’re deciding to get certified to just be a teacher at an already existing studio or for a studio that offers online teachings, be sure that people know your name. You want people to have reasons to come to your class over other peoples’. People want to take classes with ‘the girl next door’, not literally but in a sense of, “hey, I know this person,” and they feel safe enough with you. Again, yoga can be intimidating, let’s make it easy and exciting for them!