Become a yoga teacher to continue on the path of learning and health you enjoy while teaching and inspiring others to do the same. There are several options for teaching programs, and finding one that fits your time, budget and needs is essential.
Teaching Yoga

There are plenty of yoga instructors who began teaching years ago that have a natural talent and ability to teach, but didn't have to complete a yoga certification or training program. But today, the majority of yoga teachers have completed some sort of training that is recognized nationally or worldwide. If you want to become a yoga teacher, chances are you won't get a job with out some sort of training, and you will likely be required to receive your Registered Yoga Teacher certificate, or RYT. Teacher training will prepare you to teach and provide proof of your experience to your students and employer. Teaching a safe and effective yoga class should be every instructor's goal, and education is the key to being able to do this.

Typical Classes To Become a Yoga Teacher

Each program designs their certification process slightly different. Some of the typical classes you will be required to take are:

Anatomy and proper body alignment
Basic poses
Intermediate Level poses
Advanced poses
Sanskrit (the hindu language of yoga)
Yoga breathing and meditation
Yoga philosophy
For the 200-hour RYT designation the teacher will complete:

100 hours of technique (posture, poses, asanas)
20 hours of anatomy
20 hours philosophy, ethics, and lifestyle
20 hours teacher training
10 hours student teaching
30 hours randomly distributed among other areas
Training Programs and Certifications

Yoga Alliance registers yoga teachers who have completed either a 200 -or a 500-hour qualified yoga training program. Colleges and yoga schools apply to Yoga Alliance and after careful consideration, may be able to design a yoga teacher program that complies with Yoga Alliance. These schools are given the Registered Yoga School, or RYS, designation. There are hundreds of yoga schools, so make sure to look for this designation when researching training centers.

Yoga Alliance Teacher Training
The Yoga Alliance 200- and 500-hour certification programs are comprehensive and a student is well prepared to teach after completing the 200-hour program. During training, a student is required to teach a certain amount of classes to get experience. After you have completed certfication, Yoga Alliance registers your name on a national list of instructors. When your name is registered with Yoga Alliance you can add the initials R.Y.T. after your name, indicating you are a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance.

YogaFit Certification
YogaFit works with Yoga Alliance and the American Council on Exercise to certify yoga instructors. After completing one of the YogaFit certification programs, you can apply to Yoga Alliance to get your R.Y.T. designation. YogaFit allows students to complete 8-hour work shops at their own pace and schedule. You must complete 10 required workshops to qualify for the 200-hour Yoga Alliance RYT designation. After each of the workshops, the student is required to teach 8-hours of community service yoga classes for a total of 56 hours community service. Each workshop involves homework and classroom observations, which make up the rest of the 100 hours.

Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona offers a 200- or a 500-hour Yoga Alliance certification. This is one of the lowest cost ways to become a yoga teacher. This program can be done over three semesters or condensed down into 2 semesters. Community college tuition is approximately $65.00 per unit for in-state residents. The program is 13 semester units, which will make the program cost approximately $1,000.00 after you pay all fees and buy books.

AFPA Yoga Fitness Instructor
American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) offers yoga certification programs in a home study format. Level 1 certification enables a teacher to teach a beginner or intermediate level class. Level 2 yoga training will allow you to teach an advanced yoga class. This training program does not qualify you to be listed on the Yoga Alliance RYT list, but is a respected certification program for some places.

Conclusion

Most Yoga Alliance-certified programs will cost at least $3,500.00 to become a yoga teacher. Do your research; make sure you are getting a nationally accepted certification.