10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Yoga Teacher Training

Transcript

if you've ever thought about doing a yoga teacher training you might have a few doubts or expectations about what it's like today I want to share 10 Things I wish I knew before doing a yoga teacher training and hopefully they help you and prepare you to make the most out of your journey a lot of people think they need to be able to do handstands deep back bends or have years of experience before joining a yoga teacher training but that's just not true yoga is about much more than just physical ability what really matters is your commitment to learning and growing you need some foundations yes but flexibility and strength comes with time what's most important is having an open mind and curiosity about movement breathing and the deeper aspects of yoga going into a yoga teacher training you might expect to just refine your ASA practice but you'll quickly realize that yoga is so much more than what happens on the mat you will explore philosophy Anatomy breathing Tech techniques meditation and even learn how to teach these elements interconnect to create a holistic practice that extends into almost everything we do in life if you're just focused on the physical side you might be surprised at how much depth there is to discover a yoga teacher training doesn't just improve your physical skills it shifts your entire approach to practice some postures might suddenly feel easier because you understand body mechanics better While others might feel harder because you become more aware of alignment and engagement some people shift from an intense strength based practice to something more fluid and mindful and others dive deeper into flexibility and inversions there's no right or wrong here stay open to change and embrace how your practice evolves at first it might seem like teaching yoga about knowing sequences and calling out postures but great teachers do much more than guiding a flow they observe their students make adjustments and create a safe space for growth they use their voice the body language and presence to inspire confidence teaching is about connection not just choreography if you focus on truly seeing and supporting your students you will naturally become a better teacher you might start a yoga teacher training thinking you want to teach one specific style like binasa Tanga or hat but along the way your interests might shift some people fall in love with Mobility training others breathing techniques meditation or even yoga therapy a yoga teacher training opens doors you may not have considered before so don't be afraid to explore and evolve as a teacher the best path is the one that aligns with what truly excites and inspires you many people enter to a yoga teacher training for the physical benefits but what surprises them is how much it changes them on a mental and emotional level you might find yourself facing personal growth moments breaking through limiting beliefs or even transforming the way you see yourself and your practice it's not just about teaching it's about growing as a person definitely not all trainings are created equal some Focus heavily on philosophy and self-exploration While others just in the practice of yoga but don't provide much practical teaching experience in the case of art training we get you to learn to teach from day one and this does not just apply to teaching others but when you learn how to teach you're also learning how to learn if your goal is to eventually teach make sure you choose a program that includes practice teaching queuing sequencing and feedback you want to feel confident leading a class when you're done not just having some knowledge about yoga a lot of people think Anatomy is boring or necessary in yoga but understanding how the body moves can completely transform your practice and your teachings it's not about memorizing muscles it's about knowing how to move efficiently prevent injuries and adapt postures for different bodies when you start applying Mobility principles anatomy and biomechanics you'll see yoga through a whole new lens this one is quite controversial but you may have to unlearn some things many of us come into a yoga teacher training with preconceived ideas about alignment flexibility and what yoga should look like but not everything you've learned in the past is necessarily correct you might realize that some cues you've heard before don't actually make sense for old bodies or that flexibility isn't just about stretching be open to questioning all beliefs and relearning ideas and movement patterns in a way that truly serves you your body and your students and this one is one of the most asked questions you might not teach right way and that's okay let me explain some people graduate from a yoga teacher training ready to start teaching immediately others need time to build confidence or refine their skills before leaving a class and some people don't even want to teach yoga in the first place and that's completely fine whether you start right away take months or years to step into teaching or want to do a yoga teacher training just to learn about yoga and understand how things work on a profound level a yoga teacher training is a great place to start the most important thing is that you keep learning practicing and growing at your own pace if you're considering a yoga teacher training I hope these insights help you feel more prepared and excited for what's ahead it's an incredible journey and if you choose the right training it can set the foundation for not just a teaching career but a lifelong practice if you're interested in deepening your practice and learning how to teach with confidence you can find more info about my hours yoga teacher training below if you're interested in deepening your practice and learning how to teach with confidence you can find more info about my upcoming yoga teacher training below is Yoga lion certified and designed to give you a strong foundation in yoga mobility and body intelligence click the link in the description for all the details and I'd love to see you there