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Why Do Yoga Teachers Need Continuing Education?

Becoming a yoga teacher is a lifelong process that takes ongoing continuing education and training to truly step into this role. The start of any yoga teacher’s journey is ultimately their own practice as a yoga student, which then leads into the next step of the 200-hour yoga teacher training course. However, after completing your foundational training as a yoga teacher, continuing education courses can help you deepen this process and specialize as a yoga teacher.

In this article, we will go over the key components that you need to know about continuing education for yoga teachers. Continuing education courses for yoga teachers are an exciting opportunity to sharpen your skills, learn new things, and deepen your personal yoga practice. So, let’s embark on this exploration of this process together! 

The Importance of Continuing Education for Yoga Teachers

As we have already begun to describe, the initial 200-hour yoga teacher training course is really just the first step to becoming a yoga teacher. The 200-hour TTC sets the foundation for yoga teachers to begin teaching and offering their wisdom to others.

Yoga is an incredibly deep and vast subject that can take many lifetimes to master. It is crucial always to maintain a beginner’s mind in yoga practice to maintain the humble mindset of a lifelong learner. There is so much wisdom within yoga practices, and as you delve deeper into these subjects, you can begin to find your own path through this dense jungle of knowledge. 

Continuing education courses not only deepen your own yoga practice, but they also allow you to offer specialized skills and class styles. Many continuing education yoga courses provide an opportunity to specialize in a yoga style, learn a specific subject, or provide a new technique in your yoga classes. This can expand your employability as a yoga teacher and potentially increase your income as well! 

Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Requirements

Yoga Alliance is considered the primary organization that oversees yoga teacher training and provides an international registration system for yoga teachers. When you complete yoga teacher training at a school that is registered with Yoga Alliance, you can become a registered yoga teacher (RYT) at the 200-hour or 500-hour level. 

In order to maintain your registration with Yoga Alliance, yoga teachers are required to complete 75 hours of continuing education within the first three years of registration with Yoga Alliance. Out of these total 75 hours within three years, 45 hours must be spent teaching yoga, and the remaining 30 hours must be spent continuing education yoga training. These 30 hours of training can be completed either online or in person. 

How to Find Yoga Alliance Approved Continuing Education Courses

If Yoga Alliance is essential to your career as a yoga teacher, it is essential to ensure that you meet these continuing education requirements and maintain your ongoing registration as a yoga teacher. Yoga Alliance also has some standards and regulations for what can count for these 30 hours of continuing education training. 

In general, any continuing education that you pursue must fit within the Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider or YACEP educational categories. These yoga teacher continuing education categories are based on anatomy and physiology (AP), yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics (YPLE), teaching methodology (TM), and techniques, training, and practice (TTP). 

Additionally, remember that the only qualifying continuing education courses for Yoga Alliance CE are those courses that are taught by a registered YACEP with Yoga Alliance, an E-RYT of any level who is currently registered with Yoga Alliance, or someone with a relevant degree, certification, or education in a teaching subject. Yoga Alliance may request supporting documentation to ensure the qualifications of the teacher of the course if they are not a YACEP or qualified E-RYT. 

The easiest way to ensure that your continuing education will qualify with Yoga Alliance is simply to pursue training from a registered YACEP or find a course in the Yoga Alliance continuing education directory. These courses are guaranteed to count for your Yoga Alliance continuing education credits, ensuring that your training gets you directly to your intended result. 

How to Advance Your Yoga Practice with Continuing Education

Beyond the Yoga Alliance and teacher training maintenance, continuing education courses are also an excellent way to advance your personal yoga practice. Continuing education allows you to delve deeper into a different subject or facet of yogic teachings. 

The wisdom of yoga is vast, and continuing education is essential for any serious yoga student or seeker. We are all at different places on our journey to studying yoga and learning about this ancient philosophy. By continuing your personal studies through yoga continuing education, you can expand your expertise and find greater depth in your own yoga practice. 

Becoming a Specialist as a Yoga Teacher

As you gain more experience teaching yoga, you may also choose to specialize in a particular yoga style or student base. Continuing education courses are the best way to gain specialized education in yoga topics at a more reasonable cost. For example, some yoga teachers choose to specialize in yin yoga, restorative yoga, Rocket yoga, kundalini yoga, or other yoga styles. 

Continuing education yoga courses can give you the training to specialize in these unique yoga styles. Additionally, continuing education courses may also deepen your understanding of specific yoga topics, such as pranayama or breathwork, meditation techniques, mudras or hand gestures, and the myths or stories behind the poses. There are so many different directions that continuing education courses can take you in your journey as a yoga teacher!

6 Tips for Choosing the Best Continuing Education Course for Yoga Teachers

1. Identify Your Goals in Continuing Education

Before you choose your next course, it is vital first to assess what your goals are in pursuing continuing education in yoga. Some yoga teachers are specifically looking to advance their careers or use these required hours to specialize in a yoga style. Whereas other yoga teachers may want to deepen their personal practice, fill in some gaps in their education, or simply do something for fun! Use this awareness to guide your decision in your choice for a yoga continuing education course. 

2. Check Yoga Alliance Registrations

Yoga Alliance is the main registration body for yoga teachers, and it has specific requirements for continuing education courses. If you are registered with Yoga Alliance, it is important to ensure that the continuing education course you choose meets the requirements set by Yoga Alliance and qualifies for the hours you need to maintain your registration. 

3. Research the Instructor 

Every yoga teacher is different and may have a unique style of teaching. Taking the time to research the background and qualifications of the yoga teacher for your continuing education course can ensure that you will get the training you want from a qualified source. Additionally, you may also take a few drop in classes from the chosen teacher to ensure their teaching style aligns with your learning preferences. 

4. Explore the Course Content and Structure

Take some time to become familiar with the syllabus for your chosen yoga continuing education class and see if it meets what you are looking for. It is also important to ensure the format, setting, and duration of the course meet your needs. The most common options are online continuing education courses versus in-person continuing education classes – each has its pros and cons. Thankfully, Yoga Alliance now permanently allows all continuing education to be in an online format, giving you greater flexibility!  

5. Dive Into Reviews and Testimonials 

If you want to be extra sure that the yoga continuing education course meets your needs, then it can also help to check online reviews, student feedback, and testimonials. The best places to check these reviews are on Google, Yelp, or even on the Yoga Alliance website itself if it is a registered yoga school. This can allow you to get a glimpse into the student experience and ensure it is the right fit. 

6. Trust Your Intuition

When exploring continuing education yoga courses, the most helpful guide on your journey is your own intuition and gut instincts. Try not to worry too much about the decision and dive in! Thankfully, continuing education courses are generally shorter in duration and have lower costs, so there is limited risk in trying out a course. Let yourself have fun in the process and enjoy the journey of learning something new! 

Access Yoga Teacher Continuing Education Courses Online Today!

There are a wide range of continuing education courses for yoga teachers, providing you with ample opportunities to learn new subjects and develop as a yoga teacher. Continuing education courses are not only a requirement of Yoga Alliance for registered yoga teachers, but they are also an important component to developing the humble mindset of a lifelong learner in the vast field of yoga. 

Our online yoga school offers excellent continuing education courses for yoga teachers. We specialize in high-quality online yoga continuing education courses so that you can gain the necessary training from the comfort of your home! Make sure to check out the many options we offer for online yoga continuing education and begin your next course today.

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