Online Yoga School: How to Become a Certified Yoga Instructor Online

By Kim Bassan 

The pandemic  has shown all of us that life is unpredictable. We must be flexible and learn to quickly adapt. 

Even though yogis can be bendy, no one was resilient to the impact of COVID-19. 

During the pandemic, however, the yoga industry rose to the challenge as more people sought to practice yoga at home. Still others wanted to become certified yoga instructors and were also able to find online yoga teacher training options. 

Indeed, COVID-19 resulted in an explosion of online yoga instructor trainings. Now it’s easy to become a certified yoga teacher with a click of a button! 

At the same time, you may be wondering how to become a yoga instructor online or is it worth it to become a yoga teacher with online training. Luckily, you’ve arrived on the right page! Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to become a certified yoga instructor online.

Is it Worth it to Become a Yoga Teacher?

If you ask us, becoming a yoga teacher is the dream job. This doesn’t mean you need to quit your full-time job; you can start teaching yoga as a side hustle! 

Plus, if you are ready to add some jazz into your life and become a yoga instructor, you can start doing it today.

There are two things to consider when thinking about becoming a yoga teacher:

1. How much money you can make.- In 2015, CNN ranked yoga teaching as one of the best 100 jobs in America, so we’re not the only ones who think it is the dream job. If you take this as a full-time or part-time, becoming a yoga teacher has respectable compensation.
2. The emotional part. Becoming a teacher is more than just a job (even though it is). Teaching can improve your mental health, teach you about yourself and connect you with a community.

Examine Your Motivation for Becoming a Yoga Instructor

When considering applying to a TT program you should examine your personal motivation for becoming a teacher. Let’s do it together. Are you ready?

Sit comfortably and take a deep breath in.

And let it out. 

Repeat this for three cycles and then ask yourself:

• Who am I doing this for?
• What am I planning to achieve with becoming a yoga teacher?
• How much time, energy and money am I willing to invest in this goal?
• Why do I want to teach?
• Am I ready?

If indeed you ARE ready, you are on your way!

Pros & Cons of the Yoga Industry

If you’re interested in teaching yoga you might have heard about the concept of Yin & Yang. The meaning of this term is that there is no good without bad and vice versa. As the famous quote says:

“They say there is no light without dark, no good without evil, no male without female, no right without wrong.”

While here at Pretzel Kids we strive to focus on positivity, we acknowledge that there are a few things people need to consider before enrolling in an online teacher training course.

What Can You Expect to Earn as a Yoga Instructor?

When it comes to the pay range for your classes, there are many variables. 

For example, the amount you can command depends on where you teach and if you choose to teach private classes or public classes. For instance, there are some parts of the United States where yoga instructors earn $25 per hour and other parts where they earn $100 per hour. It’s a pretty safe bet to say that on the low end, you’ll be earning $30-$35/hour, and on the high end, anywhere from $75-$100 per hour. 

In addition, your skillset may also affect your earning as more expertise opens you up to serve more specific niche customers. For example, kids yoga teacher training can be quite profitable and increase your income.

Is Online Yoga Teacher Training Worth It and Why Should You Do It?

If you’re considering becoming a yoga teacher, an online training may be worth it for you (especially if you’re on a tight budget and schedule). For example, with Pretzel Kids, you can become a kids yoga teacher in only 12 hours.

12 hours?! Yes, you read it right. And that’s not all. With the Pretzel Kids certification course, you also don’t need to have a fancy 200-hour certificate.

Which Yoga Teacher Training Program is Right For You?

Once upon a time, yoga was one size fits all. While all expanding branches of yoga are rooted in the same Indian tradition, the western world was able to adjust yoga practices to the ever-changing contemporary life. 

These days we have yoga for beginners, for pregnant women, for men, for trauma and our favorite niche, yoga for kids! In fact, the benefits of yoga can meet us at all stages of life so why not introduce it at an early age? When you start researching which teacher training program is right for you, here are a few specialties you should keep in mind:

• Hatha Yoga Teacher Training
• Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training
• Yin Yoga Teacher Training 
• Trauma-Informed Yoga
• Yoga Nidra Teacher Training

And one of the most fun programs out there and our favorite…

• Kids Yoga Teacher Training 

Can a Beginner Take Yoga Teacher Training?

The answer is YES! 

Yoga is a journey that will bring you to places you’ve never thought you’d be – physically, mentally and spiritually. You will learn as you train to become a yoga teacher! And as we like to say, there’s no such thing as an expert. We are always beginners; always learning! 

Just think: If you’re a teacher, educator, side hustler, parent, or fitness lover, becoming a kids yoga teacher is easy and simple!

Will I Get Certified With an Online Yoga Teacher Training?

Once you’ve completed your online training, you will be a certified yoga instructor. Your certificate will vary according to the program you took. As long as you did your modules and met all the school’s requirements, you’ll be on your way to teaching classes! 

Is Yoga Teacher Training/Certification the Same as a Registered Yoga Teacher?

Getting your certification does not automatically mean you are a registered yoga teacher. To be an RYT, you will need to register with Yoga Alliance and become a part of their worldwide teacher’s directory (however it is not a must!) 

The only advantage you will get by registering with Yoga Alliance is that it will increase your visibility and marketing strategy. As long as you have your YTT, you are certified to teach anywhere in the world. But if you’re still confused with all of these random acronyms, keep reading as we go into depth with the nitty-gritty details!

Who Is The Yoga Alliance and Do I Need Them? 

As we promised, here at Pretzel Kids we will never leave you wondering or confused! We are focused on you and your education. So we decided to clarify this topic once and for all!

Yoga Alliance is the largest yoga organization and it provides teachers with education and resources.. The YA also lists its member RYTs in an online directory. However, you will need to pay a membership fee to join the Yoga Alliance. And, if you are not a registered yoga teacher with YA, this does NOT mean you are not certified as wherever you completed your teacher training is responsible for issuing your certification.

What is the Difference Between RYT 200 and YTT 200

If you’re a Yoga Alliance member, you might be wondering what is the difference between RYT and YTT? And what’s the deal with all of these letters? 

Don’t worry, we understand that you are a busy person so we decided to break it down for you into bite-size points/ chunks.

• YTT 200 is also known as Yoga Teacher Training with 200 hours of training. When you see this ticker you know you’re in a good place. Why? Because it means you’re one step closer to becoming a certified yoga teacher!

• CYT 200 means Certified Yoga Teacher with 200 hours of training. After completing your YTT 200, you will get the badge of honors as a “CYT 200”. This means you are a certified yoga teacher and can officially start teaching!

• RYT 200 refers to Registered Yoga Teacher Training with 200 hours of training. The ‘R’ simply means the training is registered with Yoga Alliance. 

Now that we made sense out of this alphabetical soup, one last note and we promise to stop talking in mathematical codes!

Once you’ve finished your YTT, you can either register yourself with Yoga Alliance or just stay certified and keep yourself accountable. Regardless of which way you go, you should always keep your mind open to continuing education programs. You can also expand your expertise on your yoga niche or you can keep building your knowledge with 300 & 500-hour programs.

Is Yoga Alliance Registered Accreditation Required by an Employer?

While the mission and intentions of Yoga Alliance are valuable, being registered with YA is not a must if you want to teach yoga. 

So when it comes time to choose if you go the Yoga Alliance way or nay, we recommend you choose your way! Or as Fleetwood Mac once sang “you can go your own way” (we know you just sang it in your head!)

If you decide to go your own way or the Yoga Alliance way, do your research!

What are Good Resources to Learn About Yoga

The fact that you are reading this already puts you one step ahead. This means you are investing in yourself and doing the research. 

If you are thirsty and curious for more high-quality information, here are a few resources you should check out!

1. Talk to your teacher or teacher trainer. There’s a reason why they are called teachers. They worked hard for their education and they are a great resource for information.
2. Read books! Even with everything online, sometimes it is nice to hold a piece of a real book and read away!
3. Seek out online communities and Facebook groups. It’s no secret that yogis stick together! The yoga community has a strong bond in the online world. If you’re looking for a place to start, the Pretzel Kids community is here for you!
4. Read blogs – sharing is caring and yoga practitioners absolutely care. There are many instructors who share their professional experience and knowledge on reputable online platforms and blogs (like us!)

Since you’re reading “How To Become a Certified Yoga Instructor Online”, something tells us you might be interested in this⬇️

Are There Any Good Online Resources for Learning Yoga?

Speaking of online yoga school, we compiled the best virtual resources (we know, we’re awesome). Here are our go-to resources when it comes to learning yoga online or choosing which teacher training is best for you.

• Yoga Journal
• A quick and easy read: What’s Yoga Teacher Training Like?
• Last but not least, bookmark all the blog posts on Pretzel Prose!

The Bottom Line 

With the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, online training courses have opened an increased opportunity to explore career options that may otherwise have been a wistful dream. 

Even YOU can turn your dream of becoming a certified yoga instructor into a reality by taking a training course. Are you ready to change people’s lives and your own? Let’s get it! ?