Whether you’re looking to improve your flexibility, gain strength, rehab an injury, manage stress, or explore your spirituality, yoga has something to offer. And your teacher’s level of training and experience is what allows them to meet your individual needs.

Your yoga teacher’s training

In today’s world, there is an abundance of different styles of yoga. From traditional training to contemporary fusion, yoga is an umbrella term for an ancient Indian practice that, since spreading to the West, has grown to include dynamic mixes of Vinyasa Flow, Tai Chi, Dance, Buddhist and Yogic philosophy, acro yoga, yogalates…you get my drift.

There is training that exposes students to a mix of different movements and wisdom, while others adhere to traditional yogic teachings.

Your yoga teacher’s education

Still, more teachers have a background in science, nutrition, herbal medicine, meditation, Ayurveda, and more that influences what they teach on the mat.

Self-study, workshops with accredited teachers, and avid reading refine a teacher’s anatomical or philosophical knowledge.

Your yoga teacher’s practice

Some instructors fuse anatomical knowledge with creative movement inspired by their personal practice, life experience, sustained injuries, or past education.

What your teacher practices on the mat, who they learn from when studying, the quality of the training they receive, and how long they’ve been teaching for will ultimately influence your yoga practice.

A great yoga teacher is always learning, refining, and honing their skills.

Sometimes from older, more experienced teachers, other times through relevant online training.

It does pay to check your yoga teacher’s experience and level of training. Be curious about who taught your teacher, because, alongside their level of experience, it will guide what they teach you.

Which, in turn, will influence your yoga journey.

Namaste!