How to Choose a Yoga Teacher Training: 8 Questions to Ask

A yoga teacher training is a significant investment of time and money, and programs vary enormously. Some are deep, carefully taught and life-changing; others are rushed and generic. These eight questions will help you tell the difference — whether you are looking at a teacher training in Rishikesh, elsewhere in India, or online.

1. Who actually teaches?

Find out who leads the training and who teaches the individual sessions. Look for a lead teacher with many years of personal practice and teaching, a recognizable tradition or lineage, and real time with the students — not only an opening talk.

2. How many hours are live contact hours?

A “200-hour” training can mean very different things. Ask how many hours are taught live (in person or online) and how many are self-study or recorded. Both have value, but you learn to teach by being taught and corrected.

3. What does the curriculum cover?

• Asana — alignment, adaptation and sequencing.
• Pranayama and meditation, taught as practices and not only as theory.
• Philosophy — the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and the tradition the training comes from.
• Anatomy and physiology relevant to yoga.
• Teaching methodology — communication, class planning, working with different bodies.
• Ethics and the role of a teacher.

4. Is there real teaching practice?

You should teach during the training — to fellow students and ideally to others — and receive specific feedback. A practicum and assessment show that the program takes teaching seriously.

5. What certification do you receive?

Ask exactly what the certificate is. A certificate of completion from the school is common. Registration with external bodies such as Yoga Alliance depends on the school being registered for that specific program — which is different from an individual teacher holding their own registration. If you need a particular registration for work, confirm it in writing before you enroll.

6. In person, online or a mix?

An in-person training in India offers immersion, daily practice and the setting of a place like Rishikesh. Online training lets you study over a longer period without leaving work and family, and you can practice teaching in your own context. Many students combine the two.

7. Are costs and conditions clear?

A good program states its fee, what is included, the schedule, the language of instruction and the refund terms before you pay.

8. Are you ready?

The best preparation is a steady personal practice of at least several months. A training deepens your practice; it cannot replace it. If you are unsure, join regular classes first — you will learn how you respond to the teacher and the tradition.

Teacher training with Yogishri

Sanatan Yoga Vidya Kendra offers yoga, meditation, Naad Yog, sound practice and teaching-skills trainings, in Rishikesh and online, taught by Yogi Shri G. Niranjan. Each program page states its format, language, modules and certificate. See Teacher Training, or ask us which program fits you.