Yoga Teacher

Job Description:

Yoga teachers teach yoga as a form of exercise to increase fitness and wellbeing.

Job Category:
Culture, Media & Sport

What you will do:

As part of your day-to-day duties, you could:

  • design course and lesson plans for a range of abilities
  • teach a wide range of simple and complex yoga positions
  • adapt positions for conditions like pregnancy or arthritis
  • teach breathing techniques
  • assess your students
  • review your own courses and teaching skills
  • if you are self-employed, market your classes and do business admin tasks

Skills:

You’ll need:

  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to teach pupils how to do something
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

As well as:

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

There are no specific GCSE subjects required to become a yoga teacher. Yoga teacher training typically doesn’t have strict academic prerequisites like some other professions. However, a strong educational background and certain skills can be helpful in pursuing a career as a yoga teacher. Here are some subjects and skills that may be beneficial:

  1. Physical Education (PE): Courses in PE can provide a foundational understanding of the human body, anatomy, and physiology, which are important for teaching yoga effectively.
  2. Biology: Studying biology can help you understand the human body and its systems, which is crucial for teaching yoga safely and helping students with injuries or limitations.
  3. Psychology: Knowledge of psychology can be valuable for understanding the mental and emotional aspects of yoga and how it can benefit individuals psychologically.
  4. English: Strong communication skills, including writing and speaking, are essential for teaching yoga, as you’ll need to convey instructions clearly and effectively.
  5. Physical Fitness: Courses related to fitness, health, and exercise science can be useful for understanding the principles of physical training and well-being.

Post School

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • specialist courses run by private training organisations

College

You can do a yoga teaching qualification. In the UK, for example, courses include:

  • Certificate in Teaching Yoga to Children Aged 5 to 16
  • Diploma in Teaching Yoga
  • Diploma in Teaching Yoga

It may be useful if you have a background in teaching exercise. Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Other Routes

You can train as a teacher by doing yoga courses with a specialist training provider.

Career tips

You’ll usually need 2 years’ experience of practising yoga with a qualified teacher to teach it yourself.

Working Hours and Environment:

A typical week consists of 35-37 hours of work. You could be required to work freelance/be self-employed managing your own hours.

You could work at a fitness centre or at a health centre.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience you could run your own yoga workshops, yoga retreats, or holidays.

You may be able to train as a yoga therapist or take further qualifications to train yoga teachers.