Alyssa began dealing with chronic back problems after the birth of her daughter. Because her pain was so intense, she was unable to embark on a post-baby weight loss program as she'd planned. Subsequently, she was unable to return to her pre-pregnancy weight. Within months, Alyssa had gained five more pounds.
More weight put more stress on her back. Her worsening back problems prevented her from exercising. Alyssa began to feel depressed and anxious. In desperation, she visited a chiropractor who began treatments to alleviate her pain. He also suggested that Alyssa would benefit from doing regular yoga.
To her delight, Alyssa's health improved dramatically after she began yoga classes. Not only did her physical symptoms diminish, her mental health experienced a tremendous boost. Within a year, Alyssa had not only returned to her normal weight, her back pain was gone.
Alyssa was excited about the changes in her life brought about by yoga. So much so that she began to contemplate becoming a certified yoga instructor. Before having her daughter, Alyssa had felt that her current career had reached a dead end.
After returning from maternity leave, she felt more than ever that a change was in order. She had gained so much from her yoga classes that she wanted to share that experience with others. However, since she'd only been back at work a few months, Alyssa knew that taking time off to take a yoga instructor's course would be impossible. But unwilling to give up on her new dream, she began to investigate alternative plans.
She soon discovered that she could become a certified yoga instructor through a home-study course. Though studying yoga at home sounded unusual at first, she knew that was her only alternative. She wondered if she would be able to get the same quality of instruction in a home study as she would in a classroom. She worried that not having a live teacher to demonstrate things like the yoga positions would make it harder to learn the material.
However, Alyssa was still determined not to give up on her dream. So she began comparing home study courses for yoga instructors. She realized that there were more home study training options than she had expected. In fact, the number of courses available was almost overwhelming. How would she choose the right one? She asked herself what was most important to her in an instructor training course. Once she developed her criteria, she hoped it would be easier to narrow down her choices. Alyssa looked for qualities such as:
* Comprehensive written material that is easy to understand. It should include the principles of yoga, as well as anatomy and kinesiology training.
* DVD's with clear, simple to follow demonstrations of positions and techniques.
* Information on how to teach yoga, not just how to do yoga.
* Affordability. Having a baby meant more expenses than ever before, and her money had to stretch as far as possible.
* Flexibility in completing assignments. With a new baby and a job, she would need it!
She knew that it was important to find a program with access to an instructor. After all, there would be times when she would need to clarify things that she didn't understand. She also knew that having an instructor would help motivate her to complete the course.
She was baffled to find that many home study courses did not include access to an instructor at all. Others offered only limited access. Feeling that support was critical to her success, Alyssa decided she wouldn't settle on a course unless it offered unhindered access to an instructor.
Her determination paid off. She was able to find a yoga teacher training course that met all of her criteria. In fact, it offered more than she'd been seeking. The home study course that she settled on covered business training, something that most others she'd looked into did not. Not only would Alyssa become a certified yoga instructor, she would have the ability to run her own yoga business.
One year later, Alyssa had quit her old job and was teaching yoga at a local fitness center. She was working closer to home and able to spend more time with her daughter. Instead of coming home from work tired and stressed out, Alyssa came home calm and relaxed.
Her new job was better than she'd ever dreamed. Plus, she knew she was a better mother because of it. She even hoped to start her own fitness business one day. Grateful that she had been choosy when searching for a home study course, she knew she had made the right decision in becoming a certified yoga instructor.
Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
If you have your heart set on becoming a Yoga teacher, but your budget will not allow you to spend ten, fifteen, or twenty thousand dollars, on a certification course, you have to consider a few options. Should you talk to your family about a loan? Should you wait a few years? Should you give up or go after your dream?
No matter how much they love you, your family members may not be able to finance ten, fifteen, or twenty thousand dollars, in the current economy. You will have to teach hundreds of hours to pay back your relatives.
You will also have to learn about marketing, business, networking, and develop a whole new skill set after you finish your Yoga teacher training. After all, most Yoga certification courses focus on techniques like asanas, Pranayama, mudras, meditation, mantras, and other aspects.
So, you may also want to take a few courses, at a local college, for marketing, business, networking, and communication; or you may want to search for an instructor training course, which covers every aspect of teaching Yoga, and contains useful information for running a business.
For what it's worth, there are very few teacher training courses that cover business and marketing skills specific to the Yoga industry. Where could you find such a course and how much would it cost?
Maybe you are thinking: "The price must be through the roof." It could be, if you consider taking each course separately - between college tuition and on-site Yoga teacher training.
However, you can save a lot of money with an online home study course. As you shop around, look for a course, which contains, at least, 200 hours of study. You want a course that prepares you to teach, and prepares you to be teaching, for years to come.
The business learning curve can set you back financially, if you are not prepared for it. This is why business tools, for Yoga teachers, are so important. Therefore, make sure every aspect of teaching and business are covered.
An on-line course for Yoga instructors is self-paced, affordable, and you can study in the comfort of your own home.
Correspondence courses have existed for years, but thanks to the Internet, you can contact a tutor by Email and receive answers within 24 hours or less. The better online Yoga teacher courses will allow you unlimited support by phone and Email.
Therefore, be certain that the course you select meets all of the above criteria and any other specific needs you have.
Both Jackie & Paul M. Jerard Jr. are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jackie has sinced written about articles on various topics from Yoga Practice, Anger Control and Yoga Practice. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He is an author of many books on the subject of Yoga and has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.http://www.yoga-teache. Jackie's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Paul M. Jerard Jr. has sinced written about articles on various topics from Leadership, Yoga Practice and Anger Control. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit:. Paul M. Jerard Jr.'s top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.