Start your yoga career now: Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher Training in London Begins September


Teacher training alongside full-time work or study
Anna Oldfield on 13 December, 2011 |

Undertaking a two-hundred hour teacher training course is certainly a large commitment and there is no doubt that during the course yoga will be at the centre of your life. Whilst many opt for immersive courses offering just a month of intensive training, often in an exotic location, you can also choose to incorporate teacher training in to your everyday schedule. Courses based upon weekend sessions are popular with people from all walks of life; trainee teachers find all sorts of creative ways to increase the amount of time available for studying and practicing yoga in their already busy schedules.

Working freelance and studying certainly have their benefits when it comes to attending yoga classes during the week and observing other teachers’ classes as part of your training. There’s a certain luxury to attending off-peak afternoon sessions in yoga studios by contrast to the battle for space of lunchtime or evening classes. That said, the bulk of classes offered do take place after working hours and there are always weekends off on which those with demanding jobs can carry out their observations (and enjoy a lie-in!)

Loss of weekends can mean loss of social life, and also loss of potential income from a weekend-job if you are a student. However, when it comes to the question of financing the course the fact that your weekends will be given over to training means that you will save the expenses you would have occurred from any other activities. Most courses are open to structuring a payment plan for students or those who may otherwise struggle to pay for the training all in one go. As for the social aspect, it is only for a short period of time and you are not entirely removed from the world. You may not be able to party all night (if that takes your fancy), and may even feel too tired for a meal or drink with friends, but it’s not forever and you’ll surprise yourself by finding new reserves of energy.

Whether you work or study, it is advisable to try and choose a course which does not clash with any major projects. That said, there are always unforeseen circumstances which arise. During my own training course there were a couple of weeks where everyone suddenly seemed snowed-under with work or study, but we found ways around it. An empty meeting room or even corridor can serve as a practice space, and it’s common to see students reading books whilst waiting to enter the studio for a class. Multi-tasking is certainly the key to time-management, and the personal progression you make during the course is always a great motivation when your energy begins to wane.

Balancing the demands of work or study and training mean that you need to make careful decisions about your practice. Shorter sequences and more restorative poses will widen your perspectives and give your body the rest it needs. A large part of teacher training is learning how to listen to your body and make judgements about which postures will be best for different energy levels and situations. Furthermore, everything you learn from your own experiences is valuable for teaching others who follow a similar lifestyle.

Overall, whatever your occupation there will be obstacles to surmount, particularly when it comes to distribution of your time and energy. It’ll always seem like someone else has an easier time of it, but everyone makes compromises in order to fit training in around their existing lifestyle. Teacher training is not only a way of developing your practice and learning how to share something you are passionate about with others, but also a lesson in time management!