What to look for in a yoga instructor?

Training

 

There are no universal standards or credentials for either yoga teachers or yoga therapists. Many systems now require teachers to complete either two hundred or five hundred hours of training to be certified (one non-profit organization, Yoga Alliance International India, offers to register teachers and training programs that meet alliance standards, although not all choose to participate). In addition to such training, most teachers will require continuous study and years of apprenticeship to acquire skills as yoga therapists. The less training and experience they have, the less likely they are to know what techniques could benefit (or harm) people with medical problems, and they haven’t had enough opportunities to develop that ability to identify which problems could lead to injury.

 

Not to mention those widely promoted programs that offer yoga instructor training certifications in two weeks or less. People with such minimal training are not qualified to do yoga therapy (and maybe not even train yoga).

 

Given that yoga therapy for problems such as arthritis, heart disease, and cancer, requires considerable knowledge of anatomy, physiology, effects of medications, and contraindications to various aspects of practice, seek someone who has received additional training in these areas, or who, by virtue of prior training in a health care profession,  He already has it. As it turns out, many people who do yoga therapy have such training.

 

Yoga teachers, even very experienced ones, should not rely on diagnosing the cause of symptoms. This is not their area of expertise and could lead to serious problems if a misdiagnosis gets in the way of necessary treatment. Some yoga teachers overconfidently offer health advice that they are not qualified to give. Because yoga teachers are in a position of authority and are respected for their yoga expertise, practitioners may assume that they really know what they are talking about, even when they don’t. My advice is to listen respectfully, but have reservations about their recommendations and consult your doctor about any potentially serious conditions.

 

Experience

 

There are no defined and strict rules about how much experience a yoga therapist should have, but in general, the more, the better. Someone who has been practicing for ten years will probably know a lot more than someone who has been practicing for five years, etc. Of course, some people do excellent work, even if they don’t have over 20 years of experience, especially if they have an extensive understanding of anatomy and kineology (human movement). Moreover, there is often a trade-off between the expertise of a master teacher and the increased availability or personal attention you can get from a less experienced teacher. Many of the experienced teachers are no longer available for private sessions because they spend most of their time training other yoga teachers.

 

Reputation

 

Part of what makes a teacher good isn’t all about the instructor who trained them or how long they’ve been instructing. Some people are very good teachers, they can make students feel emotionally comfortable, some have excellent body reading skills, or any other skills that great therapists also possess. Oral recommendation, however, remains one of the best ways to find an experienced teacher.

 

Flexibility in approach

 

No yoga therapist should enforce a pattern of practice that has been devised without consulting you beforehand. The best teachers are observers who adapt to your individual needs, preferences, circumstances, and responses. Good teachers look at what you’re doing and teach from what they see, not just what they know. For example, five people may have back pain, but a qualified teacher will see the differences between them and choose different approaches accordingly. The teacher’s ability to adapt and shape treatment for the individual is one of the hallmarks of high-quality yoga therapy. While standardized approaches can work—as numerous scientific studies have shown, and some people believe instructional yoga videos can help motivate them to practice—these aren’t the best options yoga has to offer.

 

Continuous study

 

True yogic understanding, the one that can help transform a student, most likely comes from those teachers who themselves are on the path of yoga. You can understand yoga only through constant and long practice (years). The best teachers are also lifelong students, so try to find out what they do for their own development, whether it’s studying philosophy or anatomy, attending workshops, or continuing work with a guru or master teacher.

 

It motivates you to practice

 

The biggest factor determining success in yoga therapy is constant practice. Regardless of their technical skills, any teacher who can motivate you to get on the mat and continue your practice is doing something right. Some people tend to think technique is the most important, but I think the student-teacher relationship is critical. Attention! A teacher’s self-confidence, stemming from their experiences and helping people, can be contagious.