4 min read
Who Is Yoga Teacher Training Really For?
You don't have to want to teach to do a teacher training. Here's who it's really for.
Written by
Carrie Froggett
Published on
When people hear "yoga teacher training", they often assume it's only for people who want to start running classes at their local village hall, buy Sweaty Betty leggings and have a flashy Instagram page. This couldn't be further from the truth. Though I do love Sweaty Betty leggings, and several of our YTT graduates go on to teach in village halls. But the truth is, yoga teacher training is so much more than this. And it might be one of the best things you ever do for yourself, whether you go on to teach or not.
Yoga really is just the study of the human mind. Using all of the tools yoga has to offer, we get to understand ourselves better, and with that, our relationships, our work and the world around us. A teacher training is simply the deepest, most structured way to do that.
Two types of people do teacher training
In my experience, people who sign up tend to fall into one of two camps.
The sharers. You'd like to share yoga, maybe informally with friends and family, or maybe more widely in your community by teaching classes.
The explorers. You just want to learn more about yourself: your own mind, your own body and the way you tick. Teacher training is the perfect course for this.
Spoiler alert: at least 50% of the people who do my training never want to teach. And that's completely fine. Either way, your confidence grows, your understanding of yourself deepens, and you feel better. It really is a win-win.
What we actually study
The course is a 16-week, 200-hour deep dive into everything yoga, starting in January 2027. Over those weeks we cover:
The mind: yoga philosophy and psychology
The body: postures, anatomy and physiology
The subtle stuff: energy, the chakras, the power of the breath, meditation and all that kind of stuff
It's a teacher training, so you'll learn how to share all of this. But everything you learn is just as useful turned inwards, for your own practice and your own life.
"I'm not flexible enough"
This is one of the biggest things I get asked. "I'm not flexible enough, I'm not fit enough, I don't know all the postures, can I do YTT?"
Honestly, that's even more reason to do the course, because you don't have to be any of those things. Yoga has always been about sharing from your own experience. If you can do a one-arm handstand, brilliant, maybe that's what you share. But if you love the feeling of lying in shavasana or sinking into a nice forward fold, then that's what you share.
We share from where we are. So wherever you are right now is the perfect place to begin.
"I'm too busy"
The second thing I hear is, "I'm very busy, I'm stressed, I've got lots on my plate." I challenge you to introduce me to one person who doesn't feel like that these days! Everybody feels busy, overworked and overcommitted, and it's probably one of the reasons we're seeing so much stress, anxiety and sleeplessness.
That's exactly why the course is designed to fit alongside life. What we study week by week supports you as you move through your work, your caring responsibilities and everything else you do in a day. You keep doing all of it, just with a little more ease. Think of it as trying on a new hat, or a new pair of glasses, and seeing your everyday life through the lens of yoga.
There's a saying I really love: if you don't have time to meditate, you should meditate for twice as long. The same is true for teacher training. If you have the desire to change, to grow and to feel more connected to yourself, you make the space. A little self-discipline and motivation, and you move forward.
In my students' words
I've had some really lovely comments from past students over in my online community recently. Here are a few.
"I didn't do it with a view to teach, but to get a better understanding of yoga, and to help me understand myself better… I am looking forward to travelling into my 70s next year with a better insight into keeping myself healthy in both mind and body."
Rachel, 2025
"I completed the YTT for personal development. It has changed my way of living, in particular the philosophy aspects of yoga. I use it in my 1-2-1 coaching at work."
Hodan, 2025
"Despite having absolutely no intention of teaching whatsoever, we have co-taught a weekly Friday U3A yoga class for over 2 years… The YTT is one of the best things that I have ever done and has been, literally, life changing."
Ruth, 2024
"I was very gently persuaded to join the course by my wonderful friend Ruth. So I took a step out of my comfort zone and signed up. It was an amazing course. I loved every minute of it. Since then, my journey on the mat has grown in ways I couldn't have imagined."
Cath, 2024
I love that Ruth and Cath both came in with no plans to teach, and now share yoga together every week. You really never know where it'll take you.
Come and find out more
If you'd like to start 2027 with something new and exciting, our next 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher training starts in January 2027 and runs live online over 16 weeks.
Course fee: £2,200
Early bird: £1,997 if you book by Sunday 13th December
Come and say hello first: join me online for our teacher training open evening on Thursday 3rd December at 7.30pm–9pm UK time. Bring a cuppa, and I'll tell you all about the course and answer every question you've got.
Find out more and book your place →
Wherever you are right now is the perfect place to begin.
You might also like: Which Yoga Teacher Training Is Right for You?
Keep reading
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Alliance certified and part-time over 16 teaching weeks, with teaching practice from week one. Our next training starts in January 2027.
