Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that originates in ancient Indian Philosophy. The central teachings revolve around the practice of mental discernment, detachment, spiritual knowledge, and self-awareness.
Yoga is mind-body practice is founded in the three main elements of movement, breathing and meditation. Yoga has many physical and mental wellbeing benefits including improved posture, flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness, and may also help to manage pain and reduce stress.
A yoga teacher (or instructor) will undergo training to teach others the physical yoga postures, breathing techniques and meditation practices, often taught within a certain yoga system or style, usually within a group setting.
A yoga therapist will undertake more extensive training in addition to the teacher training. It is a person-centred approach, often involving one-on-one client work to help specific health conditions using therapeutic techniques alongside yoga practices. There are many trained yoga therapists working as complementary therapists within hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation and community settings.
Training
There are no laws around the level of qualification required to teach yoga. The most popular Yoga Teacher training route is to undertake an internationally recognised Ofqual approved Level 3 or Level 4 Diploma in Teaching Yoga course. This involves training and practice to develop your knowledge, experience and confidence in teaching yoga to people with a range of abilities.
However you decide to train, most employers or professional bodies will require evidence of training to at least Level 3 Diploma in Yoga or equivalent. You can complete formal training with one of the main yoga accreditation bodies active in the UK such as The British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) or Yoga Alliance Professionals.
There are also many private training routes that offer high standards of training, or you may wish to learn from an experienced Yogi in the UK or overseas, who has made a commitment to incorporating yoga into their lives physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Entry requirements for yoga therapy courses will usually require you to have a qualification in yoga teaching (minimum 200 hours) with at least 2 years' experience of teaching. The British Council for Yoga Therapy (BCYT) accredits Yoga Therapy training courses that have met the minimum requirements of their Core Curriculum.
Regulation
The yoga industry is an unregulated profession in the UK for both yoga teachers and yoga therapists, however there are several organisations dedicated to self-regulating the industry. Each association has its own registration criteria which involves a specific level of experience and training to ensure you meet their standards.
If you would like to join a union as a teacher, you can register with the IWGB Yoga Teachers Union.
The Complementary and Natural Health Care Council (CNHC) is the independent voluntary regulator for complementary therapists and is the UK's professional accreditation body for Yoga Therapy. Registered members of the several different associations are also eligible to apply for admission to the National Register with the The General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT).
Professional bodies
The British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) is the National Governing Body Yoga in England and Wales and offers various membership types.
These organisations also offer membership and professional recognition for yoga teachers:
- Association of Yoga Studies (aYs)
- Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)
- Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
- Exercise, Movement and Dance UK (EMDUK)
- Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT)
- Friends of Yoga (FRYOG)
- General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapists (GRCCT)
- Iyengar Yoga UK
- The Society of Yoga Practitioner (TSYP)
- Yoga Alliance Professionals UK
- Yoga In Healthcare Alliance (YIHA)