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The role of the yoga instructor is to engage, facilitate, educate and support clients within yoga classes.
practitioner
The role
Yoga instructors are trained professionals specialise in teaching participants a version of yoga, a group of practices originating from ancient India. Modern yoga practice in the UK is a posture-based form of physical fitness training that also offers stress relief and relaxation. Instructors are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of yoga, including anatomy, physiology and teaching methodologies.
The key responsibilities of a yoga instructor are to design and deliver classes, ensuring that their sessions are designed with the participant at the heart. They also provide support to students and offer modifications to increase inclusivity.
What it takes
The following common or transferable skills are most frequently asked for by employers in yoga instructor job adverts across the UK:
| Skills and behaviours | % Prevalence in job ads |
|---|---|
| Teaching | 45% |
| Communication | 26% |
| Enthusiasm | 17% |
| Constructive feedback | 16% |
| Customer service | 11% |
| Time management | 9% |
| Teamwork | 9% |
| Interpersonal communications | 7% |
| Coaching | 6% |
| Professionalism | 5% |
To find out more about the minimum knowledge, skills and behaviours an individual must understand and demonstrate to become a yoga instructor, you can visit our professional standards library.
Getting in
To become a yoga instructor, you need to complete a Level 3 qualification in teaching yoga such as a:
Once you have qualified as a Level 3 Yoga Practitioner, you can also choose to progress onto a Level 4 Teaching Yoga qualification which offers a step up from Level 3, giving greater coverage of applied anatomy and physiology.
There are no formal entry requirements for the Level 3 course, although you do have to be at least 16 years of age. This course can be delivered in an online, in-person or hybrid (online and in person) format, and the total course cost, study time and guided learning hours will vary depending on the delivery format, qualification and training provider you choose.
Training
Typical earnings
Not currently available
Demand
Not currently available
Typical working patterns
Not currently available
As well as exploring new career pathways, as a yoga instructor, you can also choose to progress your career by completing further training or continued professional development (CPD) in your role. This training can be added to enable yoga instructors to show their expertise in additional populations, in different environments and with technical specialisms.
Examples of specialisms that may be added are:
The content of the job posts displayed on the CIMSPA jobs board are pulled in through feeds from websites which are not under the control of CIMSPA.
CIMSPA will not be liable for any false, inaccurate, inappropriate or incomplete information presented on the jobs board.