What are the benefits of CPD for Yoga Teachers?

As the advantages of yoga for health and wellbeing become more widely known, participating in CPD is recognised as an effective approach for yoga teachers to expand their existing knowledge, learn new techniques, stay abreast of industry advancements, and maintain a high standard of teaching. This article identifies some of the key benefits of CPD for yoga teachers – and how a commitment to ongoing learning through CPD will aid professional growth and add value for students.

What is Yoga?

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word "yuj," meaning "to yoke" or "to unite," representing the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. Yoga is an ancient physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It aims to unite the body, mind, and spirit through various techniques, including physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). It has numerous physical and mental health benefits, including improved flexibility, strength, balance, stress reduction, and overall wellbeing.

There are various styles and schools, such as Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, and Bikram, each with its own emphasis and techniques.

What are the key benefits of CPD in teaching Yoga?

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development and is the term used to describe the learning activities individuals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities throughout their career. Experienced and qualified yoga teachers may have already established the necessary capabilities for teaching, but CPD brings a range of new possibilities and advantages for those seeking to develop further or get started in practice.

By committing to ongoing learning and striving for continuous improvement, yoga professionals can enhance their skills and expand their knowledge. This can offer some of the following benefits:

Staying Updated with Industry Trends: Active CPD keeps you informed about the latest developments in yoga practices, research on health benefits, and emerging styles - ensuring your teaching remains current and relevant.

Enhancing Communication: Improving communication skills through relevant CPD enables teachers to enhance their performance, articulate cues more effectively, and provide better feedback to students.

Deepening Understanding of Anatomy and Physiology: Further CPD training in anatomy and physiology helps you understand more about how the body works, enabling you to design safer and more effective yoga sequences.

Specialising in Niche Areas: Gaining knowledge in specialised areas such as prenatal yoga, yoga therapy, or yoga for seniors allows you to cater to specific student needs and expand your class offerings.

Networking and Community Building: Attending CPD workshops, events and conferences provides opportunities to network with other yoga professionals, share experiences, and learn from each other.

Expanding Upon Pre-existing Knowledge and Skills: Learning new poses, adjustments, and deepening knowledge around the philosophical principles of yoga helps you diversify your classes and keep them engaging for all levels of students.

Improving Student Engagement: Learning new teaching methods and classroom management techniques helps you create a more interactive and engaging learning environment.

Cost Effective: CPD can often be a cost-effective method of learning which is especially beneficial for yoga professionals running their own small business. CPD courses and learning are often affordable, or even free, offering learners a chance to develop their skills and knowledge without overextending their budget.

Maintaining Personal Well-being: Engaging in CPD activities can reignite your passion for yoga, prevent burnout, and ensure that you remain inspired and motivated in your teaching journey.

How can you use CPD in teaching Yoga?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) combines different methodologies to learning, which includes training courses, events, workshops and online eLearning programs. There are a variety of ways yoga professionals can engage with CPD to improve their skills and knowledge. The following is by no means exhaustive, but identifies some of the options available to yoga teachers through CPD participation:

Ongoing Education: This could involve attending CPD workshops, courses, and events that focus on new yoga styles, advanced techniques, anatomy, philosophy, or the business side of being a professional yoga teacher.

Certifications and Specialisations: Many yoga teachers may pursue additional certifications or specialisations, such as prenatal yoga, yoga therapy, or advanced teacher training programs. This allows them to increase their audience and grow their market as a teacher.

Reflective Self-Study: CPD emphasises the equal importance of reflective learning. This may include reading relevant books, watching instructional videos, and staying updated with the latest research and trends in yoga and wellness.

Teaching Practice: Active CPD offers opportunities to develop core teaching skills through appropriate training and learning. This can enhance teaching methods and provide more value to students.

Networking and Community Involvement: Engaging with other yoga professionals through CPD conferences, seminars, and online forums allows professionals to share knowledge and experiences. Learning from peers can improve the overall quality of teaching.

What are the CPD requirements for Yoga Teachers?

Although there is no singular governing body for Yoga, most organisations and teaching bodies expect some form of ongoing CPD education. For example, in order to maintain membership, the Yoga Alliance require members to complete 75 hours of CPD in the first 3 years of registration. 30 hours of the CPD must be related to the following categories: Techniques, Training and Practice, and Teaching Methodology.

It is important for individuals to show evidence of CPD participation and keep a record of their ongoing CPD activities. myCPD Portal can be an effective free online tool to help manage, track, and log learning, as well as store personal training records and attendance certificates in one simple place.

Where to find CPD courses to develop knowledge of teaching Yoga effectively?

Established in 1996, The CPD Certification Service has over 27 years’ experience providing CPD accreditation. With members in over 100 countries, our CPD providers benefit from the ability to promote themselves as part of an international community where quality is both recognised and assured. We work with a variety of providers offering various CPD activities which can be beneficial for those wanting to improve their skills and knowledge in yoga teaching.

Within the CPD Courses Catalogue, you can find a comprehensive range of Yoga education focused training courses, educational events, eLearning programs, conferences, workshops and seminars which have been formally CPD certified. There is also a variety of wider learning available which could benefit yoga professionals.

To find out more about a particular CPD course listed on our website, please complete an enquiry form and the details will be sent directly to the relevant CPD provider.

CPD accreditation for your training courses and events

We hope this article was helpful. If you are interested in offering training courses, seminars, workshops, eLearning, or educational events suitable for Continuing Professional Development, please visit the Become a CPD Provider page or contact our team to discuss in more detail. 

Alternatively, if you are looking for a free online CPD record tool to help manage, track and log your ongoing learning, as well as store your professional training records and attendance certificates in one simple place, go to the myCPD Portal page.