How to Find a Good Yoga Teacher Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Yoga Beginners How to Find a Good Yoga Teacher By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 05, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Sara Clark Reviewed by Sara Clark Sara Clark is an EYT 500-hour certified Vinyasa yoga and mindfulness teacher, lululemon Global Yoga Ambassador, model, and writer. Learn about our Review Board Print Dean Mitchell / Getty Images Finding a yoga class is pretty easy these days, at least in most metropolitan areas where you can hardly go a block with bumping into a studio, but how do you find a good teacher? Of course, this quest is complicated by the fact that your idea of what makes a good teacher may differ from the next person's, but there are a few steps you can take to try to narrow the field. 1 Ask for Qualifications You don't have to go up to your teacher and ask to see her RYT, but do make sure that he or she has at least completed a 200-hr Yoga Alliance Registered teacher training program. The RYT system may not be perfect, but it's the best indication we have of a minimum acceptable amount of training. Most studios have extensive bios of their teachers available on their websites and may include links to a teacher's own site where they can go into even more detail about their training. If you are taking yoga classes at a gym or YMCA, it is a good idea to ask someone in the office about their yoga teachers' qualifications. This is also a nice way to let your gym know that the training their teachers have matters to you. Look for a teacher who has been at it for years, not weeks. Is It Better to to Take Yoga Classes at a Gym or. a Studio? 2 Start at the Very Beginning If you haven't done much yoga before, set yourself up for a positive experience by taking beginners-level classes whenever possible. Even "all levels" classes are not the best choice right at the start. In an "all-levels" class, the teacher will often get a read on the level of the majority of the students in attendance and cater to them. However you can always let a teacher know at the beginning of an all-levels class that you are new. This can help you feel supported. 3 Ask Your Friends Just about everyone has that one friend who won't shut up about yoga, right? Now's your chance to make use of that person. I consider myself to be one of those annoying yoga people and I love to play matchmaker between my yoga novice friends and favorite teachers. This is also a good time to make use of those social media connections. Post on Facebook or Twitter and watch people come out of the woodwork to recommend their favorite class to you. Once people find a yoga teacher they like, they can get downright evangelical about it, so take advantage of their yoga experiences. 4 Shop Around Ok, so hopefully you've got a few names of teachers or yoga studios that your friends like. Now go out and try them all. The relationship between you and your teacher is very important. You have to trust them but also know that they trust you to make decisions for what works best for your body. You have to like them, embrace their style, enjoy their presence, recognize their humor. These can be tough qualities to find, so don't despair if you don't like the first teacher you try. Keep looking and things will fall into place. By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles The 6 Best Yoga Teacher Training Programs of 2022 The Best Yoga Clothes of 2022 for Any Kind of Practice Best Online Yoga Classes of 2022 The 8 Best Yoga Retreats of 2022 Is It Better to to Take Yoga Classes at a Gym or. a Studio? Best Online Pilates Classes of 2022 Best Online Exercise Classes of 2022 Finding a Yoga Class in Your Area Doesn't Need to Be Difficult Introduction to Vinyasa Flow Yoga Should You Try a Naked Yoga Class? What to Expect From a Hatha Yoga Class Best Online Dance Classes of 2022 Do You Know the Meaning of Om? The Beginner's Guide to Getting Started With Yoga Did You Know You Have These 5 Body Parts? The Yoga Alliance Sets Standards for Teachers and Training Programs When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All