Does teaching yoga while suspended in the air excite you? If it does, you may consider getting an aerial yoga certification and becoming a certified aerial yoga teacher.
What is Aerial Yoga?
Aerial yoga is a contemporary style of yoga where you are not using your mat on the ground to practice but an aerial hammock or yoga trapeze. That means you’re practicing yoga asanas while up in the air, defying gravity.
The purpose of an aerial yoga hammock or trapeze is to improve your flexibility and strength while taking pressure off the shoulders, spine, and other parts of the body.
How to Become an Aerial Yoga Teacher
To become an aerial yoga teacher, you will spend $2000 to $3000 and at least three to six months to undergo aerial yoga teacher training. It’s an arduous and lengthy process that you can do online or in person. Here are four steps to becoming an aerial yoga instructor:
Step 1: Finish a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course
Before taking an aerial yoga certification, you have to finish any 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) programs. That means you have to have the foundational YTT first before you can become an aerial yoga teacher.
A 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training means you will spend 200 hours (at least a month) learning how to teach yoga. Once you finish this course, you can take any Continuing Education (CE) courses for your specialization, such as aerial yoga.
Step 2: Enroll at an Aerial Yoga School
The next step to take to get an aerial yoga certification is to find an aerial yoga school. Some aerial yoga teachers may offer to train you to become a teacher, and while that may work, they can’t give you a certificate. You need the certificate to apply for jobs at yoga studios.
Most aerial yoga schools don’t require their teacher trainees to have experience in aerial yoga. But they will need you to have experience in any type of classical yoga such as Hatha, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa Yoga.
On average, aerial yoga instructor programs cost $500 to $1000. The price depends on the length of training. These training programs can last up to 250 hours. But also you can find 25-hour or 50-hour aerial Yoga Teacher Training programs.
Step 3: Finish Your Aerial Yoga Teacher Training
Of course, once you are enrolled, you have to finish the aerial Yoga Teacher Training program. Depending on how intensive the course you enrolled at, or if it’s a weekend-only format, it may take two days up to six months.
In this training program, you will learn how to teach aerial yoga and everything in between. Most training programs will also have a practicum, in which you have to teach what you have learned.
Once you finish the training course, you will receive an aerial yoga certification. This certification is now your gateway to teach aerial yoga.
Step 4: Teach Aerial Yoga
You can’t be an aerial yoga teacher without actually teaching. So, to hone your skills in teaching aerial yoga more, you have to continue teaching. Some people take an aerial yoga teacher training course to learn more about the practice, but some do it to teach. So, if your goal is to teach, start looking for jobs at aerial yoga studios or offering aerial yoga classes in your own studio.
How Much Do Aerial Yoga Instructors Make?
According to Zip Recruiter, the salary of an aerial yoga teacher ranges from $20 to $30 per hour. Teachers in Washington, D.C, get the highest hourly wage ($30.94), while teachers in North Carolina get the lowest hourly rate of $19.98.
What Does an Aerial Yoga Instructor Do?
As an aerial yoga instructor, you have the option to teach in a yoga studio for group classes or offer private lessons. If you work full-time, you will most likely lead two to three classes a day. You may have an edge among other instructors because aerial yoga teachers are also teachers of traditional yoga and other styles. But like teachers of different styles of yoga, you have the same responsibilities.
Assess the Level of Practice
As an aerial yoga teacher, you need to assess the level of practice of your students visually. You need to do this to know how to modify the poses based on your students’ level of practice.
Assist Students
Assisting students to achieve proper alignment is also one of the responsibilities of an aerial yoga instructor. You can give verbal cues or offer physical adjustments to the students.
Demo the Practice
There are many types of learners. Some people are auditory learners, while some are visual learners. In a yoga class, you can give verbal cues to guide your students to pose in their aerial hammock. However, some students may not understand your verbal cues, so you need to demonstrate the practice and techniques.
Help Deal with Pain
Many students come to a yoga class, whether aerial or other styles of yoga, to deal with their pain. As a yoga instructor, you have to learn about this. Before the classes start, ask each student about any injury or discomfort they have. Then, let them know which poses or movements they have to watch out for. By doing it this way, the student doesn’t aggravate the pain or injury, and you can add poses that will help manage the pain.
Help Students in Reaching Their Goals
While traditional yoga doesn’t have an end goal, most students, if not all, come to a yoga class with a plan in mind. As a teacher, you can help them achieve their goal while also helping them appreciate their present moment. You do this by guiding them into different postures for specific purposes.
Make Sure Everything is Secure
In aerial yoga, you are using a yoga trapeze or hammock. As an aerial yoga teacher, it is your responsibility to check if the equipment is installed correctly and securely to avoid accidents from happening during your class.
There are only four steps to get an aerial yoga certification. But it is a long and expensive process. For dedicated students who want to help students deal with their pain, become stronger and more flexible, and relax, though, it is all worth it.
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