Enriched by Eddie Pawlak, founder of Ulu Yoga

In 2007, when our founder Eddie Pawlak began yoga, he was so stiff that he was even unable to touch his toes. Soon after his first 200-hour training, a 10-day meditation retreat asked him to teach about 80 people. Some classes went well and some were terrible. But in the end, the experience moved his attention away from the advanced poses and toward the people asking for help with sore knees, aching backs and everyday limitations.

Two years of travel, volunteering and inconsistent work followed. Then came a steady period teaching two classes a day at a resort, experiments with Aerial Yoga, retreats, teacher trainings and then he founded Ulu Yoga to spread the gift of yoga with as many people as possible. Today, Ulu Yoga reports more than 5,000 graduates, has been successfully running monthly trainings since 2014, with one dedicated Uluwatu location and more than 30 named teachers across its in-person and online rosters.

That journey gives a grounded answer to the question of how to become a yoga teacher. Start by building a regular practice, choose a credible 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, teach consistently after graduation and allow your experience to shape your direction. The course gives you a foundation. Your development as a teacher continues afterward.

Why you should become a yoga teacher

You have many reasons: meaningful work, a deeper personal practice, flexible hours, travel, community or the wish to help others feel at home in their bodies. Teaching can support all of these aims. It also asks for preparation, humility and a willingness to serve the room in front of you.

Warmth matters. Being loving matters. The ability to connect with students matters. Clear communication, observation, patience, reliability and the ability to receive feedback matter as well. Advanced poses carry far less weight than the capacity to help students practise safely and with confidence.

Experience and readiness before teacher training

Yoga Alliance sets no universal minimum number of practice years for a 200-hour course; but it is important to note that each school chooses its own entry requirements. Our founder Eddie’s practical suggestion is about three classes a week for three months before an intensive training. This gives you familiarity with foundational poses, breath, balance and common language. But you don’t need to arrive as an advanced yogi.

Flexibility and strength develop over time. Yoga students come in every age, shape and physical condition, so it doesn’t make much sense to think all yoga teachers should look the same. Having a larger body doesn’t automatically prevent you from becoming a yoga teacher. Age, disability or lived experience with modification can deepen a teacher’s understanding of access when a course provides suitable support.

Ask and research prospective schools how they adapt demonstrations, practice teaching and assessments. If you have a recent injury, surgery, significant pain or a health condition, discuss the schedule with a qualified healthcare professional and the school before enrolling. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises people with health conditions to discuss individual needs and possible modifications. You definitely shouldn’t keep doing something that is obviously making an injury worse.

How to choose a credible 200-hour YTT

A beautiful, spacious destination can support immersion, yet the training itself deserves the closest attention. A teacher training is supposed to teach you. Before paying a deposit, compare these:

• The lead trainers’ experience, the syllabus and the styles you will be prepared to teach

• Supervised practice teaching, complete-class practicums, individual feedback and class-design workshops

• Anatomy, contraindications, modifications, accessibility, consent, ethics and professional scope

• Class size, mentoring, graduate outcomes and the support available after graduation

• The full cost, schedule, refund terms, accommodation, travel, books, insurance and registration fees

There's an enormous difference between understanding something intellectually and being able to teach it. The only way through that is practice. That is why it is important to have significant space in a training, for repeated opportunities to cue, demonstrate, observe, adapt and receive feedback throughout the course.

How long training takes and what it costs

A full-time 200-hour intensive commonly takes about three to five weeks. Weekend, part-time and hybrid programs may run for several months or up to a year. Yoga Alliance currently describes typical training tuition as roughly US$1,500 to $5,000 or more, depending on location, length and format. 

What you learn and what RYT 200 means

Current Registered Yoga School standards organize 200 hours around techniques and practice, anatomy and physiology, yoga humanities and professional essentials. Strong courses turn these subjects into usable skills: clear cueing, intelligent sequencing, inclusive modifications, safe class management, ethical boundaries and teaching practice.

The school awards your YTT certificate. RYS refers to a Registered Yoga School. RYT refers to the individual Registered Yoga Teacher credential. Graduates of an active RYS 200 can apply separately for RYT 200; registration is voluntary, and employer expectations vary. Government licences, local business rules, insurance, first aid, safeguarding and work visas remain separate matters. Yoga Alliance has announced credential changes for 2027, so check the live requirements before applying.

Your first classes and first year

Eddie’s first unpaid class placed him in front of about 80 people. Later, three months of teaching two classes a day, six days a week, gave him the repetition that constant travel had not. The important part is the repetition.

As our Founder Eddie says, “Confidence usually doesn't arrive before experience. Experience creates the confidence.” A realistic first year may remain part-time while you build skill, relationships and dependable demand.

1. Build one safe 60- or 75-minute class. Teach it to friends, a community group or fellow trainees several times, then improve it from specific feedback.

2. Join studio substitute lists and prepare a clear audition. Record a short practice class that shows clear cueing, modifications and interaction with students.

3. Move into paid classes, private sessions or a small specialty when your teaching is steady. Arrange the insurance, first aid and business setup required where you work.

4. Teaching your class shouldn't replace your personal practice. Continue studying with teachers who expand your understanding. Your class is where you serve your students.

Can you travel the world teaching yoga?

Absolutely!!! Eddie did it for years, often volunteering in exchange for food and accommodation while earning very little. Travel can expose you to different teachers, communities and retreat models. Paid international work also requires the right visa or work permission, appropriate insurance and compliance with local law. A 200-hour certificate alone does not grant the right to work in another country.

How yoga teachers start hosting retreats

Once you're a confident teacher and have developed a following, workshops and retreats can be a natural next step. Assist at a retreat first, or pilot a half-day event and then a local weekend with students who already trust you. Build a complete budget for the venue, food, accommodation, staff, transport, commissions, marketing, insurance, taxes and cancellations before setting the price.

First: become a good teacher. Learn how to take care of a group. Continue your education. Then: start small.

Can yoga teaching become a full-time career?

Yes, though group classes alone can leave income tied to the number of hours your body can teach. This is why many yoga teachers gradually develop several income streams. A sustainable mix may include studio classes, private or corporate clients, workshops, online programs, retreats and, after substantial experience, teacher training.

Can a yoga teacher make six figures?

Yes, it can. A yoga business can reach six figures after a teacher builds repeat demand across several offers. Six figures is an ambitious business outcome and rarely a starting salary. Ten weekly classes at $100 each produce $52,000 in gross annual revenue across 52 weeks, before cancellations, preparation time, travel, taxes and expenses. Higher revenue usually comes from scalable or higher-value work such as private packages, corporate programs, workshops, retreats and online education.

Teacher training can become a later-stage path. It requires curriculum, experienced faculty, venues, accommodation, schedules, manuals, marketing, administration, student care and quality control. Eddie’s background in university teaching and curriculum development helped Ulu Yoga make repeated practice teaching central to its courses. The same lesson applies at every stage: growth should remain connected to teaching quality and student wellbeing.

A successful yoga career

For one person, success may mean three beloved classes a week beside another career. Another may teach full time, work at resorts, guide private clients, run online programs or host retreats. There isn't one correct yoga career. Your work should support your health and practice as well as your students.

Begin with one honest action. Practise regularly for the next month. Shortlist three trainings and ask each school how often you will teach, who gives feedback, how access needs are supported and what graduates can confidently lead. When you graduate, schedule your first practice class within a week.

Keep teaching. Learn from other teachers, keep your own practice alive and refine the next class, and then teach the next class.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to reach out to us at info@uluyoga.com ! We are here to help you. Namaste.