eacher training is fun and games until you need to find a highly-rated institution offering all there is and more to ensure you become the best yoga teacher. That is why we are comparing the most famous online teacher training schools, My Vinyasa Practice and YogaRenew. These two offer online teacher training to cut the hassle of traveling on-site to get your training.
My Vinyasa Practice and YogaRenew are exceptional institutions offering the best in online teacher training. In this article, we’ll explain what each institution offers and let you decide which one to go with. But if you’re looking to have on-site yoga teacher training, we would recommend My Vinyasa Practice since YogaRenew offers online courses alone.
Are all yoga certifications the same?
Not all yoga certifications are the same. The first way to differentiate yoga certifications is by the certifying board. Even though most schools offer yoga certifications, you’ll also find that the teachers didn’t get certified by the same institutions. The one common institution that makes a yoga certification valid is Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance is a non-profit organization that watches over yoga practice and ensures you get the best teachers who are ethical and know what they’re doing.
The second difference when it comes to yoga certifications is the training hours. When looking to get certified with the Yoga Alliance, there are various points that a teacher needs to keep in mind. For example, if you wanted to become a registered yoga teacher, you could start with getting your RYT 200. Since this is the lowest yoga training hours, it simply means that you’ll have 200 hours of training. After you’ve completed and earned this certification, you will have to practice teaching yoga for a certain length of time (measured in hours) before you can go back and train for the next level certifications, which could either be RYT 300 or RYT 500 depending on how much practice you’ve had teaching and your private practice.
Moving from RYT 200 to RYT 300 means you will explore more complex techniques and mastery. The further you go up the teacher training certifications, the more hours you’ve had teaching and practicing yoga. For example, an E-RYT-200 teacher has over 1000 hours of teaching experience and has the recognition of Yoga Alliance.
What does Yoga Alliance certified mean?
Yoga Alliance aims to “promote and support the integrity and diversity of the teaching of yoga.” The primary purpose of the institution is to ensure that yoga teachers and schools are accountable for what they are putting out to the world. So when you’re Yoga Alliance certified, it means that you’ve passed the training and teaching experience required by Yoga Alliance. So, as a RYT, you have teaching skills and an in-depth understanding of the history of yoga, meditation, and postures.
Which online yoga certification is best?
We all experience things at different levels, and it can be hard to tell which is the best yoga certification. Only you can decide that. But we will let My Vinyasa Practice take the top slot because it offers a more affordable tuition fee, has one-on-one mentorship, and has in-depth and well-organized content. We will, however, give a rundown of benefits for both so you can judge for yourself.
My Vinyasa Practice offers RYT 200, 300, and 500. Their pre-recorded lessons are divided weekly so you can self-pace yourself and take as fast or as little as you need to complete the training. Even though they’re offering online training, you can see that they’re trying to maintain the integrity of their teachings so it can be similar to in-person training. You will get in-depth training and personalized experience that you would expect in any teacher training.
On the other hand, YogaRenew is on a mission to inspire and educate all yogis on earth. They also offer 200, 300, and 500-hour training. Their online programs are meant to educate anyone from anywhere on the globe. This allows everyone to follow their yoga passions and dreams. All their training is Yoga Alliance certified.
My Vinyasa Practice Vs. YogaRenew
To compare these two great institutions, we will have to take a look at some elements of their training like course content, community, and cost. By looking at these aspects of the institutions, it gets easier for you to understand better what they’re offering, and you can make a wise choice.
My Vinyasa Practice
My Vinyasa Practice has an online and in-person teacher training program. Even the online teacher training still maintains the depth training and personalized experience. Upon completing their courses, you will be eligible to teach yoga to individual clients or groups. This yoga certification mirrors the in-person YTT, thus making you feel like you’re missing out.
Course content
Let’s take, for example, the 200-hour syllabus it covers the history of yoga, the yoga sutras, meditation, yoga anatomy, and physiology, among others. This starter course will allow you to learn everything you need to know to start teaching yoga.
After you’ve paid for your course, you will get access to all the study material you need in their online library. You’ll also get audios, videos, and other digital and online study materials you need. You should also expect live zoom classes that will help your instructor get a peek at your progress. If you want to study Vinyasa yoga, this is the right institution to pick. You can also specialize in Eating Recovery and Cardiac Rehabilitation via the 500, 300, and 200-hour yoga teacher training courses.
My Vinyasa Practice has amazing videos that you can see with high-quality audio. This means you’ll see and hear, making it easier to understand your course content. The most significant benefit you get with My Vinyasa Practice is that you’ll have lifetime access to the course upon purchase, meaning that you can come back and recheck content in the future.
Community
My Vinyasa Practice goes the extra mile to support its students. Upon signing up for the course, you will get a one-on-one mentor that allows you to check-in and ask questions whenever you need their help. If you want an in-person mentor, My Vinyasa Practice will assign you one if they have one close to where you reside. So, you don’t have to feel alone on this journey. They also have a “Peer Support Representative,” who’s a person from My Vinyasa Practice, to help answer any questions you have along the way. My Vinyasa Practice also has a student-only Facebook group you’ll join once you register for your course. This group is where you’ll find alumni, ask more casual questions and learn more.
Cost
My Vinyasa Practice offers a very fair price considering the course material you get in their online course. For example, to take their 200-hour, you’ll pay $425 which is quite competitive as it’s cheaper than their competitors. After paying this price, there are no extra hidden costs. You will have all the study material you’ll need during your learning period. My Vinyasa Practice also offers a four-month payment program where you pay $233.75 per month. If you want to take their course, you can keep an eye out for discounts and promotions since they offer those once in a while.
Is my vinyasa practice Yoga Alliance approved?
Yes, My Vinyasa Practice has been registered with Yoga Alliance since 2016. All their teachers have certifications from Yoga Alliance which means that you’ll have a proper accreditation on completion of your course. This certification, approved by Yoga Alliance, will allow you to teach yoga almost anywhere in the world. You can check out their Yoga Alliance profile.
Yoga Renew
The most famous course offered by YogaRenew is the 200-hour one. YogaRenew will help you establish a strong yoga foundation as a teacher. Their yoga course will help deepen your yoga knowledge, whether you’re a beginner or not. Upon completion, you can take your certification and start teaching yoga.
Course content
Their teaching curriculum includes philosophy, meditation, asana, techniques, sequencing and structure, pranayama, anatomy, history, business and marketing, mudras, chakras, styles of yoga, and a unique module they have called “Beyond The Mat.” This module covers ethics, confidence, and other necessary factors that go into yoga teaching.
Sometimes it can be annoying learning through low-quality videos, and YogaRenew ensures you have high-quality videos and audio. You won’t get bored when learning due to their video and audio quality. Regarding course materials, YogaRenew doesn’t include course material in their tuition fee, and you’ll need to pay for two additional books you’ll need to study. These books are
- Teaching Yoga: Techniques & Foundation book by Mark Stephens
- The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga by Amy Ippoliti & Taro Smith
You will find these books in online retailers like Amazon. So, if you’re planning on taking the course, you’ll need to purchase these books separately
Community
YogaRenew has 24/7 support online and a team of curriculum directors and mentors. So, if you ever have a problem, you will need to get on their support line so you can get the help you need. They also have a private Facebook group that contains students and graduates worldwide. In this group, you’ll get the support you need and ask some of the questions you need help with that could be within the curriculum or about yoga as a business.
Cost
YogaRenew costs $437, and if you’d like to pay as you go, they have a 6-month payment plan of $80 per month. Despite paying tuition fees, you’ll need to keep in mind the different books you need to purchase to study for the course efficiently.
Is YogaRenew Yoga Alliance Approved?
Yoga Alliance approves YogaRenew, so you won’t have to worry about your certification’s validity. Their 200-hour and 500-hour online certifications are approved. This means that if you take these courses, you’ll be able to apply for a Yoga Alliance certification and get it. This certification helps you practice in most places around the globe.
Final thoughts
The search for the perfect yoga school to study is now over. Above, we’ve helped you compare two prominent yoga schools that offer online teacher training and give our thoughts on the best one. Here, you will most definitely find the best teacher training for you, depending on your needs.
Check out these articles for detailed review on My Vinyasa Practice and YogaRenew.