Common mistakes students make during yoga teacher training

Mistakes are a part of learning, yoga teacher training but when you are aware of them, you can successfully avoid them! This eases your learning and makes it smoother. Similarly, when yoga teacher aspirants join a yoga teacher training course, it is often their first yoga experience.

So, making mistakes is very common among the students of YTTC! Learning yoga can be challenging because it transforms you physically, mentally, and emotionally! While students are adapting the yoga disciplines and traditions, they often make similar mistakes, which can be avoided if you are already aware of them! Most of the time, students in a yoga teacher training course try to rush the process, which is a blunder. Also, sometimes it is seen that students start comparing themselves with their co-learners, ignoring their own natural capacity and potential! There are 

1. Trying advanced poses at the beginning

The first very common mistake made by almost every student in a yoga teacher training program is to try performing advanced poses in the beginning; this can lead to disappointment, demotivation, and also injuries! One should understand that YTTC is a journey that should be led step by step. There is a purpose for why it is divided into levels! Every level of student should perform their level of yoga as guided by their yoga teacher. Every step of YTTC is carefully curated to help your body open and adapt to yoga slowly. Rushing right to the advanced level just because your friend can do ot is not the right thing! 

2. Comparison with co-learners

Every student in a YTT program is unique and possesses a unique ability to understand and learn yoga. The problem starts when students start comparing themselves. Remember that every student has a different level of flexibility, strength, and learning capacity! So, even if you are taking some extra time to master a pose or learn something than your co-learner, then it’s not wrong! It is a very natural learning process that you should embrace! Learning slowly never means that you are incapable; it means that you do not want to rush but learn everything properly and with patience! 

3. Not clearing doubts

Having doubts when you learn something does not mean that you are not able to understand the course well! Most of the time, students hesitate to question or clear their doubts, thinking that it will reflect a lack of understanding. Your questions show your seriousness in learning everything about yoga well! It shows the sense of carefulness towards your goal of becoming a responsible yoga guru! Not clearing doubts can make your further learning difficult! 

4. Ignoring your limits

Accepting that yoga is physically challenging and demanding is not a sign of weakness. Yoga transforms your physical strength, flexibility, and power. Therefore, it can slow the process sometimes. But that is totally okay and normal. But always remember that breaking your comfort zone never means trying everything in one day, leading to physical ailments and health issues. Always respect your physical limits and transform slowly. If you have any problems, talk to your yoga guru! 

5. Lack of consistency 

In every practice, especially a yoga teacher training course, consistency is really important. Most of the students often skip classes or practical sessions, thinking that one day won’t matter in their long yogic journey. But this is the biggest mistake that is often made by beginners! Missing even one session of yoga can make you miss the important concepts and basics of yoga, making it difficult to understand the further concepts! So always try to be consistent because every lesson is important for your YTTC journey and profession!

6. Memorizing before understanding

Each yoga concept during a yoga teacher training course is important. Many students focus on memorizing the terms and other concepts without really understanding their methodology and technicality! It is vital to understand that the aim of a yoga teacher training program is not to make you learn the concepts by heart, but to make you adapt them in your practical life. All knowledge is enhanced and becomes valuable only when you understand it instead of just memorizing it. 

7. Ignoring self-practicing

Each yoga session during a yoga teacher training class will help you explore and learn new yogic concepts, asanas, and other important aspects of becoming a yoga teacher. But self-practice is also important. When you attend a yoga teacher training program but do not practice the lessons taught during the program by yourself, you won’t be able to master yoga teaching! Consistent practice will make you much more confident and strengthen your yogic understanding and practice!

8. Expecting a lot

Every aspiring yoga teacher has a lot of expectations from a yoga teacher training program, which is good and acceptable. But having unrealistic expectations is another mistake that most of the students made during the course. One must understand that yoga is a diverse and vast practice. Therefore, learning never happens overnight.

Even after completing a yoga teacher training course, it takes several hours of practice and indulgence to master the different forms and concepts of yoga! A YTTC introduces and teaches you the yoga disciplines, but you become an expert with experience! So if you are joining a YTTC thinking that on the last day you will magically become perfect in every aspect of yoga, that’s a bit unrealistic!!

Conclusion

These are some of the common mistakes that yoga teacher training students often make! The best approach to benefit from a yoga teacher training course at the best is to be consistent in your practice. Try listening to and understanding every aspect of yoga carefully. If you have any doubts, make sure that you clear them with your yoga teacher and do not hesitate.

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Always remember that you have a unique capacity and your body’s limit!! Therefore, make sure that you do not give yourself any unwanted pain or pressure. Participate in every theoretical and practical session of your yogic journey. And do not limit yourself just to the course. Try to explore nature, reconnect with yourself, and focus on your self-evolution!