One of the most common questions we hear from future students is: “What can I actually do with my certification once I finish?”
It’s a fair question — a 200 hour yoga teacher training is a real investment of time, energy and heart. So let’s answer it properly.
When you complete a Yoga Alliance accredited course, you become eligible to register as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT® 200) — a qualification recognised all over the world. It opens a world of possibilities for teaching yoga anywhere, or simply allows you a more in-depth look at a yoga lifestyle. At Shades of Yoga, we transform passion into profession, and here are the paths our graduates take.
1. Teach at Yoga Studios
The classic path — and still one of the best. Studios and gyms everywhere need well-trained, safety-conscious teachers, and the internationally recognised RYT 200 is exactly what they look for.
Most new teachers start by covering classes or teaching community sessions. From there, regular weekly classes follow. And because your qualification travels with you, so can your teaching — our graduates have taught their way across Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
Quick tip: say yes to cover classes early. Every class builds your confidence, and studio owners never forget a reliable teacher.
2. Teach Online Classes
The yoga world has gone digital — and that’s great news for you. Teaching online means you can:
- Reach students anywhere in the world, no limits
- Teach live over video, or build a library of on-demand classes
- Start with almost nothing — a mat, good light, and a stable connection
- Grow a personal brand and community around your unique style
Many teachers blend online and in-person work, creating income that travels wherever life leads them.
3. Lead and Assist on Retreats
Picture it: teaching morning yoga above the rice fields of Ubud, or in a tranquil hideaway halfway across the world. Retreats combine yoga, travel and community — three of the best things in life.
Most graduates start by assisting experienced teachers, then move on to co-hosting and eventually running their own. And retreats are one of the most rewarding ways to teach: with the same students for a full week, you don’t just lead classes — you guide a real transformation that restores, inspires, and nourishes the mind, body and soul.
4. Bring Yoga into Corporate Wellness
Companies have finally woken up to the cost of stress and burnout — and they’re investing in solutions. Corporate yoga can look like:
- Weekly lunchtime or after-work classes at the office
- Guided meditation and breathwork for teams
- Workshops on stress management and mindful movement
- Sessions at company retreats and events
Corporate work pays above studio rates, runs in daytime hours, and reaches people who might never walk into a yoga studio. Practical and deeply meaningful — the best of both.
5. Work with Private Clients
One-on-one teaching is where your training goes deepest. Private clients come to yoga for personal reasons — recovering from injury, managing stress, or simply wanting real individual attention — and they invest in teachers who can build a practice around their needs.
Private teaching offers the highest rates in the industry and the deepest teacher-student relationships. The strong focus on technique, alignment and safety from your training is exactly what makes it possible.
And If You Don’t Want to Teach at All?
Here’s a truth worth repeating: not everyone takes a 200 hour YTT to teach — and that’s perfectly okay. This training is a life-changing experience, open to anyone ready to transform from the inside out. Many of our students train purely for themselves — to go deeper, live a true yoga lifestyle, and grow. They leave with tools for an empowered, balanced and healthy life, plus friendships that span the globe.
And many who “never planned to teach”? Somewhere along the way, they fall in love with it.
Where Will Your 200 Hours Take You?
Whichever path calls you, it starts in the same place: a foundational training built on experience, safety, and genuine care.
Since 2010, Shades of Yoga has guided students from all corners of the globe through our Yoga Alliance accredited RYT 200 Yoga Teacher Training — in the heart of Ubud, Bali and other exceptional destinations. No more than 12 students per course. Personal attention. And by the end: the skills, knowledge and confidence to lead safe and inspiring yoga classes anywhere in the world.
Book your place on our next 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training →
Take that next step. Get qualified. Your teaching journey starts with us.
