A yoga teacher training is an exciting journey that will help you grow and deepen your yoga practice, all while learning more about yourself.

If you’ve been dreaming about doing a yoga teacher training, here are a few tips to know before you go.

1. Magnesium is your friend

I ate so many bananas during the three weeks of the training. Every break, all of us students would run upstairs to the kitchen and chow down on some bananas, pineapples, and other fresh fruits. Since the days were long and filled with lots of downward dogs and plank poses, it’s understandable that my stomach was constantly rumbling.

A typical day started and ended with around two hours of practice. In between, we would have long theory sessions and asana workshops where we actively practiced specific poses and hands-on assists. Being active for over 10 hours a day, magnesium-rich snacks became my best friend. They were easy to eat quickly during the short breaks, and they’re supposed to help with flexibility, loosening tight muscles, and keeping muscle pain at bay. All good things for a yoga teacher training!

2. Expect to learn, a lot

Saying I learned a lot during the training is an understatement. I learned how to correct certain poses I thought I was doing correctly, pay attention to small details, like my hand position in downward dog, and also do poses I hadn’t been able to before (hello, crow pose, here’s looking at you). There were also workshops on the chakras, Ayurveda, and the foundations of yoga history and philosophy.

However, much of the learning that takes place at a yoga teacher training goes beyond the asanas. Living in community with a group of other students for three weeks is a chance to learn and share, especially when going through such an intense experience together.

As someone who is more on the shy side and doesn’t open up in groups easily, I was a bit nervous about living so closely with strangers. That said, I formed connections during the training and still think about some of the conversations we had. Through sharing their experiences, the other students taught me about resilience through grief, strength, flexibility, and kindness. A volunteer on the training said that we are all mirrors for each other, and she was definitely right. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and who you are as a person, all while taking your practice to a deeper level.

3. You will probably get tired of doing sun salutations

I do not speak for all yoga teacher trainees, but I can say that by the end of the training, I never wanted to do another sun salutation again. We probably flowed through Surya Namaskar, the set sequence of 12 asanas linked together, hundreds of times. Maybe thousands. I lost count. We memorized the names for each asana in the sequence, common mistakes people make in each one, and how to move through them as a synchronized group. While I was annoyed at the time, I can say the repetition worked. I still hear one of the teachers saying “No chicken wings!” when I move into cobra pose. My elbows will never dare pop out to the side again.

4. There will be challenging days

Doing a yoga teacher training is not all sunshine, rainbows, and dancing under the full moon. It’s hard, both physically and mentally. While my muscles were sore, the thing I struggled with the most was self-confidence and wondering if I really belonged at the training. Why did I think I was good enough to teach yoga?

The night before our first micro-lesson, in which we taught a 30-minute class to fellow students, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed, turned, and even tried to sleep outside on the couch with no luck. I kept thinking about what could go wrong during the lesson and how it would feel to stand in front of a group teaching yoga for the first time. I was scared!

However, getting up in front of the group and giving the lesson in the morning was surprisingly fun. The best part was probably seeing people relaxing into savasana at the end of the class, knowing my nerves hadn’t made their end relaxation any less enjoyable. So, while there are challenges you’ll face during the training that won’t be easy, you can and will make it through them.

5. You don’t need to know how to do a headstand, the splits, or other advanced asanas

While there were a few students who could pop into beautiful headstands at the training, they were not in the majority. You certainly don’t need to show up to a 200-hour yoga teacher training knowing how to go upside down.

With that said, a training is a great place to work on your practice and dive deeper into certain aspects. If you’ve been wanting to learn headstands, handstands, and other advanced poses, you should be able to find the time for it. During my course, a few students were motivated to get into headstand for the first time, so they started a mini workshop before breakfast each day.

6. It’s a good idea to practice getting up early (without coffee)

Traditionally, yoga is meant to be practiced first thing in the morning. Therefore, traditional yoga schools like the one I attended emphasize an early start to the day. The lights came on at 6 a.m. sharp and we were expected to be in the shala soon after for morning meditation. If you’re an early bird, this shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you (like me) are not used to waking up early, adjusting to the new schedule can be a bit challenging. It may be a good idea to get an earlier start the week before your training, just to avoid being in zombie mode the first couple of days.

In addition, coffee was not allowed at the school. My roommate had a difficult time with this rule the first couple of days, and decided it would have been a good idea to stop drinking coffee before the training to give her body less of a shock. Some students started drinking chicory as a coffee substitute, but alas, it just wasn’t the same!

7. Have fun!

The best piece of advice for a yoga teacher training? Have fun!

Whether or not you end up teaching afterward, it’s sure to be an experience that will enrich your life and yoga practice for years to come.