No, you don’t need to practice yoga for 90 minutes every single day to become a yoga teacher. But you do need a consistent personal practice — it just probably doesn’t look like what you’re imagining. A sustainable practice is one that fits your actual life, not a fantasy version of it.

What a Sustainable Practice Actually Looks Like

Here’s what might surprise you: a strong personal practice doesn’t require hours on the mat. It might look like:

20 minutes of movement + 10 minutes of meditation in the morning
A few sun salutations before your coffee
Breathwork during your commute
A restorative pose or two before bed
A longer practice on weekends when you have more time

Some days, your practice is three conscious breaths while waiting for the microwave. That counts. Seriously.

Consistency Over Duration

The teachers I’ve trained who have the strongest personal practices aren’t the ones who do two-hour sessions. They’re the ones who show up for something every day — even when it’s small. Five minutes of intentional practice every day builds more than an hour once a week.

Think of it like brushing your teeth. You wouldn’t skip it all week and then do 45 minutes on Sunday to make up for it. Daily practice works the same way — it’s a habit, not an event.

Your Practice Will Evolve (and That’s the Point)

My own practice has changed dramatically over the years. Through motherhood, through building a business, through seasons of high energy and seasons of rest. I wrote about this in my book Yoga Life — how the practice adapts to meet you where you are, not the other way around.

The 25-year-old version of your practice will look different from the 40-year-old version. The summer version will look different from the winter version. That’s not inconsistency — that’s wisdom.

What Your YTT Will Teach You

A good yoga teacher training doesn’t just teach you how to lead a class — it helps you build a personal practice that’s sustainable for your life. You’ll learn how to create short sequences, how to use breathwork and meditation independently, and how to adapt your practice to your energy, schedule, and body.

By the end of training, most students find that their practice has naturally deepened — not because they forced themselves onto the mat for hours, but because they fell in love with the process.

The Real Question

Instead of “do I need to practice every day?” — try asking “what kind of practice supports the teacher I want to become?” The answer will be uniquely yours. And it will keep changing throughout your career. That’s the beauty of it. 🌿

Explore our yoga teacher training to see how we help you build a practice that lasts.