In our modern Western society, yoga has gained popularity mostly because of the physical practice—the asanas (or poses)– but there are actually many layers to the yoga practice and understanding those layers is a key differentiator between yoga and other forms of movement and exercise. 

Yoga is an ancient practice—we’re talking thousands of years old—and it’s so important to learn about the roots of yoga so that you can develop a respect for its traditions.

That’s what we’ll cover in this module.

Highlights: 

>> Identify the origins of yoga philosophy. You’ll learn where yoga began, how it evolved, and how it eventually traveled to the West and grew in popularity throughout the world. You’ll get to know the teachers that influenced yoga as we know it today. 

>> Understand the ancient texts and how they create the foundation of the yoga practice. You’ll learn about The Vedas, The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, and The Yoga Sutras and how each ancient text explores a different aspect of yoga. 

>> Uncover the 8 Limbed Path of Yoga and dive deeper into the Yamas and Niyamas which are the guiding principles for living a yogic lifestyle. We’ll break this down in a way that makes it feel totally possible to start integrating this practice further into your daily life so you can pply these ancient foundations to your modern lifestyle.

The physical practice of yoga is not only an incredible way to increase flexibility and strength in the body, but  it can also offer longevity in our ability to move.

Our philosophy is “practice yoga today so that you can practice yoga tomorrow”. But, in order to do that we need to make sure that we’re practice and teaching in a way that encourages safety, which means we need an understanding of how the body works. 

This module will teach you about Anatomy through the lens of the yoga practice.

Highlights:

>> Develop the language to use when describing anatomical positioning and physiology. Learn science-backed information key to understanding how the body can be kept safe throughout the yoga practice. 

>> Explore the functions, structure, and practical application of the skeletal + connective tissues through studying the relationship between tension + compression and its ability to affect the ligaments, tendons, and fascia of the body. 

>> Examine the purpose of the muscular and nervous systems and how they are immediately affected by the asana practice. Uncover the difference between “fight or flight” and “rest and digest” and how different yoga practices influence these systems.

>> Dive into the workings of the joints, specifically the spine, hips, shoulders, and knees to develop practical understanding of how each part of the body moves in relationship to the other. 

>> Discover the anatomy behind the breath and gain insight into the synonymous relationship between the physical body and breath. 

At its core, yoga maintains the foundational principles and philosophy established in its ancient roots. But, there are many different systems and styles that approach the practice in their own unique way. 

People fall in love with yoga for many different reasons. Some students love the physical nature of the asana practice while others feel more connected to the spiritual aspects of yoga. 

As a teacher, you’re never expected to be a master of all or even multiple styles. But, it’s so important that we are aware of the differences so we can pass the knowledge along to our students. This module will teach you all about the different styles. 

Highlights

>> Differentiate between different styles of yoga and the various ways each system approaches the yoga practice.

>> Learn the benefits of each yoga system to gain a better understanding of why students may be drawn to studying each system.

>> Examine an overview of each different style of yoga including: Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Hot Yoga

This is where we start to move away from the general overview of all-things yoga and get much more into the details of the yoga poses.

This training is specific, it’s smart, and it’s designed to equip you with the skills you need to lead an awesome yoga class every single time you teach—and that all starts with helping you gain a clear understanding of the foundational yoga poses needed for creating a yoga class. 

In this module, look super closely at the alignment for each yoga pose and understand where you can make adjustments in your own practice. Ever felt like inversions were totally out of reach? Or arm balances were a no-go? These will help you figure out why and give you the knowledge to start advancing and moving your practice forward.

Then, you’ll be able to take that knowledge from your personal practice and learn how to share it with others. 

Highlights

>> Review in-depth videos for over 50 different poses that are the key poses you’ll use to start putting your yoga classes together. 

>> Discover our specific approach to alignment and why practicing and teaching this way will help set you up for success as both a student of yoga and as a teacher. 

>> Learn creative cues + transitions for teaching each poses so you not only build an understanding of the poses individually, but also of how they work together to create a complete class. 

>> Review the modifications + variations available for reach pose so you can offer choices for students with injuries or other limitations and ensure your classes are safe, accessible, and inclusive. 

>> Practice setting up the poses with different props to see how they can deepen and change the experience in each pose. 

There are two key ingredients behind every great yoga class. The first is a great yoga class sequence and the second is making each class feel like a complete experience.

While learning the alignment of each yoga pose is important, it’s only half of the puzzle—and we want to make sure you have everything you need to complete it.

This is where the magic happens in a yoga class. Through creative sequencing and welcoming environment, you’ll learn to how to keep students coming back to your class again and again.

HIGHLIGHTS

>> Break down the key categories of a yoga class and learn the basic template for creating a safe, inspiring, and fun yoga class every time you teach. 

>> Establish a process for creating yoga classes that will help you to feel confident about teaching. 

>> Dive into which cues are most effective for teaching classes that students love and which cues can be confusing for students

>> Learn how to use cueing to help students navigate creative transitions which will allow them to have a deeper connection to their practice in real time

>> Be inspired to create class themes that match your individual teaching style to help you teach with authenticity

>> Understand the key steps for creating a warm, open, and welcoming environment for your classes so your students feel supported and eager to practice with you. 

>> Utilize our BONUS 50-Sequence Ebook with done-for-you sequences that you can use when you start teaching

Pranayama is actually considered to be a more advanced practice than asana and it’s a hugely important component to understanding the yoga practice as a whole.

Breathing practices are extremely powerful, but also need to be treated with care and precision so that they’re practiced safely and in a way that benefits your students.

It can be confusing to understand which pranayama practices to start teaching, and this module will help you figure that out. 

HIGHLIGHTS

>> Explore the ancient history of pranayama and learn the roots of this practice and why working with the breath has been proven to be a way to connect the body and the mind. 

>> Experience the benefits of pranayama and examine how they affect the systems of the physical body. 

>> Explore basic breath awareness and review the anatomy of breath. 

>> Practice 3 main types of pranayama and learn how to use them in your own practice and how and when to teach them to students. 

Even though meditation is thousands of years old, in recent years it seems to be growing in popularity… especially within the yoga community. 

The relationship between yoga + meditation is an interesting one, because meditation can be a stand- alone practice in certain styles, but it is also part of the greater yoga practice along the 8-limb path.

We believe that having a basic understanding of meditation will help you to give your students an even deep experience in your yoga classes and that’s what we focus on in this module. 

HIGHLIGHTS

>> Find out how meditation benefits our overall health and affects both the physical body and the mind

>> Explore the basics on how to guide students in a meditation practice as a way to deepen the offerings in your yoga classes

>> Move through the hands-on experience of practicing different guided meditations and consider incorporating them into your own personal practice.

Exploring the energetic body is a fascinating element of the yoga practice and is a leading differentiator between yoga and other forms of movement and exercise. 

Whether you are all-in on believing in these subtle body topics or you’re still not sure you believe in them, that’s totally ok. The important thing is that as a yoga teacher you have a basic understanding of these topics so that you’re able to answer questions about them if students ask. 

Plus, they’re really fun to learn about!

HIGHLIGHTS

>> Dive into Chakra Yoga Therapy by learning what the chakras are, where they’re located, and how they relate to the body functions. 

>> Pair yoga poses to each chakra to help link the asana practice with the energetic system of the body

>> Delve into the Koshas to gain insight into how working to bring awareness and balance to the Koshas can have healing effects of the mind, body, and soul. 

>> Break down the Vayus so you develop a clear picture of how energy flows within and around the body as related to the yoga practice

>> Study the Nadis and examine how this concept is not only grounded in the yoga practice but is related to other Eastern philosophies as well

Being a yoga teacher is really fun, but if you plan to make a living sharing the practice, there is a business side of it as well. 

Our training not only gives you all of the skills you need to teach great yoga classes, but in this module you’ll also learn the steps needed for building a business as a yoga teacher. 

Most people who invest the time and energy in doing a yoga teacher training are motivated by a passion for service and a love for yoga. And, we have a feeling that’s what brought you here too. But, we want to make sure you also learn how to get hired to teach and market your classes to students. 

HIGHLIGHTS

>> Learn they key channels for generating revenue as a yoga teacher

>> Gain insight into using social media +marketing yourself and your classes so that students actually show up for class

>> Move step-by-step through the process of creating a yoga teacher resume so you have yours fully complete by the time you’re done with the training

>> Review the legal steps you’ll want to take to make sure you’re protected as a teacher. Plus, use our sample liability waiver as a template to create your own

>> Make use of our sample client intake forms, health history forms, and feedback forms so that you ensure you have all of the information you need from your students

>> Lay the groundwork for your yoga business plan including how to keep service and charity has a backbone of your business

Our goal with this training is to support you far beyond what is “required” of a 200HR teaching program. That’s why the course is filled with additional resources and lessons that will help to compliment all of the core lessons you’ll learn inside of the course. 

Here are some of the other exciting things you’ll find inside… 

>> Moving Beyond the Mat- these lessons will help you master the mindset of a yoga teacher and help you gain confidence in weaving your practice into all areas of your life. 

>> Healing Power of Mudras- these lessons will teach you eight common mudras that can enhance pranayama and asana practices

>> Learning Sanskrit- Sanskrit is the language of the original yogic texts and is an important part of honoring the practice. These lessons will teach you how to use Sanskrit in your classes and include examples of proper pronunciation for you to follow.

>> Supporting Videos- We’ve included over 50 additional video lessons on various yoga topics to help you dive deeper into any subject that really interests you. These videos are taught by a variety of instructors who are experts in different subjects. (ps—all of these are totally optional!