200hr Yoga Teacher Training
Whether you have ever imagined of being a teacher, or you are simply drawn to the idea of diving deeper into a practice that you love, a yoga teacher training can open up doors for you in ways that you may have never expected.
This is a deeply comprehensive training program into the foundations of yoga; history, philosophy, anatomy, alignment, biomechanics and more. But most importantly, this is a journey into alignment with your Self, your truth, your path.
Yoga is more than what we do on the mat, Yoga is a lens through which we navigate our lives. With that in mind, you may decide to teach or not after the program. We know it will be a transformative experience either way. However, this is a professional level program in terms of the depth and quality of content. This is important to clarify in an industry that has been inundated with 200hr trainings that range from professional level to costly personal empowerment programs. Whether you decide to teach formally or not, you will graduate with the level of training and expertise to do so.
Details
Traditionally Yoga was taught 1:1. We honor that dynamic by keeping training groups small to offer each student individualized support and attention.
There are two paths for completing this training program:
Group Study Path: Each trainees attends the in-person weekends to graduate each module. Each module has 10-15 hours of required precoursework (readings, recorded content, etc). Weekend sessions can be attended in-person on Martha’s Vineyard (some housing available) or virtually, and trainees demonstrate comprehension of the content, ask questions, give and get feedback from one another. Completion of the modules is not based on purely attendance, but on demonstrated comprehension of content. All modules need to be completed within 5 years. See 2023-2024 dates below.
Individual Path: Each module has 10-15 hours of required precoursework (readings, recorded content, etc). Trainees work through this content at a self-directed pace. Trainees submit coursework directly to lead instructors to graduate each module, via email and recorded teaching sessions for feedback, asking of questions, clarifications, etc. All modules need to be completed within 5 years. This path is best for self-motivated learners, and trainees can begin at any time of the year.
Training programs can often inspire, and then leave folks unsure of how to transition into the “real world.” While you may never feel ready, the readiness only fades once a training ends. With this in mind, all trainees that want to teach are strongly encouraged to teach for YOTV while training. This is not an internship or community class offering, all trainees are fully paid. Putting the training into practice supports a richer understanding through the rest of the program, so the content isn’t just theoretical. It offers you the chance to recoup on your investment, and the occasion to build your confidence - and resume - for working professionally, if that’s the path you seek.
Modules
Anatomy & Biomechanics
Learn the foundations of anatomy and physiology. Anatomy and physiology is a vast subject, and can be overwhelming to learn on it’s own, even without the practical application to moving bodies safely. In this course we hone in on the aspects most relevant to yoga practice so the content is manageable and engaging despite it's breadth.
We apply each aspect of what is learned to poses, movement patterns, and common teaching scenarios to better inform your ability to safely and confidently guide any body through an effective yoga practice. You will learn all about key tissues: bones, muscles, joints, fascia. You will learn the essential muscles utilized in asana practice: their function and role, how to engage and release, and how to adapt poses around injury or concern.
You will learn the principles of biomechanics and functional movement training so that you are not just instructing your students to move safely on the mat, but creating the kind of strength and integration that will support them moving well through their lives off the mat. Understand how yoga can be a tool not only for rehab, but prehab, preventing injury.
Anatomy & Biomechanics 1 - 25 hrs
Anatomy & Biomechanics 2 - 25 hrs
History & Philosophy
Modern day Yoga is the confluence of many different - and often conflicting - traditions and philosophies. How do we understand this melting pot of ideas, where even dates, origins, key texts and sources can vary? Different traditions and teacher will respond to fundamental questions in very different ways, to the extent that it can be very confusing to even answer "what is Yoga?" "what is the origin of Yoga?" and "why do we practice?"
These modules incorporate my own study with master teachers in the US, the UK, and India. Having studied directly under lineage holders like Munindra-ji and at great institutions like Sivananda Yoga Ashram Kerala, Mount Holyoke College and UMass Amherst I have designed our Yoga History and Philosophy modules to be an engaging and comprehensive overview of where this practice came from. We cover the key dates and texts from a variety of traditions and perspectives, sharing where and when certain philosophies developed, and the social conditions they arose from, so you have an understanding of context and influence. I am not pitching one belief system/tradition/lineage or another, though I share with you what resonates with me personally. I invite you to explore the information and decide for yourself what resonates for you.
We will study the origins of the practice going back to the question of the IVC. We'll study through the Vedic period, the classical period of Yoga and Ayurveda, to the Puranic period, Renaissance, and into pre-modern and Modern Yoga. We will also explore Yoga in the West, how it has changed, the questions and challenges of Contemporary Yoga, and what hard questions we need to consider about a modern approach to yoga as we look to carry it forward.
History & Philosophy 1 - 25 hrs
History & Philosophy 2 - 25 hrs
Applied Teacher Training
For those that are pursuing the 200hr certification, we take all of this information that has contributed to modern day asana practice, from Hinduism to Buddhism, Anatomy, Physiology, Fitness Training, Exercise Science, Meditation, Psychology, Ayurveda and more and explore how this melds and meshes into the message we want to bring to our students. How do we teach poses? What language do we use,? Do we create a theme? How do we sequence skillfully and safely? How do we share more than the physical practice, seamlessly and respectfully?
There is so much here that needs to be unwrapped, explored, and dug into in person, but this is the portion of the training that may the most transformative, or at least where the rubber meets the road and we put all that we’ve learned into the practice of actually teaching. Whatever you need to know about your life's work in the moment will show up loud and clear when you step in front of the class in the role of the teacher. And if you're lucky...it will never stop feeling as raw, exciting, and even nerve wracking as it does that first time. Though you will have all the tools you need to grow to be a skillful and beautiful teacher, may the experience of guiding others in Yoga always get your heart beating faster and cause butterflies in your stomach. That's a sign of life happening through you. That's why we're here.
Asana & Beyond Asana 1: Practicum, Alignment and Essential Sequencing - 25 hrs
Asana & Beyond Asana 2: Advanced Sequencing, Workshops and Ethics - 25 hrs
Teaching - 25 hrs
Readings and Research Project - 25 hrs
2024 In-person dates:
Beyond Asana 2: June 8-9, 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
Opening Weekend: October 5-6, 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
Opening Weekend: November 2-3, 12-5pm - Western Mass
Beyond Asana 1: Nov 30-Dec 1, 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
2025 In-person dates:
History & Philosophy: Jan 18-19, 12-5pm - Western Mass
History & Philosophy: Jan 11-12, 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
Beyond Asana 1: Feb 8-9, 12-5pm - Western Mass
Anatomy & Biomechanics: March 15-16 - 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
Beyond Asana 2: May 3-4 - 12-5pm - Martha’s Vineyard
more to be scheduled in Fall ‘25