200 HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING: COURSE CURRICULUM
An overview of what we’ll cover during the YTT.
THE HISTORY OF YOGA
Respecting the roots.
➜ Explore the origins of yoga and how it has evolved over time.
➜ Discuss which aspects have changed for the better, and which parts of the practice have been lost in an attempt to adapt to a 21st century Western lifestyle.
➜ Examine yoga in a modern day context and explore the ways in which we can keep the traditions of yoga relevant and respect the lineage of such an important spiritual path.
➜ Acknowledge the complex history of yoga, including the role of colonialism and economic exploitation in the journey of yoga from its roots, to the rapid rise in popularity that we see today. Some of these discussions may be challenging, but they’re essential to understanding yoga’s full story.
YOGA PHILOSOPHY
Problem solving in practice.
➜ If done correctly, studying philosophy should leave you with more questions than answers. Questions that come not from a place of confusion, but from curiosity. Hopefully you’ll ignite some intrigue and desire to dig deeper into the frameworks as a way to make sense of the world, and of yourself.
➜ Explore the inner workings of the mind - how we make decisions, react to change, deal with discomfort, and navigate binary beliefs such as right and wrong.
➜ Question whether we can truly control our thoughts and actions, and how our internal and external worlds shape each other.
➜ Study some of yoga’s most iconic texts, and dive into concepts such as dharma, karma and the kleshas, using them as a framework for deep discussions on yoga, life and liberation.
YOGA IN ACTION
Social justice and your off-the-mat practice.
➜ Yoga extends far beyond the four corners of our mat - it extends into every part of our lives. We’ll explore how social norms, beliefs, and biases show up in our practice, and what we can do about them.
➜ Question whether our intent truly aligns with our impact, and how we can use yoga as a tool for personal healing and societal change.
➜ Discuss topics such as spiritual bypassing, power dynamics, privilege, and propaganda - unpacking some challenging yet critical conversations.
➜ Examine the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation, and explore how we can make yoga inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone.
YOGA ETHICS
Navigating the grey zones.
➜ Ethics are rooted in relationships - how we interact with ourselves, others, and the world through our thoughts, words, and actions.
➜ Ethical behaviour isn’t always black and white and in many situations there simply isn’t a right and wrong. Navigating the grey zone with integrity is key.
➜ Discuss boundaries, empathy, compassion, codependence, and control, and how they show up in our practice and teaching.
THE PHYSICAL BODY
Physiology and functional anatomy.
➜ A big part of this training will be learning about our physical bodies, how we move and how we can move more effectively.
➜ We’ll go beyond the standard 200-hour anatomy requirements, ensuring everything we cover can be directly applied to a yoga specific context.
➜ Explore movement science and biomechanics, focusing on individual alignment and how it shapes both the aesthetics and approach of our practice.
➜ Respect and celebrate the complexity of the human body - including our unique quirks, individual relationship to movement, personal habitual patterns and ranges of motion.
➜ Break down the differences between strength, stability, mobility and flexibility through theory and hands-on exploration.
➜ Learn all about the individual parts and systems that make us whole.
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION
Neuroscience and psychology.
➜ Because our bodies are much more than just muscles and bones, we’ll dedicate time to dive into the fascinating links and connections between our body and mind.
➜ Learn about the brain, nervous system, proprioception, interoception and how we process pain.
➜ Touch on the neuroscience and psychology of yoga, gaining insight into how movement, breath, and awareness shape our mental and emotional states. It’s honestly really cool.
THE SUBTLE BODY
An exploration of energy.
➜ There are many things in life that can’t be easily explained, but at the same time, can’t be dismissed or denied.
➜ Energy can feel mystical and abstract, but we’ll break it down in a way that makes it tangible and useful.
➜ Demystify the chakras and energy channels within the body, and take a deeper look at the subtle layers that make us whole.
PRANAYAMA AND BREATHING
The power of taking a deep breath.
➜ Discover the science behind taking a deep breath and how it creates a ripple effect throughout the whole body. We’ll look at the respiratory system as well as the energetic aspects of breathing.
➜ Practice pranayama and various breathing techniques designed to either energise or calm your nervous system.
➜ Use the prana vayus to truly connect movement and breath - no more mechanical inhaling and exhaling as you move.
➜ Learn how to teach breathwork safely and support your future students in developing more mindful breathing habits.
MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS
Paying attention on purpose.
➜ There’s a common misconception that the goal of meditation is emptiness or nothingness, but the aim isn’t to “turn off” our thoughts or feelings, it’s to observe them without judgment, while resisting the temptation to interact or engage with them. I know it’s easier said than done, but we’ll work on that together.
➜ Begin to understand the internal chatter of your mind, and effective ways to practice patience and cultivate peacefulness.
➜ Explore various techniques, such as mindfulness, to focus on a particular object, sensation, or activity, in order to gain mental clarity, emotional calm and a more stable state of being.
THE EVOLUTION OF SILENCE
Mindful mornings.
➜ Each morning you’ll be invited to practice silence—not just in speech, but in movement, awareness, inner thoughts and an overall grounded presence.
➜ Each day introduces a new layer to this practice so you’ll quickly appreciate how silence is much more than simply not speaking.
➜ You’ll get to enjoy several silent breakfasts too as part of your personal mindfulness practice.
AYURVEDA AND THE ELEMENTS
Finding balance.
➜ Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems, which originated in India thousands of years ago. It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between mind, body, and spirit, with the primary goal of promoting good health, not fighting disease.
➜ Rooted in the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), Ayurveda emphasises the deep connection we share with nature and its cycles. It’s the combination of these elements that make up the three doshas, which influence our personalities, habits and health.
➜ While the principles of Ayurveda can be applied in many situations, we’ll look specifically at the impact they have on our physical yoga practice.
ASANA LAB AND INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT
More than just movement and shapes.
➜ Analyse asanas by breaking down the anatomy, alignment, adaptations and advantages of each posture.
➜ Let go of the idea that there’s a perfect, correct or advanced version of any pose, and instead, use a critical approach to question common cues and beliefs.
➜ Work with energy and embodiment to understand how one asana can be practiced in many ways depending on your alignment and intention.
➜ Experiment with props to explore the balance of effort and ease in each position.
➜ Get creative with with variations and transitions, and play with peak postures in an accessible and inclusive way.
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF SEQUENCING
Planning the perfect class.
➜ As modern day Yoga Teachers there’s a critical need to balance our creative flare with carefully considered movements and asanas. Our goal is to be adaptable and sustainable in our approach, ensuring we meet the needs of everyone in the room.
➜ To help you step into your teaching career with confidence, we’ll work with simple sequences that you can build upon and personalise depending on your own theme and focus. This foundation serves as a powerful base to guide your students through practices that educate and inspire them both on and off their mat.
➜ Vinyasa Krama means “wise progression” and this is the principle we follow to ensure postures are intelligently and appropriately placed within the sequence. I’ll also share my own building block method of sequencing, developed from personal experience.
➜ Get inspired with ideas to theme your classes, whether you prefer an anatomical approach, or enjoy working with energy, philosophy, or an exploration of the elements.
➜ We’ll start by deconstructing group asana practices to fully understand the structure, then work together to build sequences as a group. By the end you’ll feel fully at ease creating your own classes.
RESTORATIVE YOGA
Exploring softness and stillness.
➜ Scheduled relaxation time!
➜ Restorative yoga is a slow, gentle and therapeutic practice designed to nourish your nervous system and support your body into a state of surrender and softness.
➜ Learn how to structure and teach these soothing sessions, so you can offer your students something complementary to more dynamic classes.
MAKING YOGA ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE
For everybody and every body.
➜ Yoga should be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, body type, physical ability, or experience.
➜ Learn how to create an inclusive environment, where every student feels seen and supported.
➜ Learn how to recognise and challenge biases, ensuring both your personal practice and teaching align with your values of inclusivity and respect.
➜ Work towards incorporating props as the norm, and adapting asanas with ease.
➜ Teach in a non-hierarchical way to ensure you’re not indirectly reinforcing binary beliefs or presenting postures as easy, intermediate or advanced.
PLAYING WITH PROPS
Making asanas more accessible - or more challenging.
➜ Props are not only there if you “need” them - they’re the missing ingredient in so many classes. They can make asanas more accessible, but can also make them more challenging or creative too.
➜ Use props to provide options for different body types and abilities, ensuring everyone in the room can benefit.
➜ Explore how props can add playfulness and exploration in your teaching.
➜ Use props to make peak poses accessible and inclusive, so everyone can join in and no-one is left feeling frustrated or excluded.
TEACHING BEGINNERS
And people who are new-ish to yoga.
➜ Teaching beginners requires a thoughtful and grounded approach, especially when it comes to breaking down poses and concepts.
➜ Create a welcoming environment for new students, with clear instructions and gentle guidance, so they can’t wait to come back to your next class.
➜ Learn how to make complex yoga concepts accessible and relatable so you avoid overwhelming your students.
➜ Gain confidence in offering on-the-spot modifications and building a sequence that suits beginners.
WORKING WITH PRIVATE STUDENTS
A personalised approach.
➜ Private sessions offer a unique opportunity to tailor yoga to individual needs and goals.
➜ Whether your student wants a one-off workshop, or a weekly class, you’ll be able to build a programme that helps them achieve their wishes.
➜ We’ll also touch on the practical aspects of working with private students, as well as how they differ from group sessions.
HANDS-ON TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Build confidence from day one.
➜ From the very start of the training you’ll build your confidence as a teacher and gain hands-on experience guiding each other through different parts of the practice.
➜ I promise I wont throw you in the deep end and expect you to figure it out on your own. Instead, we’ll start simple and take small steps at a fun pace. We’ll work through the course as a community, so you’ll be supported by me, but also by each other.
➜ It’s important to me that you grow as an individual and discover your own unique teaching style. I’m not looking to mass produce identical yoga instructors - far from it. Certain aspects of the course will resonate with you more than others, and that’s completely normal. You’ll be encouraged to explore what works for you, and what doesn’t, so you can teach authentically and never feel forced into a specific mold.
TEACHING SKILLS
How to be an awesome yoga teacher.
➜ This section focuses on the practical side of teaching yoga. It’s one thing to have a wealth of knowledge; it’s another to confidently stand in front of students and guide them through a great class.
➜ Work with embodiment techniques to hold space in the most effective way.
➜ Practice projecting your voice and varying the tone to create a certain atmosphere.
➜ We’ll also cover how to give effective demonstrations, as well as offering physical assists - when they’re appropriate and how to offer them in a safe and beneficial way.
THE LANGUAGE OF YOGA
Cues and communication skills.
➜ Cueing and verbal communicating will be a central focus, with an emphasis on how to phrase instructions to ensure your language is clear, inclusive, and caring.
➜ You’ll be encouraged to find your own voice as a teacher, whether you lean toward poetic phrases, or prefer a more literal approach.
➜ The aim is to get so clear in communicating that your class could keep their eyes closed and still follow everything you say.
PREVENTING INJURIES
Keeping your students safe.
➜ It’s important you do everything you can not to cause harm to your students, and this means being aware of how to adapt classes to accommodate common injuries and conditions.
➜ Know how to handle situations where a student comes to you with aches, pains, or questions about their practice.
➜ As a yoga teacher, you’re not qualified to diagnose or treat anything (that’s far beyond the boundaries of your job), which is why we’ll cover the art of referring students to appropriate professionals when needed.
PAIN SCIENCE AND SENSATIONS
Behind the scenes of your nervous system.
➜ Understand what’s happening behind-the-scenes when something hurts, and more importantly, how you can help ease the aches and pains.
➜ Learn about nerdy neuroscience discoveries and how your nervous system processes pain and danger.
➜ Appreciate the importance of movement, mindfulness, and adaptation when teaching students with pain or injuries.
➜ Acknowledge how your words have the power to hurt or heal.
ETHICAL MARKETING AND THE BUSINESS OF YOGA
Selling in a non-sleezy way.
➜ During the course you’ll not only learn the essentials of becoming a yoga teacher, but also the tools to market yourself and find paid work once the training is complete.
➜ Before becoming a yoga teacher, I spent years building my career in marketing and event management, so I have hands on experience with this stuff. I’ll share tips, insights and personal advice from my years as a yoga studio owner, full-time teacher and travelling yoga instructor.
➜ I offer ongoing mentorship and business support even after the training is finished, helping you find your path, attract clients, and promote your offers in a way that doesn’t sound salesy.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Seeing the bigger picture.
➜ Rather than approaching each module separately, I’ll teach them in a way where they overlap and intertwine as we progress through the course.
➜ Yoga is a beautifully holistic practice and it’s important to look at how the various topics fit together to form a bigger picture. That’s where the magic happens.
➜ Explore the complimentary connections between science and spirituality, and ancient wisdom and modern-day discoveries.
