As I plan and prepare to host my 9th consecutive year of 200-hour yoga teacher training at Aham Yoga. I’m reminded of how often I hear people did yoga teacher trainings but end up feeling like they didn’t learn any real world practical yoga knowledge. They laughed, had a great time in community, did some great yoga practice for themselves. But failed to understand how to teach a multi-level class, or help someone who has back spasms, or help a pregnant student in class or cater to an elderly student in class, or help one recovering from an injury. Instead you learned, some heavy duty vinyasa flow sequences, yoga music playlists, how to do arm balances and perhaps danced around in a circle?
But the truth is a 200-hour yoga teacher training is not meant to be a long yoga themed party. But a deep dive into the exploration, understanding & application of yoga in our day to day lives. Interacting with ourselves and others. Atleast, my 200-hour yoga teacher trainings aren’t focused on making you have “fun” in class. They’re focussed on creating a fulfilling, rich experience to deepen the effects of yoga in your day to day life.
Since I’m launching my 9th 200-hour yoga teacher training this September 2024, I’ve made you a checklist.
How to use this 200-hour yoga teacher training checklist?
When you’re exploring a new yoga teacher training. You can use this checklist to navigate. Ask the yoga studio or yoga teachers you’re trying to study with if these topics are being covered, and how much in-depth will they be going? Are any of these not covered? What is the main syllabus and draw a parallel and see what “value” you are getting.
A good 200-hour yoga teacher training will not hesitate to be 100% transparent with you about the course, requirements and what’s in or not in it.
The biggest mistake yoga students make in choosing?
I’ve spoken to literally 100s of yoga teachers and we all end up making the same mistake. We look at the schedule, the price, the location etc… while choosing. I would offer a slightly different perspective here. Look at the caliber of the teacher(s) as they will shape your perception of yoga for life. And then have a good look at the syllabus. Will it help you move your physical practice, energetic practice and your mind forward?Will it help you create impact in your own life as well as those around you? That’s what truly matters.
Your 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training checklist is below
Here are a list of things you should be learning at a bare minimum in your 200 hour yoga teacher training. I’m keeping it brief here. But if you have questions about certain aspects of our study program feel free to reach out to us at Aham Yoga.
1. Things to learn about yoga poses
There are plenty of things to learn about yoga poses. But at its core here are the absolute must-knows from yoga poses.
- Sanskrit & English names
- Classification of yoga poses
- Benefits & contraindications of poses
- Prop usage for all poses
- Levels of each pose
- Warm up or counter pose principles
- Heating or cooling quality
- Breathing principles
- Adaptations & modifications of poses
2. How much pranayama should you learn?
- Basic breathing principles
- Categorization of pranayama
- Meaning of pranayama
- Energetic body anatomy
- Breathing awareness practices (at least 3)
- 1 balancing pranayama, 1 energizing and 1 tranquilizing pranayama
- How to build your pranayama practice?
- How much is too much pranayama?
- Basic pranayama to teach
3. Is yoga history & evolution important?
Yes. This is what your training should start with. Yoga then to yoga now. A journey through time and evolution. Knowing how yoga started to how it has changed, adapted and grown today is key. Since yoga is a cultural practice it will help bridge the gap between the old and new. So learning about history of yoga briefly is key. Knowing how it has journeyed through time is important. It will enhance your clarity and commitment to this ancient practice.
4. What about sequencing yoga poses and class teaching?
Once you know the poses in-depth. You should be taught in detail about yoga sequencing and class planning. This is a detailed and often complex topic. So you need to know the poses well in order to be masterful as sequencing. The training should introduce you to sequencing, class planning, time and effort management. This part of the training is fun, challenging and is the key to be able to teach successful yoga asana classes for those of you that want to teach asana in the real world.
5. Yoga for special conditions?
This includes basic things like lower back pain, wrist issues, knee issues, pregnancy, fatigue, elevated blood pressure, sciatica etc. Your training should give you the basics of how to handle something like this.
6. The subtle body in yoga
This is one of the more fascinating parts of the 200 hour yoga teacher training. Learning to understand the energetic or subtle body as the yogis saw it. Think of this as your blueprint to understanding yoga and why we “feel” so good after a yoga class. In here, you should have topics like nadis, prana, different types of bodies, koshas, chakras, gunas, doshas etc.
7. Cultural appropriation of yoga
This is a non-negotiable. Preferably given by someone who is of Indian origin and has lived in both parts of the world to give you a detailed perspective of what it means to appropriate yoga culture. And how we can appreciate yoga and represent it well. Ideally should be tied in with your evolution and history of yoga series. What all has gone wrong with yoga representation, and how the modern yoga world operates and where we are headed from here.
8. Adaptability of yoga
This is where you learn prop usage and how to adapt all poses to the person. Instead of stuffing the person into the pose. Adaptability for me is not a different aspect of yoga from asana but in fact a part of it. So if you learn how to do warrior 2 with an able bodied person, you should also learn how to do the same pose for those who have different needs. This will help keep your yoga relevant for years and decades to come. We cover this in depth in our trainings
9. Yoga philosophy and how to live yoga off your mat?
The best part of yoga is the fact that you can take it with you everywhere. As yoga is life itself. We truly understand what this means in our study program and how to take yoga off the yoga mat in our life, relationships, work and more.
9. Teaching skillset
For those who are aspiring to become yoga teachers in the near or far future, we do have provisions for teaching practices throughout the training. For those who are studying this just for themselves, you will not need to certify to teach.
But there’s more…
There always is more. This study program is life enhancing. Life changing and makes you wish you had done it sooner. But you end up at the doors of yoga at the right time. There’s no way I can highlight how wonderful this journey will be. Its truly something you have to experience.
It does require time, curiosity and enthusiasm from your end. I will take care of the rest. You can read more about the training here.
Love,
Aru
