200-HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING & IN-DEPTH STUDIES

DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS FOR A LIFETIME OF TEACHING & PRACTICING YOGA

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

• How to teach yoga in the most practical, informed, and creative ways for you.
• The historical and philosophical foundations of yoga.
• Key concepts from the classics of yoga, distilled for yoga in the modern world.
• Practical yoga anatomy – how the body is structured, held together, moves and stabilizes – in a way that makes practical sense in teaching real human beings and is directly and immediately useful to to you in learning how to teach a diverse array of students in the postural aspects of yoga in safe and insightful ways.
• The esoteric concepts of subtle energy anatomy – prana, chakras, nadis, granthis, mudras and bandhas – through the prisms of both "yogic science" and mythology.
• How to guide students with clear, inspiring, and effective verbal cues, visual demonstrations, and hands-on adjustments, drawing from Mark's 400-page text, Yoga Adjustments, and extensive direct practice in the training.
• The role of modifications and the wide-ranging use of props, including blocks, straps, wedges, walls, tennis balls, mat cut-outs and chairs;
• How to creatively design class sequences that result in classes that are well balanced, coherent, fresh, inspiring, and appropriate for different student conditions and intentions, referencing Mark's 528-page text, Yoga Sequencing, the definitive book on the subject;
• Gain a thorough and practical understanding the major postures, including their alignment principles, energetic actions, variations, modifications, contra-indications, risks and benefits, enabling you to teach with confidence in a variety of approaches, including vinyasa flow, alignment-based practice, yoga therapy, and specialized styles.
• Develop an appreciation for different styles of yoga and different yoga teaching methodologies. Learn to work with injuries, pregnancy and other specific or unique student needs in your yoga classes.
• Explore the personal lifestyle and ethical aspects of being a yoga teacher.
• Learn about teaching in a variety of settings - yoga studios, gyms, businesses, schools, community centers, retreat centers and more - as well as the basics of opening a yoga studio.
• Have a variety of opportunities to tailor your yoga studies to your specific interests.
• Gain extensive teaching experience through practice teaching, apprenticeships and mentoring.

 WHAT'S INCLUDED  

The Mark Stephens Yoga 200-Hour Teacher Training covers all of the main topics in teaching yoga and 100% fulfills Yoga Alliance curriculum standards.

Upon Registration You Will Receive:

• A welcome packet giving a general orientation for your specific training
• Course Syllabus
• Course Reading List
• Course Resource Book
• Anatomy Workbook
• Access to a extensive library of high quality videos covering every aspect of teaching yoga.
• Various PDF resources

With your successful completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion of the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training and In-Depth Studies Program. Your Certificate of Completion qualifies you for Registered Yoga Teacher (RYS 200) with Yoga Alliance.

WHO IS THIS TRAINING FOR?

This training is designed for anyone with a serious yoga practice who is interested in deepening and refining their personal practice and for anyone interested in teaching yoga.

My youngest student over the years was 16, the eldest 83. Students from 57 countries of completed the training.

It is for anyone who is serious interested in learning all they can about yoga.

It is for anyone who is open to expanding not just their knowledge of yoga theory and practice, but to learning more about themselves and opening to the most profoundly transformational experiences that yoga offers us.

It’s also for those who are not afraid of reading, thinking, and opening their mind to new ideas about many things in life.

"I loved every minute of the training, learned so much and feel much more confident from the depth and breadth of the conceptual and physical understanding I gained regarding yoga. I feel confident to start teaching yoga in studios and gyms. I definitely developed the skills to delve deeper into my own practice and teaching in ways that will continue to allow me to grow and deepen my understanding. And I made some new friends in our group!"

—Rachael Williams, Santa Cruz, CA, RYT-200

“Mark made the training fun yet deeply engaging. He's is an extremely seasoned teacher with very deep understanding of yoga as a practice and invaluable experience with both students and teachers. He made some difficult topics such as anatomy and philosophy accessible and interesting. With all the hands-on, practical teaching, I also bonded with all the other students in our group. I am very pleased and honored to have chosen him and his school and will definitely continue studying with him in the future.”

—Monica Ruiz, Barcelona, Spain, RYT 200

A CLOSE LOOK AT THE CURRICULUM

The comprehensive curriculum fully covers the fundamentals of yoga philosophy, teaching methods, techniques for working with a diverse array of students in all aspects of postural, breathing, and meditation practices, and myriad small matters that come into play in the art and science of teaching yoga.

We begin with the question, “What is yoga?” Then we fully dive into the interwoven threads of a holistic and integrated practice and how best to share it with others.

Asana Technique & Teaching Methods: The most extensive part of the course, here you will learn in detail how to teach each of over 75 basic yoga poses compassionately yet systematically, including their functional anatomy, alignment principles, energetic actions, risks, benefits, preparatory asanas, counterposes, variations, modifications, hands-on adjustments, and use of props. This part of the course covers the major families of asanas: Sun Salutations, Standing Poses, Backbends, Forward Bends, Twists, Arm Balances, Inversions, Core Refinement, and Hip Openers.

Practical Yoga History & Philosophy: A practical survey of yoga's interconnected histories and diverse philosophies that distills the essential insights for teaching yoga. We look at the ancient-to-current threads of yoga and how they have developed and been intertwined over the ages, exploring key passages from the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, Tantra, early to modern Hatha, as well as somatic theory and other 20th and 21st century sources that can inform how we practice and teach. We give close attention to ethics in teaching, including matters of emotional transference and projection, sexual harassment, and how to ensure an emotionally and physically safe space for practicing and self-transformation.

Practical Yoga Anatomy: A hands-on introduction to functional anatomy, bio-mechanics, and the kinesiology of movement as applied to seeing students in the practice and guiding them in a meaningful, safe, and effective way. You will learn about the basic human skeletal structure; how different types of bones, joints, muscles and connective tissues optimally function in postural practices; the basics of human movement so you better understand transitions in and out of asanas; close study of the spine, hips, and shoulders as they relate to all seven families (and sub-families) as asanas.

Designing & Sequencing Classes: The art and science of sequencing families of asanas and crafting entire classes, including for different levels of students, different intentions, seasons, styles and other considerations. Here we also cover pacing, duration, tempo, and vibe for different levels and intentions of classes.

Teaching Pranayama: Basic and intermediate pranayama techniques, including how, when, and whom to teach basic yoga breathing (ujjayi pranayama) and more intermediate pranayama techniques – including sama and visama vritti, viloma, kumbhaka, kapalabhati, bastrika, sitali, seetkari, murcha, plavini, and nadi shodhana.

Subtle Energy & Anatomy: Awareness and activation of subtle energy, including how to cultivate bandhas and the relationship between pranayama, bandhas, and the elements of yogic anatomy, including koshas, chakras, nadis, vayus, gunas, and doshas.

Meditation Practices: In demystifying meditation, we explore how to bring meditation into yoga classes and everyday life in way that is simple, accessible, and sustainable. We explore several meditation techniques.

The Art of Seeing & Relating: An integral part of the course, here we learn to systematically observe, appreciate, and understand what is happening with different students in each of the 75 asanas, thereby developing the necessary skills for working individually with your students and giving appropriate verbal cues, hands-on adjustments, and use of props.

Demonstrating & Cuing: Here we focus on when, where, and how to most effectively demonstrate yoga poses while giving the clearest, most understandable verbal and hands-on guidance to students. Qualities of voice, including language, tone, and audibility, are given close attention.

Hands-On Adjustments: We go deeply into the full range of hands-on adjustments, an essemntial skill for all yoga teachers. It begins with an in-depth consideration of the principles of tactile cues, and then looks at specific techniques for guiding students in over 50 poses. Here you will work with one another to learn, practice, and refine your ability to guide students.

Teaching Pre/Post-Natal Yoga: Every public yoga teacher is a pre-natal yoga teacher if only because you will definitely have pregnant students in your yoga classes. Here we look closely at maternal anatomy and physiology, adaptation of the practice for each trimester of pregnancy, indications and contra-indications for various conditions, effective use props, emotional and psychological aspects of pre-natal experience, preparation for delivery, delivery, and post-partum reintegration through yoga.

Working with Student Injuries & Special Conditions: Students come to classes with a variety of conditions, including acute and chronic injuries, disease, and other conditions that need to be considered in guiding their practice. We will consider several of the most common conditions: joint issues (ankles, knees, hips, sacro-iliac, spinal, shoulders, elbows, wrists), scoliosis, osteopororis and students undergoing chemotherapy.

Making Yoga Meaningful: Why do you do yoga? What are the core values at the heart of your practice? How can you best be true to your values while holding space for othersand their values in your classes? How might you best create space in class and provide guidance to students in making their yoga experience more meaningfulin the fullness of their lives?

Class Observation: Buy observing experienced teachers in the act of leading live classes, you will further refine your insights into what different students are likely experiencing in their yoga practices, thereby expanding your own skills in leading classes.

Practice Teaching: From the very beginning of this course, you will work with other participants to teach classes, starting with working one-on-one and gradually developing the confidence and skill to lead larger and larger classes. Each practice teaching session includes extensive feedback and discussion of teaching techniques and methods.

Lifestyle & Ethics: How we live our larger lives off the mat, including personal yoga practice, nutrition, sleep, relations with family and friends, and being in community are essential aspects of deepening our yoga and sharing it with dignity and integrity.

The Profession & Business of Yoga: This covers the role of the teacher, getting yourself established as a professional yoga teacher, and being successful in teaching yoga as your source of livelihood.