Teacher Training

Edmonton Yoga Studio 300 hours of teacher certification provides a holistic and well-rounded understanding of yoga teacher training. Yoga Teacher Training is provided by studio owner Ken Strachan, Y.A.A. Permanent Certified Senior Teacher of Hatha Yoga (1,000 – Hour Level)

300 – Hour Teacher Certification Requirements:

All applicants must have a minimum of two year’s involement in hatha yoga before starting their formal hatha yoga teacher training program.

200 hours of yoga teaching training which includes a minimum of:

  • 100 hours of Techniques, Training & Practice
  • Three 10 hour workshops led by 3 senior teachers
  • 25 hours of teaching Methodology
  • 20 hours of Anatomy & Physiology
  • 30 hours of Yoga Philosophy and Ethics
  • 10 hours of Practicum (including 5 hours of Supervised Teaching)
  • 10 hours of Meditation
  • 10 hours of Pranayama
  • 10 hours special needs (disabilities, chair yoga, mentally challenge)
  • 3 written assignments
  • 10 hour Karma Yoga
  • 30 hours Teacher Training Sessions (Teacher Trainees will be required to attend monthly teacher training sessions)

Edmonton Yoga Studio syllabus includes:

  • Learn Essential Qualities of a Great Yoga Teacher (Excerpted from B.K.S Iyengar: His Life and Work & Yoga Darsana of B.K.S Iyengar by Dona Holleman): Learn the key qualities of becoming a great yoga teacher. To ignite curiosity is the first thing for learning more and to continue to grow in your yoga teacher journey.
  • Yoga History & Philosophy:  Understand the history of yoga including key ancient yoga texts; The Upanishads, and The Bhagavad Gita.
  • The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:  Learn the eight limbs of yoga including the Yamas and Niyamas and how they relate to yoga ethics today. An important look into how ethics factor into your success as a yoga teacher and how to incorporate the principals of yoga and eight limbs of yoga into your class room.
  • Yoga Anatomy: Explore anatomy and physiology as well as their practical applications in yoga practice including the spine, muscles and nerves, skeletal and connective tissue, foot, knee, hips, breath and bandhas, shoulders and arms, and the psoas.
  • Understanding Different Styles of Yoga: Explore the history and foundations of different yoga styles including Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, and Yin Yoga.
  • 6 Principles of Yoga Alignment: Learn foundations for the feet, hands, spine, knees, shoulders, and core in yoga poses
  • Learn 5 Categories of Asanas: Learn sequencing and alignment foundations for standing asanas, forward bends, twists, backbends, and inversions.
  • The Three Bandhas: Explore the three Bandhas of Yoga, how they work on the mental and pranic levels and their active stimulation of mooladhara charka, manipura charka and vishuddhi charka.
  • Yoga Asanas:  Understanding principles of yoga alignment, advanced study of over 100 yoga poses; including adjustments/modifications for each, things to look out for with students, and how to get in and out of each pose.
  • Surya Namaskar: Learn classical sun salutation, moon salutation and their modern forms.
  • Injuries & Modifications:  Learn injury considerations for each pose and how to offer different modifications for your students.
  • Sanskrit: Understanding basic Sanskrit terms, Sanskrit pose names, and pronunciation for each asana.
  • Yoga Sequencing:  Learn how to prepare for your own classes; including creating inspiring class plans, structuring your yoga class safely, and sequencing foundations.
  • Hands-On Adjustments:  Understand the relationship between teacher and student in adjustments and explore how to safely offer yoga adjustments and their relationship to body mechanics.
  • Meditation:  Explore how to teach meditation techniques, meditation’s history in yoga, the anatomy of meditation, and the benefits of meditation.
  • Pranayama:  Learn ancient pranayama techniques. Explore how to guide others in different breathing exercises including; Diaphragmatic Breathing, Bhastrika and Kapalabhati, Viloma, Digital Pranayama, Pratiloma, Bhramari, Nadi Sodhana and Ujjayi Breath.
  • Chakra Yoga Therapy:  Understand how Chakras work, their energetic associations, how they relate to yoga practice, and how to heal chakras through yoga practice.
  • Class Experience:  Explore how to develop your yoga teacher voice for your classes, class room set up, and how and when to demo poses.
  • Classroom Props:  Learn different types of yoga props and how to use them to modify poses for your students.
  • Living A Yoga Lifestyle:  Explore ways to take your yoga practice off the mat and bring it into your personal life.
  • Discovering Your Unique Teaching Style:  Learn how to develop your own unique teaching style.
  • Developing Confidence as a Teacher:  Learn ways that you can overcome the fear of teaching.
  • Reference Guide: Learn about resource that are available to teachers, YAA Membership as student evolve, and subscription to online newsletter for continued development.