24 Day 200-Hour Intensive Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India

Certifications

Students who complete their training are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®). Registration with Yoga Alliance provides a globally recognized credential.

Program

Yoga teacher training at Yoganandham covers all aspects of yoga physical aspects as well as mental aspects and spiritual aspects, which include the practice of asanas, Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga, Bhakti yoga, breathing techniques, cleansing techniques, yoga sadhana, meditation, and other yogic practices.

The total number of students in each course is approximately 10 students. All the registered students are requested to apply for "tourist visa" only, for a speedy and convenient application process.

In keeping with the requirements of Yoga Alliance, a 200-hour yoga teacher training program follows a tight schedule where almost each of the seven to eight training hours in the day is assigned to some aspect of yoga. You could find the training intensive but enlightening.

Depending on the weather and season, the mornings can begin as early as 07:00 with meditation, followed by some yoga postures and maybe some classes or lectures in philosophy or anatomy.

Chanting and pranayama are also part of the schedule. Daily written homework is also the norm as that is how you will gain in-depth knowledge of the subject. Sleeping early is encouraged as that is part of yogic practice.

Aims and objectives

The teacher training course is a comprehensive course that will provide you the knowledge about yoga philosophy, history, and its development. The course will help you master yoga asanas (positions) and will make you understand the effect of it on the body through yogic anatomy and yoga therapy. The motive is to spread your authentic knowledge of yoga to the world in its purest form.

You will observe daily pranayama and meditation classes along with mantra chanting so you understand their strengthening and balancing properties. The course will bring you an understanding of the yogic discipline, diet, and cleansing rituals (shatkarma), and you will be taught teaching methodology to enrich your teaching skills.

Overview

• Yoga teacher training that meets the standards of Yoga Alliance
• Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, known as the yoga capital of the world
• Yoga teacher training course specially designed for all types of yoga students (beginners, intermediate, and advanced)
• Intensive yoga teacher training course taught by Yoganandham’s experienced and knowledgeable yoga teachers who are firmly rooted in tradition yet contemporary in their vision and communication
• Inexpensive yoga teacher training in India
• Residential facility close to nature with all luxury
• Loving and caring supportive teachers and staff
• Opportunity to experience Indian culture and tradition

Daily Schedule

• 07:00 - 07:45 Meditation session
• 07:45 - 08:00 Shat Karma
• 08:00 - 09:15 Hatha yoga session
• 09:00 - 10:00 Breakfast time
• 11:00 - 12:00 Yoga philosophy/ Schools of Yoga
• 12:00 - 13:00 Stretching class
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
• 15:00 - 16:00 Yoga anatomy and physiology/ Ayurveda
• 16:00 - 17:30 Yoga class (Ashtanga yoga)
• 18:00 - 19:00 Pranayama & meditation
• 19:00 - 20:00 Soup time
• 20:00-21:00 Dinner time

Syllabus

Paper 1: 110 hours

Asana

Yogic postures comprise four hours of the daily schedule. Students will be introduced to the various asanas in a systematic manner with a progressively increasing level of difficulty. Once the basics are mastered, asana flows, adjustments, and subtle aspects of breath and awareness will be brought into focus.

Students will learn many postures of texts Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita. You will also study various asanas and the technique of teaching the postures, the benefits of each posture, modifications, contraindications, and the use of props. Below is the list of the postures:

• Sukshm Vyayam (joints movements)
• Surya Namaskar (sun salutation)
• Standing poses
• Sitting poses, forward bends, and hip openers
• Sitting/supine twists
• Backbends
• Arm balances
• Restorative postures
• Asana poses with detailed alignment
• Standing poses
• Tadasana standing
• Vrksasana standing
• Urdhva Hastasana standing
• Urdhva Baddhaguliyasana standing
• Paschima Namaskar standing
• Utkatasana standing
• Virabhadrasana 1 standing
• Utthita Trikonasana standing
• Utthita Parsvakonasana standing
• Ardha Candrasana standing
• Virabhadrasana 2 standing
• Virabhadrasana 3 standing
• Standing twisting poses
• Parivrtta Trikonasana standing-twist
• Parivrtta Parsvakonasana standing-twist
• Standing forward ext poses
• Uttanasana forward ext-standing
• Padangusthasana forward ext-standing
• Padahastasana forward ext-standing
• Prasarita Padottanasana forward ext-standing
• Parshvottanasana forward ext-standing
• Seated poses
• Dandasana seated
• Eka Pada Rajakapotasana seated
• Baddha Konasana seated
• Upavista Konasana seated
• Ubhaya Padangusthasana seated
• Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana seated
• Baddha Padmasana seated
• Seated forward ext poses
• Paschimottanasana seated-forward ext
• Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana seated-forward ext
• Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana seated-forward ext
• Janu Shirshasana seated-forward ext
• Malasana seated-forward ext
• Marichyasana seated-twist
• Bharadvajasana seated-twist
• Backbend poses
• Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana backbend
• Ustrasana backbend
• Purvottanasana backbend
• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana backbend
• Urdhva Dhanurasana backbend
• Salabhasana backbend
• Inversion poses
• Adho Mukha Shvanasana inversion
• Supta Konasana inversion
• Salamba Sarvangasana inversion
• Halasana inversion
• Karnapidasana inversion
• Eka Pada Sirsasana inversion
• Parsvaika Ekapada Sirsasana inversion
• Sirshasana inversion
• Urdhva Dandasana inversion
• Supta Hasta Padangusthasana supine
• Navasana abdominal
• Arm balance poses
• Adho Mukha Vrksasana arm balance
• Mayurasana arm balance
• Bakasana arm balance
• Kukkutasana arm balance
• Tolasana arm balance
• Restorative poses
• Supta Virasana restorative
• Supta Baddhakonasana restorative
• Shavasana restorative

Adjustment

Learn how to adjust these asanas and understand how the adjustment can deepen your practice.

Pranayama (breathing techniques)

These are based on traditional yogic breathing techniques which will benefit your yoga practice as you learn how to lengthen your breath. How to incorporate breathing into postures and into your classes. How breathwork assists the body.

• Sheetali and Sheetkari pranayama
• Bhastrika and Bhramari pranayama
• Anulom-Vilom Pranayama
• Suryabhedi and Ujjayi pranayama

Shatkarma (cleansing techniques)

These yogic cleansing practices will be integrated into the daily morning schedule and will work in conjunction with the asana practices. These will purify the nervous system and allow your breath to flow freely throughout the body. In expelling toxins from the body, you will, therefore, cleanse it.

• Agnisar Kriya
• Kapalbhati
• Sutraneti
• Jalneti
• Kunjal
• Tratak

Yogic mudras (energy seals)

Stimulate different parts of the body by sealing in the energy. These are usually used in pranayama and affect the flow of prana.

• Shambhavi mudra
• Tadagi mudra
• Shanmukhi mudra
• Kaki mudra

Bandhas (energy locks)

How they regulate the flow of energy and assist the practitioner in asana.

• Jalandhar Bandh
• Uddiyan Bandh
• Mool Bandh
• Maha Bandh

Meditation

You will cover a range of meditation techniques that will help build concentration and focus in your daily practice. Techniques include om chanting, chakra, and candlelight meditation.

Mantras (chanting)

A range of mantras will be taught including the Gayatri mantra, Mrityunjay mantra, and many more. You will find your inner harmony in these sessions. Recommended books: "Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha" by Swami Nityananda Saraswati, "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" - Bihar School of Yoga by Swami Muktibodhananda, and "Gheranda Samhita" by Swami Niranjananand Saraswati.

Paper 2: 25 hours

Teaching methodology

This class will give you the necessary building blocks to devise your own yoga class. Learn how to motivate your students by teaching inclusively to the range of abilities that you may be faced with.

Adjustment

• Learn how to help your students get deeper into a posture through adjustment.
• Studying yoga lifestyle and the ethics of a yoga teacher.
• Studying the attitude and presence of the teacher.
• The seat of yoga teacher/teaching as service / why you teach/create a sacred space.
• Elements of great teaching.
• Classroom organization and set up.
• Creating a class plan.
• Teaching progressively focusing on alignment principles.
• The basic principles of sequencing.

Paper 3: 20 hours

Introduction of yogic anatomy

Students will be introduced to the structure of the main organs (heart, lungs, stomach, liver, and kidney). Students will learn anatomy relevant to yoga in order to strengthen the classroom explanations, cues, and corrections of asanas.

You will also learn the yoga and skeletal system, brain and nervous system, respiratory system, digestive system, and cardiovascular system. In addition, the class will also cover the effects of Kriya, pranayama, asana, and meditation for various disorders, subtle body anatomy of the chakras, nadis, and the application of chakras energy in the practice of yoga. Recommended book: "Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners" by David H. Coulter.

Paper 4: 30 hours

Introduction to yoga

You will learn the definition of yoga, the history of yoga, and the introduction of the yogic text. This topic will focus on introducing you to the basic philosophy, concepts, and history of yoga. It will cover the various traditional philosophies and viewpoints, insights from modern research and ways in which the essence of this holistic life-view can be integrated into a modern lifestyle. There will also be ethical guidelines for the student-teacher relationship, how to behave as a student and how to behave as a teacher, communication, and limits between teacher and student. Recommended books: "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali", "Hatha Yoga Pradipika", and "Gherand Samhita".

• Yoga Sutras (Preface of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali): study this important text based on the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga. Discover the theory and foundations of yoga as Patanjali describes how to make a connection with the body, mind, and spirit.
• Kriya yoga: a methodology to overcome Pancha Klesha (five causes of pain and miseries)
• Raja yoga and Hatha yoga

Paper 5: 15 hours

• Practicing teaching with RYT / E-RYT
• Karma yoga (receiving/giving feedback)
• Group teaching during class hours
• Class observation: you will observe a class given by one of the experienced yoga teachers as an inspiration for the class that you will then prepare.

Peer teaching

These sessions allow you to practice your teaching skills and get constructive feedback from both your senior teachers and your peers on your progress. The lead trainer expands at least five to ten hours with all students on this topic during practicing as a teacher.

Evaluation

Yoga follows a tradition that will enrich your personal life and also show you how to help others to enrich their lives too so that a compassionate and humanitarian community can build up. Assessments will be based on written as well as practical evaluations.

• Student conduct will be a part of the assessment criterion.
• Evaluation will be carried out only for those students who have a minimum of 90% attendance.