500-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Certification

Winter Session Starts January 7, 2012

Saturdays & Sundays, 12:30–6:30pm
January 7 – February 19, 2012

This is a “+300 Hour” program that builds upon the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification program. Certification at the 500-hour level requires 300 hours of non- repetitive study beyond the 200-hour level.

Prerequisites

1. 200-Hour yoga teacher certification from a credible source
2. Minimum of two years of teaching experience
3. Current teaching position.

If you have completed another credible 200-Hour teacher training program, you can be admitted into the 500-Hour program by successfully completing the 200-Hour Certification Exam. This qualifies you as a “+300” participant; you will begin your 300 hours with the 100-Hour Phase I Foundational Component described in detail on this website under the 200-Hour program. You will have additional assignments and be held to a higher standard of comprehension and skill in that course.

Advanced Teacher Training

Advanced Yoga Teacher Training gives you a broader and deeper set of skills and insights to bring into your practice and teaching. The "advanced" quality of the 500-hour certification is not about so-called advanced asanas but rather developing an advanced understanding of how to effectively teach asana, pranayama and meditation to all levels and conditions of students. We look in considerably greater depth at each of the topics considered essential in your ongoing development as a professional yoga teacher.

Building on Foundational Training (Phase I of the 200-Hour Certification Program), the 500-hour program is structured into six modules that run concurrently and can be completed in a minimum of one year (most participants will take longer).

1. Optimal Sequencing - Topics include The Traditional Energetics of Sequencing (considering Koshas, Nadis, Chakras, Doshic Types and seasonal factors); Sequencing for Peak Asanas; Planning and Varying the Arc of a Class; Sequencing Restorative Yoga; Sequencing for Energetic Effects; The Bio-Mechanics of Asana Relationships.

2. Philosophy, Ethics and History in Teaching - Topics include Vedic and Upanishadic Philosophy; The Bhagavad Gita; The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; Tantra; The Origins and Development of Hatha Yoga; Yoga in the West.

3. Advanced Anatomy & Physiology - Topics include Subtle Anatomy (Koshas, Prana, Nadis, Chakras); Anatomy of the Pelvic Girdle, Shoulder Girdle and Spine; Anatomy & Physiology of Respiration; Teaching Pranayamas; Applying Principles of Subtle Anatomy in Vinyasa Flow Yoga Classes.

4. Yoga Therapy - Topics include Working with Injuries; Developing a Comprehensive Student Assessment and Practice Plan; Teaching Students with Scoliosis, Lordosis, Kyphosis and other Spinal Issues; Teaching Yoga to People in Pain; Teaching Yoga to Reduce Anxiety and Depression.

5. Specialized Teaching – Topics include Teaching Pre-Post-Natal Yoga Classes; Teaching in Institutional Settings (schools, prisons, treatment centers); Planning, Organizing and Teaching Yoga Retreats; Teaching Partner Yoga; Teaching Yoga to Athletes; Teaching Kids; Teaching Seniors.

6. The Practice of Teaching - This is you out there teaching, with the added support of an advanced mentor. Each module is comprised of weekend, all-week, or evening workshops offered throughout the year. Participants in the 200-hour program may opt to enroll in these modular courses prior to completing their 200-hour certification.

Advanced Certification Exam

The 500-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Certification Program concludes with a comprehensive written and performance exam. With successful completion of the exam you are awared the 500-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Certificate and my apply to Yoga Alliance for the RYT 500 registry.

500–Hour Certification Requirements Summary

• Complete the 200-Hour Certification Program or show evidence of comparable training and experience.
• Complete 300 hours of non-repetitive additional courses and non-contact studies tailored to your teaching interests.
• Complete and Pass the 500–Hour Advanced Teacher Certification Examination