Yoga Teacher Training Via Distance Education

Several private yoga centers offer yoga teacher training programs composed of on-site and distance education. Graduates may register as yoga teachers at the 200-hour and 500-hour level through the Yoga Alliance.

Overview of Yoga Teacher Training via Distance Education

Due to the hands-on nature of yoga practice, registered yoga teacher training programs are not available without some on-site training. Certain registered yoga programs, however, offer a portion of the training via distance education; this training segment entails reading assigned texts, looking up questions online and sending written answers via mail or e-mail. Some schools feature online discussion forums for periods when students are not studying on-site.
The Yoga Alliance, which registers yoga teachers and yoga schools in the United States, is a non-profit organization that was formed in 1999 to establish minimum standards for teaching yoga. It offers three levels of registration for yoga teachers, including Registered Yoga Teacher (200 hour), Registered Yoga Teacher (500 hour) and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher. Standards for registration include providing teacher training certificates with documented on-site training hours and classroom teaching experience. Yoga Alliance registration is not legally required to teach yoga in the United States; however, registration is often pursued to lend credibility to teaching credentials (www.yogaalliance.org).

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification

Teacher training programs at the 200-hour level are not available entirely via distance education due to the Yoga Alliance contact hour guidelines, which require 180 contact hours to become a registered yoga teacher at the 200-hour level. Students may conduct the remaining 20 hours through at-home writing assignments. These programs may be completed in a 30-day format or over a period of months at universities and private yoga schools. Topics include study of physical yogic postures (asana), breathing work (pranayama), yogic philosophy, meditation, prenatal yoga, yogic anatomy, manual adjustments, sequencing and more. Students conduct a minimum of ten practice teaching hours and graduates receive a 200-hour certificate of completion.

500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification

Upon successful completion of a 200-hour certificate course, students may pursue the 300-hour training program, which leads to qualification for registry with the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. These programs are generally on-site programs; some schools offer the 300-hour program through a mix of distance education and on-site training. Program formats for schools offering a distance education module include 1-2 week on-site training periods and independent study. During off-site periods, students complete reading and writing assignments, communicate with teachers via mail or e-mail and participate in online discussions. Most 300-hour certificate programs range in length from six months to three years.
This program expands on topics covered in the 200-hour course and emphasizes student teaching. Study topics include asana, sequencing, chanting, therapeutic applications, meditation, teaching ethics, business practice and advanced manual adjustments. Texts vary, but may include The Bhagavad Gita, The Ramayana, Trailguide to the Body, Yoga Anatomy and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Students also complete 40 hours of supervised classroom teaching. Graduates of these programs receive a 300-hour certificate of completion.

Advanced Yoga Teacher Training via Distance Education

Longer programs, designed for in-depth study of yoga practice and teaching, may also be partially completed via distance education. These programs consist of intensive on-site practice periods and independent study, composed of personal practice, writing assignments and e-mail communication with teachers. Such programs offer up to 2,000 hours of training and may be used to gain Yoga Alliance teacher registration and continuing education credit.
Topics vary, but often expand on 500-hour program coursework and include the subtle body, interior body locks (bhandas), symbolic hand gestures (mudras), advanced nutrition, advanced therapeutics, ayurvedic principles. Additional classes cover include Sanskrit, Hindu cultural history, Tantra, the Vedas, the Upanishads, studies of Krishnamacharya and an apprenticeship with a master teacher.