500-Hour Ashtanga Vinyasa & Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher Training

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If you would like to immerse yourself in teacher training for almost 2 months then this is the course for you.  Book both your 200-hour and 300-hour courses at the same time and become part of our family.

200-Hour Course

The Kranti Yoga Teacher Training course is a comprehensive Yoga Alliance approved 200-hour program that runs over 3 weeks in beautiful Patnem Beach, South Goa. Although intensive, the course is presented with a progressive approach to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. The course is a stepping stone to becoming a yoga teaching professional and the training itself will give you a solid foundation in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow Yoga.

The course is a stepping stone to becoming a yoga teaching professional and provides participants with a solid foundation in Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow Yoga and the Primary Series.  The program is presented in a fun, relaxed, modern and progressive environment, however, students should be prepared to be mentally and physically challenged.

Sample Daily Schedule
07:00 – 09:00 Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga: primary series (self-practice / led class)
09:00 – 10:00 Pranayama followed by Meditation / Kriyas
10:00 – 11:00 Breakfast
11:00 – 13:00 Anatomy & Alignment class
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 14.45 Self Study
14:45 – 16:15 Teaching methodology / Yoga Philosophy
16.15 – 16.30 Afternoon Snacks & Fruit
16:30 – 18:00  Back-bending or Transitions Workshop, Yin or Ashtanga Flow
19:00-20:00 Dinner

Course Objectives –

• Develop your own personal daily practice (Ashtanga Primary Series and Vinyasa Flow)
• Practice pranayama and learn how to develop a personal practice
• Learn kriyas, mudras and meditation practice.
• Learn about the skeletal and muscular systems and how this affects your practice, as well as teaching
• Study the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and learn how to incorporate them into your daily practice and life
• Learn how to structure a class and then incorporate all these components into designing your own class.
• Learn to teach this class to your peers in a small group environment and then you will teach this class to your peers as your assessment

Asanas (Led & Mysore Style) and Anatomy/Alignment

The program offers a strong foundation in Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow. Concentrating on the correct alignment of the postures that make up the Primary Series with a focus on offering modifications to suit practitioners of all levels and abilities.

In addition to learning proper alignment for each posture in the Primary Series, you will also focus on how to modify your own practice as well as your students, when needed.  You will learn how to identify when these modifications are needed and as well as preparation techniques to help improve the practice both for yourself and your students.

These classes are delivered by one of our Senior Teachers and supported by several of our Assistant Teachers to ensure that each individual receives attention throughout the class.

The aim is that you build on prior knowledge of anatomy, whatever level that may be, and leave with a greater awareness of your own body. During these classes, you will also focus on how to modify your own practice (if needed) identifying your weaknesses. The teachers will help you identify such areas and give you preparation techniques. During week two, you will be ready to begin practicing by yourself; Mysore-style classes. The teacher will no longer lead the class, you will complete the series, together with your peers, with your own breath count and in your own time. You will be supported by your Senior teacher and assistant teachers who will check alignment, help you deepen the posture and adjust you if available. Self practice is a great way for your teachers to help you personalise your development.

Pranayama – (Breathing Techniques)

From the first moment you step onto your mat, you will be encouraged to bring awareness to your breath. In Ashtanga, the ujjayi breath initiates the movement from one posture to the next. You will learn to use the rhythm of this breath to progress through your practice. In addition, you will also learn 4 further Pranayama techniques that will help you clear your mind, improve your lung capacity plus a range of other mental and physical benefits. This is an important aspect of yoga that is often overlooked, but should always follow a physical practice. Tutorials will explain the theory accompanying these breathing techniques, enabling you to practice effectively during guided classes. During these classes, you will also cover Kriyas (cleansing) and Mudras (energy seals).

Teaching Methodology

You will start to teach your peers during the first week of your training. You will instruct each other on a one-on-one basis by breaking down the fundamentals of a yoga class, from here you will progress to writing and delivering your own class. Each session, there will be tools provided for you to develop your teaching skills, facilitating you to build your own yoga class that you will deliver during the final week. The teaching methodology sessions include: opening a class, sequencing, instructions, relaxation techniques, corrections and adjustments, modifications. Students always find this a particularly memorable experience as the majority of them will teach for the first time. Participating in each others classes and providing constructive feedback for your peers is a great way to learn and this supports the ethos that learning is sharing.

Yoga Philosophy

Classical yoga philosophy is interwoven throughout the program and you will be introduced to Patanjalis yoga sutras, allowing you to make your own comparisons of classical and contemporary yoga, posing the question: What is yoga? These sessions are a great time for philosophical debates and indeed provide a welcome insight into the views of your fellow students. Each yoga class will have a spiritual message that will allow you to understand how you can incorporate philosophy into practice. Hari Krishna will deliver a talk on yoga in Gita, a beloved Indian text from which many lessons can be learned.

300-Hour Course

This residential 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course is a comprehensive Yoga Alliance approved program that runs over 4 weeks along with some preparation reading for you to have completed before you arrive at the village. The program is an intensive course that is presented with a progressive approach to yoga.

Students should be prepared to be mentally and physically challenged. You will be encouraged and invited to explore your own needs as individuals. The course is designed for you to develop as an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teacher whilst further developing your own practice. It is an intensive and rigorous course that will deepen your understanding of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and related philosophies.

Course Objectives:

• deepen your physical and spiritual practice of Ashtanga Yoga
• develop a self practice of Pranayama
• teach Ashtanga Yoga Led Class (up to Navasana and Closing Sequence)
• learn to adjust all postures of The Primary Series
• know about the Skeletal, Muscular, Fascia and Respiratory Systems, applying them to your practice and classes
• understand how to design peak posture vinyasa flow classes that are creative and anatomically informed
• gain a contemporary insight into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and commentaries of his sutras throughout the ages
• mentor students from 200hr YTTC

Eligibility
In order to participate on this course you must have already completed a 200 hr YTTC either at Kranti Yoga or another Yoga Alliance recognized school. If your 200hr certification is not Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow, it is advisable that you have an awareness of the Primary Series and have some insight into this branch of yoga.

Anatomy
These classes will allow you to gain a deeper insight into The Primary Series by looking in detail at the body mechanics throughout. A revision of the Skeletal and Muscular System will allow you to become mindful of what is happening in the body during your practice. During these classes, you will also focus on how to modify practice for students with weak areas whether due to a lack of strength or flexibility. By looking at different body shapes, sizes and abilities, you will learn how to identify such weaknesses and be able to give preparation techniques to promote improvements.

Teaching Methodology
The Teaching Methodology Program will guide you towards teaching the modified Primary Series in terms of how to give clear instructions and reminders along with how to keep the necessary pace of Ashtanga Yoga. This part of the program runs closely with Anatomy Classes as you will be encouraged to provide technical anatomical information to your students. The correct alignment of the postures will naturally be incorporated into your teaching.  Firstly, you will teach your peers and then progress to teach your own class to our Drop In students who will be of mixed abilities.

We have 4 teaching spaces (shalas) within The Yoga Village and so have the facilities to allow you to develop as a teacher.  Drop In Classes are solely to allow our teachers to gain the valuable experience of dealing with the wide range of yoga students that you can be faced with. Learning to instruct, demonstrate, motivate, be inclusive and adapt to individual needs of your students is an integral part of the course. This can only be developed by delivering your own classes and getting constructive feedback from our experienced teacher.

Adjustments
Adjustments are a key feature of Ashtanga Yoga as they allow you to gain further insight into the postures through application of gentle pressure to deepen the stretch. Adjustments can only be learnt through practice. We offer a ‘hands on’ approach that starts with practicing on your peers, moving onto assisting our main teachers on the 200hr YTTC. Practice takes place each morning and so many opportunities are there for you maximise your potential in this area. We believe this part of our course in unique in terms of the volume of students we have for you to be exposed to. Each week you will be given specific adjustments to work on and these will be carried out under the close supervision of your teacher. In order for you to assist/adjust in these classes, you must first demonstrate that you can adjust confidently by means of a small assessment which your lead teacher will assess.

Ashtanga Yoga Practice
Depending on your familiarity of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, a personal plan will be devised to further your practice. If you are new to Ashtanga, this will be supported through extra classes if necessary. Otherwise, you will continue to practice Primary Series and will have both Led Ashtanga Yoga Classes along with Self-Practice classes.  If appropriate, you will also be introduced to some asanas of The Second Series. Each week, your teacher will give you a focus to work towards in order to advance your practice. Technical Workshops in the afternoons will continue to develop your techniques in Hip Opening, Jump Back, Transitions, Backbending, Inversions and Arm Balancing.  Not only will you develop your own practice in all of these sessions, you will without doubt pick up helpful ideas to take with you to develop your own students in these areas.

Vinyasa Technical Flow Theory
Vinyasa Technical Flow Theory is designed to equip you with the skills you need to teach your own technical flow class in which you design the asanas to reach a peak posture. You will explore the different layers as to what makes a well rounded and effective Vinyasa flow class and what tools do we need as teachers to successfully deliver them. The aim is to allow you to creatively sequence a flow with an energetic purpose and spiritual intention. A lot of freedom is given to the student in order that you feel open to find your own unique voice whilst being guided along the way. As this module takes place in the second half of your course, we will draw on previously covered topics to find what inspires you and work from there. Myth, the art of storytelling, chakras, ayurveda and the sutras have all been used as tools to give our classes layers and depth. As support for this module we will also be covering the anatomy and alignment behind postures that do not appear within the Ashtanga Primary Series. The assessment will take place in the final week, when you have the opportunity to teach your individual flow class to your peers.

Pranayama and Meditation
The breath initiates the movement from posture to posture in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. It is impossible to progress through the series without being familiar with the rhythm of your own breath as your focus is dependent on it to achieve sense withdrawal to induce meditation. You will learn techniques that will help you to lengthen your breath, increase your lung capacity and strengthen the nervous system.  Pranayama and Meditation are great ways to alleviate stress and tension, something that is often endured in modern society. The practice of Pranayama and Meditation will allow you to build mental and emotional strength to help you maintain a healthy sense of wellbeing, not just on the YTTC but in your everyday life.

Tutorials will explain the theory accompanying these breathing techniques enabling you to further develop your own personal practice.

Kriyas
Cleansing will clear the system and allow the breath to flow freely.   You will learn and practice 3 cleansing techniques (shatkarmas) on your course; jala neti, sutra neti and tratak. Tutorials are available for any individual that has a particular interest in this area.

Yoga Philosophy
A contemporary insight into classical yoga philosophy is interwoven throughout the program, drawing on Vedic beliefs.  You will study the influential text Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with tutorials designed to promote discussion and debate around these philosophies.  You will be encouraged to incorporate key messages from these texts into your daily practice in order that your practice is supported spiritually.   It is our aim that your spiritual development is just as important as your physical development. This, along with Yogic Lifestyle studies, encourages you to question and challenge your own lifestyle choices in order to improve your overall sense of wellbeing.

Teaching Assistant Program
A unique feature of our course is that you will act as a Teaching Assistant on the course. As previously mentioned, you will support morning practice in order to align and adjust students and so it is important that you develop a rapport with them. Students will be allocated for you to mentor on a one to one basis. You will be expected to devise personal plans for them with preparation advice for problem postures due to a lack of flexibility or strength. This is an ideal opportunity for you to demonstrate correct alignment that will have learnt with us. All this is closely supervised by your Lead Teacher. The program is always warmly received by both parties in terms of advancing the practice of the mentee and developing the teaching/communication skills of the mentor.

Assessments

• teach a Drop In Class, modified Primary Series (up to Navasana and closing sequence)
• pass a written test in Yoga Philosophy
• peer teach a Release/Flow Class
• present the correct alignment of asanas along with the anatomical focus of the asana
• pass a written test on the anatomy of the alignment of the Primary Series
• adjust your mentees in morning practice

Evening Activities
These include: Moonlight/Candlelight/Om Meditation, Yoga Movies, Local Festivals, Japa Yoga

Beyond the course, there are often opportunities for graduates to support us in the shala, should you want to lengthen your stay in Patnem. Subject to availability, we are happy for you develop and support the Senior Teachers on the YTTCs. This can be discussed on successful completion of your course. Please see the Karma Yoga section on the website.

Typical daily schedule*

• 06.30 – 07.00      Mantra Chanting
• 07.00 – 09.00      Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series (Self Practice Or Led Class)
•                                Wednesday: Back Bending Flow
•                                Saturday: Hip Opening Flow
• 09.00 – 10.00     Meditation / Pranayama / Kriyas
• 10.00 – 11.00      Breakfast
• 11.00 – 13.00      Anatomy of Alignment Classes / Adjustment Workshop
• 13.00 – 13.40      Lunch
• 13.40 – 14.40      Yoga Philosophy/Ayurveda
• 14.45 – 16.15       Teaching Methodology
• 16.30 – 18.00     Hip Opening / Backbending / Jump Back / Inversions Technical Workshops
• 19.00 – 20.00    Dinner
  Classes are all day Monday to Saturday, Sunday off.