So you created a 200 hour and you’ve been running it for a few years. Now your students are looking for more and asking you to create a 300-hour advanced teacher training course. Where to start?
First of all, don’t panic.
Creating a 300-hour yoga teacher training course may be easier than you think!
First: Why It’s Easier Than You Think
When students complete a 200-hour yoga teacher training, they often have an idea of how they should teach. theoretically, but few valuable skills in practice. Part of the goal of a 300-hour course is to help your students integrate, embody, and innovate on these foundational skills. This objective means that you will spend a good part of your time having your students work on the practical aspects of their profession, which will take a lot of time:
- Practice educational work with detailed and specific feedback from trainers ~ 50 hours
- For example: 2.5 hours on Saturday and Sunday over 10 weekends, round-robin teaching or structured practical teaching
- Assist teachers in public classes ~ 30 hours
- Students can observe classes or assist instructors in classes with selected hands-on teaching moments when they are ready; maybe they teach a class per donation for the studio under supervision
Damn it! You have just planned 80 hours out of your 300 hours of training!
Not too bad.
Now these hours cannot be random, abstract, muddy, inconsistent or unplanned. You will need to create clear benchmarks for skill development as well as measurable and specific success criteria. But strengthening your cueing basics (direct language, spotting from the ground up, misalignments, stabilizing transitions, etc.) will take time and practice. So be sure to create time and space in your 300-hour yoga teacher training to work on these foundational skills until they become organic and second nature.
Content for your 300 hours
So now that you have 80 hours of your program planned out, what else should you include?
Consider:
- Class styles. Lesson styles in your studio or community: What styles should students learn? How do you want your teachers to teach? What are the current gaps in knowledge that you would fill if you could?
- Sequencing. Ah the sequencing! There are so many possibilities here! Create sequences, create sequences in different styles, teach these sequences, adapt sequences, evaluate each person’s sequences, work on rhythm, create complete lessons, create a progressive series… the possibilities are endless.
- Anatomy. Ahhh the anatomy! You know how much I love yoga anatomy! If you are looking for help here I have a 50 hour online anatomy program for 300 hour programs led by Gil Hedley. Take a look here and ask me for a behind-the-scenes tour.
- Yoga specialty. Honestly, I am not a fan of bringing together a bunch of specialized styles and modularizing them into a 300-hour yoga training. While this may seem tempting from a business standpoint (hey, I’ll just have a bunch of a la carte offerings and turn them into YTTs!), it undermines your ability to create a powerful, complex trip with a group of students. That said, if you have a particularly strong specialty style in your studio, such as hot or Yin, then you may want to consider incorporating a style into your 300, such as 50 hour Yin training.
- Philosophy. What texts are important for your students to know? And if you’re looking for help with lesson plans, check out my Buy lessons and save time! The history of Yoga, Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Ayurveda, Chakras, Koshas, Tantra, Hatha?
- Pranayama and meditation techniques. What do you want them to know? Build on the basics first. Build on the techniques from your 200-hour yoga teacher training program (meditation and pranayama), then add ample time for group practice and teaching of more advanced techniques you want your teachers to know.
- Ethics and values. How does a professional yoga teacher behave? How do they contextualize conflicts or manage difficult situations? What tough questions might arise for a yoga professional and what tools do they need to address these challenges?
- Yoga business modules. Online education is here to stay. By including practical business modules on branding, marketing, online teaching, planning a retreat, and creating a workshop, you can help your interns succeed as professionals. (Want help? Check out my many business electives here.)
- Other cool stuff. Practical aids, theming, mudra, mantra, chanting, kirtan, subtle body, adaptive yoga, teaching beginners, yoga awareness, trauma-informed yoga, specialized populations.
Your task: consider your ideal graduate. What skills, attitudes and knowledge do they need to be a representative of your company? Think! Create a wild and crazy list!
Example of time distribution
Okay guys, so let’s say I help you with your content. Let’s break down those 300 hours into manageable chunks. Here’s how you might start planning:
- 50 hours of practical teaching and feedback from trainees
- 30 hours of real practice (faculty guided practice)
- 10 hours of practice (formal assessment)
- 30 hours of class assistance and observation
- 50 hours: Yin teaching specialty
- 50 hours: integral anatomy course for yogis by Gil Hedley
- 10 hours of pranayama and meditation practices
- 10 hours of mantra, chanting
- 30 hours of philosophical and ethical study
- 10 hours of hands-on support
- 10 hours of work
Um… wait, we’re already at 290 hours, which is 20 more than we need for contact hours (Yoga Alliance only requires 270).
Do you feel more manageable?
Yoga Alliance
Yoga Alliance is currently (as of February 2024) simpler and more flexible with its 300 hour standards than with its 200 hour standards. Studios have a lot of leeway to create courses that reflect their mission and vision, and as a result, they don’t dictate content “categories” as strictly.
Here are some key points (see more here):
- Teachers must be registered as 500 hour E-RYT teachers
- 50 hours (at least) must be allocated for techniques, training and practice
- 5 hours (at least) must be allocated to the teaching methodology
- 30 hours (at least) should be allocated to yoga philosophy, lifestyle and ethics for yoga teachers.
- 30 hours (at least) must be allocated to the internship (teaching practice, observation, assistance)
- And YES, you can teach online.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this has helped demystify the 300 hour YTT and make it a little more accessible!
The 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training is a powerful and exciting offering for your community that can help your teachers gain confidence in their skills and the authenticity of their teaching voice. The launch of your 300 hour YTT may be closer than you think!
I’m here to help you! Contact us anytime for an informational discussion or brainstorm and let’s make this a reality.
Book a conversation with me HERE.