RYT 500 Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum

RYT 500 Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum

RYT 500 Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum

Curriculum is in compliance with recommendations of Yoga Alliance, USA, and Worldwide Yoga Alliance, Canada.

After your initial 200 hours of yoga training, to become certified at the advanced level, teachers are required to take an additional 300 hours of training with a registered RYS 300 yoga school.  These 300 hours must cover certain curriculum requirements in order to meet standards.

SAVY International Inc./ SAVY Studios have created a menu of diverse course offerings in convenient modules, so that you can complete your certification in a way that honors your unique interests and fits easily into your lifestyle.

The 300-hour training provides education in the following areas:

In this program, you will explore more advanced concepts in:

  • Advanced Asanas
  • More About Pranayama
  • Meditation
  • Kriyas and Mudras
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Yoga History and Philosophy
  • Introduction to Ayurveda
  • Teaching Methodology
  • Business of Yoga
  • Practice Teaching
  • Assignments

Structure of Program

We offer RYT 500 program on a module-based 150 Hours + 150 Hours format:

150 Hours of Core Curriculum + 150 Hours of Electives.

Core Curriculum: 150 hours of your course-time is selected from Core Curriculum. You can complete the 150 hours Core Curriculum as one course or as modules. It is mandatory to complete this part for all candidates. Full 150 Hours are credited towards 300 hours of RYT 500 course. Core Curriculum includes the following modules:

  • Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras I (30 Hours)
  • Yoga Asana Beyond Basics (50 Hours)
  • Crafting Classes and Workshops (35 Hours)
  • Integrated Anatomy and Therapeutics I (35 Hours)

Electives: For the rest of the 150 hours, you can choose from various elective modules whose credits are acceptable for this training. SAVY has created a menu of diverse course offerings in different modules, mostly ranging from 25 to 100 hours, so that you can receive your certification in a way that honors your unique interests and fits easily into your lifestyle. The choice of elective modules will depend on which stream of Yoga you want to focus on: Asana, Meditation, Pranayama, Therapeutic Yoga etc. For Electives, because of the diverse nature of different courses/ modules, only Contact Hours are counted towards 300 hours of RYT 500 course. Electives have to be taken as Individual courses as and when they are offered. 

The diverse list of very interesting courses available under Electives is given here.

RYT 500 in therapeutic Yoga is a specialized program which constitutes the 1st year of our Worldwide Yoga Alliance, Canada (WWYA) registered Yoga Therapy Training program. RYT 500 in therapeutic Yoga is offered as a part of the Yoga Therapy Training program. Focus of the training is on the therapeutic aspect of Yoga.  Because SAVY Training Programs are also registered with Yoga Alliance, USA, once you’ve completed the necessary required and elective courses included in our 300 hour training, we’ll provide you with the documentation you need to get your RYT 500 designation with Yoga Alliance, USA as well. For guidance on joining our Registered Yoga Therapy Training, please consult us. 

 

Formats

For Core Curriculum, you can choose between:

  • 2 week Intensive format, or
  • 3-6 week Semi-intensive format, or
  • 12 week Semi-intensive format, or
  • Week-end format, or
  • Flexible Format

Certification Test will be given after 150 hours of training are complete. Electives have their own formats and tests.

 

CORE CURRICULUM

It is mandatory to attend Core Curriculum for registration with Yoga Alliance, USA or Worldwide Yoga Alliance, Canada.

This program has the following major components:

 

TEACHING, TRAINING AND PRACTICE

(50 Hours: 25 Contact Hours/ 25 Hours with Lead Trainer)

This material fosters an enhanced understanding and experience as compared to the content of RYT 200 foundational Techniques, Training and Practice sessions. These hours are a mix between:

1) analytical training in how to teach and practice the techniques and

2) guided practice of the techniques themselves.

Both areas receive substantial emphasis.

ADVANCED ASANA

Learn alignment principles for advanced elements of practice, as well as techniques for safely guiding students in and out of more advanced poses. Develop the skills and confidence to provide effective private yoga sessions. The most popular component of yoga in the West, the asanas (or postures) are what typically inspire people to explore this ancient practice and lifestyle. In this program, you will learn how to teach Beginner and Intermediate postures in safe and supportive ways. You will learn about different yoga postures, the principles of entry and exit, and alignment, the precautions, contra-indications and benefits of each asana as well as how to offer safe and appropriate assists and modifications to help safely deepen your students’ experience of yoga. Your teacher will help you refine your postures. You will be required to practice an asana routine daily. To deepen your teaching skills, you are also required to attend yoga classes taught by individuals with a minimum of RYT 500 or equivalent Yoga Teacher certification.

In electives, we offer SAVY Secondary Series. SAVY Secondary Series is a well-rounded advanced practice that includes some more advanced balancing postures, hand-balances, fundamental thigh stretches, back-bends, some basic abdominal exercises, sitting forward bends, hip-openers, and twists. This set routine provides the RYT 500 students with something for themselves that they can take home and practice every day. SAVY Secondary Series routine is exceptionally detoxifying, strengthening and transformative for any level of practitioner. Practiced regularly, it helps to cultivate focus, strength, stamina, determination, self-forgiveness, along with many other desirable life qualities, and prepares you for more advanced work in Ashtanga Yoga. Meditation is closely intertwined with the asanas. With a set of asana sequences, students will be able to clearly gauge their progress as they practice it on a regular basis. Pranayama and meditation can be added and practiced with SAVY Secondary Series for a complete well-rounded daily or weekly practice.

All classes will be led by training faculty members and/ or visiting teachers with at least RYT 500 certification. We focus on growth and exploration of asanas (yoga postures). A knowledge of variety in different streams of Yoga will provide tools for interpretation, and further the process of making your teaching personal and authentic.

(If you have never tried the SAVY Yoga classes you can purchase class card and visit our studio.)

POSTURE AND EXPERIENTIAL ANATOMY WORKSHOP

Practice giving more advanced postural assistance and receiving feedback from peers and skilled facilitators/ teachers. Learn Yoga Anatomy principles through experiential posture clinics focused on cultivating internal awareness of body systems. Learn to have every student experience the anatomical benefits of a pose in a way that works for them through the use of props and adjustments.In this interactive series, each representative posture in the SAVY sequence will be broken down to explore alignment, variations, staying in pose, and sequencing. This segment covers each representative pose in deep detail, so that the teacher trainers can discover the biomechanics of each posture and hence the safest and most effective way to enter and exit each posture. This section revolves around one of the most important aspects of teaching: the safe and effective performance of yoga asanas. We shall focus primarily on the entry, stasis and exit to and from poses, using both verbal and hands-on adjustments. There will also be discussion revolving around the issues of hands-on adjustments, recognizing limitations, and how to be most effective in directing students to self-adjust.

PRANAYAMA

Prana is the basis of life. Practice of yoga is incomplete without proper knowledge of pranayama, or the science of breathing. In this component of the program, you will learn how to teach a variety of breathing practices, as well as develop a solid understanding of their benefits and associated precautions/contra-indications. You will learn about their relevance to general health.

Dr. Jitender K Sahdev has done a lot of work on Pranayama and is a leading researcher on yoga therapy through especially breathing exercises. He or his close associate leads this segment. This is an extension of the regular teachings of yoga anatomy; you will learn more about respiration. It explores how the living matter is developed as a human being from molecules to cells and tissues and organs and systems. Then we move into a more subtle understanding of the relationship between matter and energy, structure and function, marma, yoga, energy and Prana, covering all the main principles that will make you understand more deeply the underlying secrets of each asana. The knowledge of these principles enables also the student to integrate more deeply how we can utilize these postures when applicable, to help the healing process.

KRIYAS AND MUDRAS OF YOGA

Teacher trainees will get a chance to get introduced to kriyas and mudras. Learning all that opens up your mind to the facts connected with hatha yoga and gives you a chance to understand all that in a better way.

MEDITATION/ MINDFUL YOGA

The physical practice of yoga is essentially about preparing the body and the mind for meditation. To be sure, the journey inwards is not for the faint at heart. You will learn about a variety of meditation techniques so that you can have your own experiences to draw from as you lead your future students through this life-altering practice.

The ultimate aim of all yoga is moksha or liberation. The common aspiration of all yoga practitioners is to overcome suffering and imbalance, physical, emotional or spiritual, and awaken the inherent wholesomeness and the feeling of unity with all things. Meditation, dynamic or adynamic, is an essential practice to accomplish this and teaches us mindfulness.

We’ll be learning about meditation/ pranayama practice daily, led by one of our teachers. Although the practice will be more suitable to experienced practitioners, previous experience is not mandatory. It is no problem if this is your first time practicing meditation/ pranayama. This is a great way to cultivate a mindful, productive and stress- free day.

 

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

(5 Hours: 5 Contact Hours/ 5 Hours with Lead Trainer)

Teaching yoga is a privilege and working with people in this practice offers many opportunities for self-growth and discovery. There is so much more to teaching than simply knowing the asanas and breathing practices. You will develop your capacity to make connections with your students and foster healthy relationships as you explore topics such as Ethics and Boundaries, Creating Sacred Space, The Ethics of Touch, Creating Class Themes, Sequencing Classes etc., to name a few. Some of the topics covered are:

  • Communication skills such as group dynamics, time management, and the establishment of priorities and boundaries
  • How to address the specific needs of individuals and special populations, to the degree possible in a group setting
  • Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting and correcting
  • Teaching styles
  • Qualities of a teacher
  • The student learning process

DEMONSTRATING ASANAS/ LEARNING MODALITIES/ USE OF VOICE (3 Hours)

It is theory and interactive practical workshop that will focus primarily on all the teaching moments that happen before, during and after class. This teaches how to create comfort and confidence within the art of teaching. We’ll explore teaching techniques such as voice projection, utilizing key words, body language, and the use of visualization to convey information. Further discussion will revolve around the different ways in which people learn, how to create a supportive environment for new students, and how to prepare oneself mentally before teaching a class.

BUSINESS OF YOGA (2 Hours)

Yoga is a multi-billion industry in the west. In this component, you will learn about how to set up your own yoga business and how to make it really work for you. Traditionally, yoga, just like all other learning, was taught free to deserving and meritorious students. In modern times, that is no more a practical way to keep yoga learning and teaching sustainable. Learn how to build a sustainable teaching career and practice the art of abundance. We will explore in detail the nuts and bolts of setting yourself up as an effective yoga professional and introduce practical techniques for managing your time, building your class and workshop numbers, creating a strong and consistent following and ultimately flourishing as a teacher. You will also learn the process of opening a Yoga studio.

 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

(15 Hours: 10 Contact Hours/ 0 Hours with Lead Trainer)

An understanding of body mechanics is essential to keeping your students safe as they learn new poses and breathing techniques. You will learn about how muscles, ligaments, bones and connective tissues are impacted by the physical practice of yoga and pranayama, how the skeletal system supports those muscles and connective tissues and how yoga can become an effective, therapeutic way to heal the body of aches, pains, injuries and chronic conditions.

This section will teach Human Anatomy and Physiology, Anatomy of Chakras, Nadis and Marmas and Relation of Anatomy with Yoga (at least 5 hours).

You’ll get an exciting introduction to the larger structures and systems of the body. SAVY Faculty’s experience in the study of Human Anatomy and Physiology and extensive and in depth study of yoga and their passion for anatomy and physiology make what can be a dry topic interesting and fun to learn. Our teachers are well-versed with teaching of human anatomy.

 

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA, LIFESTYLE AND ETHICS

(30 Hours: 25 Contact Hours/ 0 Hours with Lead Trainer)

Topics in this category include, but are not limited to:

  • Further and deeper study of yoga philosophies and traditional texts (such as the Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika or Bhagavad Gita) than what was included in school’s RYT 200 syllabus content
  • Yoga lifestyle, such as the precept of non-violence (ahimsa), and the concepts of dharma and karma
  • Ethics for yoga teachers, such as those involving teacher – student relationships and community
  • Understanding the value of teaching yoga as a service and being of service to others through yoga (seva)

The philosophy of yoga is integral to complete understanding of the subject. From the Classical tradition to the Tantric, you will explore the world of yoga through a variety of philosophical view-points, and, ideally, find the one that resonates most closely with you. Learn about their modern day applications and relevance. History of yoga is grand and newer research is taking us closer to witness its right perspective. We cover all that and explore the history and philosophy of yoga with the intention of connecting to the ancient roots of Yoga. You will be introduced to the main yoga texts and their central themes in a way that brings them to life and makes their wisdom relevant for yogis in our times. The study of yoga philosophy will give you an overview of a rich tradition and add greater depth to your teaching.

 

PRACTICUM AND TOOLS FOR CRAFTING TRANSFORMATIONAL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

(30 Hours: 15 Contact Hours/ 5 Hours with Lead Trainer)

Topics in this category include:

  • Practice teaching (does not include assisting, observing or giving feedback)*
  • Receiving and giving feedback
  • Observing others teaching
  • Assisting students while someone else is teaching

*Special Requirement: Each trainee must spend a minimum of 5 contact hours of practice teaching as the lead instructor. These hours may include the time during which the trainee is receiving feedback on his/her teaching. Time spent assisting, observing others teaching, or giving feedback to others is excluded from these hours.

Learn to teach from your most authentic self, using your own inner wisdom as the seed for inspired teaching. Develop techniques for crafting transformational workshops and creating sacred classroom space, including group facilitation methodology, approaches to assessing and shifting group dynamics, and reflective listening skills. In the program, you will be given opportunities to teach what you are learning and engage in compassionate and supportive feedback to help each other develop. At the end of the program, you will be asked to design and teach a complete class that includes asana, pranayama and meditation.

Emphasis will be placed on preparing the teacher trainee for the actual practice of yoga teaching. Each student will have the opportunity to lead small groups of their fellow trainees through several consecutive postures and learn thematic approaches to teaching. The teaching will be followed by feedback sessions.

 

JOURNALING AND PRESENTATION

(10 Hours: 0 Contact Hours/ 0 Hours with Lead Trainer)

Writing is another form of meditation. Document the physical, emotional and spiritual journey that you experience throughout the training. It gives you an opportunity to slow the mind and work through the challenges and excitement that arise in an intensive training.

Also, teacher trainees will be required to give a presentation. Presentation topics will be provided, though trainers can choose to present a seminar on any topic that could benefit the group. This is an opportunity to put public speaking skills into practice in a setting that is more comfortable and varied than a standard yoga class.

 

INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA

(10 Hours: 0 Contact Hours/ 0 Hours with Lead Trainer)

Recognized by WHO, Ayurveda is a sister system of yoga to living mindfully according to your unique Mind/Body type and understanding the Rhythms of Nature. Ayurveda teaches you about the three primary Doshas and how to develop routines that support your own and your students’ particular constitutions.

ASSIGNMENTS

Your own personal practice and continued self-reflection will always be most beneficial to you. The assignments are designed to give you a format in which you can explore the various program components in a method of self-study that encourages you to delve more deeply into your experience of yoga. What you discover in this journey will have a lasting effect on you as a person and a teacher.

 

Remaining Contact Hours and Elective Hours 

The Standards detailed above ensure that all trainees of SAVY receive training and instruction in five Educational Categories for a minimum number of designated hours. The remaining Contact Hours (190 hours) and elective hours (170 hours, a combination of contact and non-contact) are to be distributed among the five Educational Categories. These hours are to be allocated at the discretion of SAVY based on program’s focus. 

SAVY has created a menu of diverse course offerings in different modules ranging from 25 to 100 hours, so that you can receive your certification in a way that honors your unique interests and fits easily into your lifestyle. For Electives, because of the diverse nature of different courses, only Contact Hours are counted towards 300 hours of RYT 500 course.

Please go to the page Yoga Teacher Training Courses, scroll down, and select your course from the list of Electives given there. Electives will have to be finalized in consultation with the office.

 

Total Hours: 300 Hours

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p class=”western” style=”text-align: justify;”>Total minimum Contact Hours: 270 hours
Total minimum Contact Hours with Lead Trainer(s): 135 hours

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