When you are going to take a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh, the first thing that is likely to cross your mind is – what am I going to learn? This is a justifiable and significant question. After all, you are going to dedicate your time, money, and energy to this program.
Here we will take you through the entire curriculum of a 200 Hour Yoga TTC in Rishikesh. We will make it real, factual and understandable.
What Is the Curriculum Based On
A 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh is based on the norms of Yoga Alliance USA. The most well known yoga organization in the world is Yoga Alliance. It has established specific rules that a 200-hour training should contain.
Under the standards of Yoga Alliance 200 hour training, this program should have five key areas. These shall be techniques, training, and practice; teaching methodology; anatomy and physiology; yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics; and practicum. All of these areas are to be taught at schools that are registered with Yoga Alliance. We observe all these standards in Himalayan Yoga Association.
Also, one should be aware that the majority of 200 Hour Yoga Courses in Rishikesh are founded on the Hatha Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga schools. These are the two most ancient and researched styles of yoga. Hatha is concentrated in alignment and slow and gradual practice. Ashtanga has a predetermined order of postures that have breath-based movement.
Section 1: Asana
Asana is the physical yoga practice and one of the biggest components of the curriculum. The average time that students study and practice asana is approximately 100 hours.
You will be taught the names of postures in Sanskrit and English – e.g. Tadasana, Trikonasana, Sirsasana and Sarvangasana. You will learn the right pose, advantages, modifications, and contraindications of each pose. There are standing poses, seated poses, back bends, forward bends, twists, inversion and restorative poses.
You are also going to master practical ways of adjustment – how to help a student in a position that is safe and respectful. It is a practical skill, which is time-demanding and the training provides you with that time.
Section 2: Pranayama
The fourth limb of yoga as defined by Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, is pranayama. It is the control and expansion of prana or life force with the help of breath.
Pranayamas you will learn and perform in the curriculum are Nadi Shodhana, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, Ujjayi, Bhramari, Sheetali and Sheetkari. Each pranayama contains a specific intention. To illustrate, Nadi Shodhana works towards the balance of the nervous system. Kapalabhati purifies the respiratory system and makes the body active. Bhramari relaxes the mind and can be of significant assistance to stress and anxiety.
You also get to know about the Bandhas – Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, and Jalandhara Bandha and how they apply in the practice of pranayama to guide prana within the body.
Section 3: Meditation
Meditation is also an obligatory aspect of the 200 Hour Yoga TTC Rishikesh program. You will not simply practice it, you will learn how to teach it.
There are various styles of meditation taught in the course. They are Trataka (candle gazing meditation), Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep – a very restorative guided meditation), Mantra meditation, Vipassana-style silent sitting, and Chakra meditation.
You will also have to learn the science of meditation. According to scientific research, cortisol levels, the degree of attention, and those associated with emotion control are decreased by daily meditation. This background information will help you to justify the merits of meditation to your prospective students.
Section 4: Yoga Philosophy
It is one of the most scholarly rich parts of the curriculum. Yoga is not a mere exercise practice, but a lifestyle.
The philosophy curriculum also incorporates the study of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which is the most significant foundational text of classical yoga. The teachings of Bhagavad Gita will also be studied along with the text that brings about the concept of karma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnanayoga. There is, too, an introduction to Samkhya philosophy, which is among the six classical Indian philosophical systems to which yoga theory is applied.
Other subjects are the principle of the Pancha Koshas, the three Gunas and the principles of the Chakra system – the seven main energy centers of the body.
Section 5: Anatomy and Physiology
A yoga teacher must not compromise on the knowledge of the human body. Anatomy section discusses the western anatomy as well as yogic anatomy.
On the West side, you will learn about the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory system, the nervous system, all with regard to yoga practice. You will know what muscles to engage in what poses and how to prevent some of the most frequent injuries such as lower back pain or strains on the knee.
On the yogic anatomy side, you shall learn the Nadi system of the body, the energy channels, namely Ida, Pingala and Sushumna Nadi. You will also come to know about the five Pranic Vayus Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana.
Section 6: Teaching Methodology and Practicum
It is this part that distinguishes a yoga practitioner and a yoga teacher. You will be taught to design a complete class – warm-up, peak poses, cool-down and Savasana. You will also learn voice modulation, verbal cueing and how to command the energy of a room.
Good cueing is an art. You will train on how to give direct instructions rather than vague ones. Each student leads at least two full practice classes before the group and gets thorough feedback by the teachers and peers. This is what people tend to remember most about the whole training.
Final Word
The 200 Hour Yoga TTC Rishikesh is an excellently planned and highly inspirational course. It appeals to all the levels of yoga physical, mental, energetic, philosophical, and practical. At the course completion, you will be quite fit to teach yoga with a sense of confidence and genuineness.
You are welcome at Rishikesh when you are ready to begin.
