An Iyengar Yoga Institute

Teacher Training 2024

Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training

The Iyengar teaching certificate is internationally recognised as the benchmark yoga qualification. Clifton Hill Yoga Studio has been conducting Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT) development for over 20 years. The studio is regularly used as the venue for certification exams.

In 2024 Clifton Hill Yoga Studio’s Teacher Training program continues, with new students able to start the program with their first term, while current trainees continue with Term 5. Vaughan Allan is teaching the new course. Vaughan has over 20 years of Iyengar yoga teaching experience.

  • 300-Hour Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training Course
  • Duration: 3 years
    • Year 1 & 2 consist of 8 terms of formal structured training
    • Year 3 has a less formal structure, preparing trainees for examination
  • Cost: $1,250 per term x 8 (mirroring school terms)
  • Contact the studio for more information: info@iyoga.com.au

 

Structure:

The first 2 years of the course are focused on meeting the requirements of the Iyengar Association for sitting certification examination & on developing the trainees practice. It is about building up a level of practice, an understanding of the syllabus both theoretically and subjectively. It also introduces the art of teaching, observation and adjustment. It is hands on, the Trainers lead and guide the trainees. At the end of year 2 trainees will be given a Certificate of Competency, which allows them to get insured as a yoga teacher and to teach in gyms, workplaces and non-Iyengar studios.

Year-3 is about developing people to sit the certification exam. This is the process that distinguishes Iyengar teachers from other methods of teaching yoga. This third year is informal. The relationship with the Trainers becomes more of a mentorship. The trainee starts to teach their own students, they hone their teaching skills. The studio and the trainers are there to support the trainees through this process. There are no formal fees charged for this year, but it is the most challenging part of the course. It is here that the trainee takes charge of their own development, and as such walks over the threshold of becoming a teacher. The trainee is expected to attend advanced classes with T/V and will be called upon to teach postures in those classes.

  • 2 classes per week with Vaughan minimum; can attend up to 5-classes per week
  • Weekly 2-hour Teacher Training class (Sunday 12.00 noon+ zoom access)
  • Recommended attendance to Sunday 8am  (Vaughan – Level 2) & 10am (Tim – Pranayama) in person or via zoom or recording
  • Two week long workshops per year
  • Once per term face-to-face touch base with trainers
  • Weekly observation and assistance in Vaughan’s classes (100 hour requirement = 1.25 classes/week over 2 years)
  • Students also receive a key to the studio and are welcome to practice at the facility.

 

Other Requirements:

  • 40 hour accredited Anatomy course
  • CPR training
  • Membership B.K.S. Iyengar Association of Australia

 

General information:

Becoming an Iyengar Yoga Teacher is a rewarding and challenging experience. Like anything worthwhile, the training requires commitment and discipline. CHYS has been running TT programs for over 20 years and many of Melbourne’s best-known yoga teachers completed their training here. When you do your training at CHYS you are doing more than a course – you are becoming part of a yoga community. When you complete Iyengar certification you are a teacher, not an instructor.

The Iyengar method believes that teaching is informed from our practice.The style of training is both theoretical and practical, with a real emphasis on learning in a live environment. There is a strong focus on building up the level of practice of asana and pranayama. Our aim is to provide trainees with both a theoretical grounding in the subject of yoga, underpinned with the practical skills needed to teach. The course instills a strong discipline for independent practice, gives an overall understanding of teaching Asana and Pranayama in accordance with the method developed by BKS Iyengar, and introduces the study of human anatomy and yoga philosophy.

The program prepares students for the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia certificate examination. More details of the assessment are available on the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association website. The teacher training program runs for three years, with students completing over 300 hours of study/learning, and over 100 hours of practical experience in classes. Once the main training is completed, students will be able to sit for their assessment. Students are also required to attend
weekly Advanced classes at the studio all through the program. It is a significant, but incredibly worthwhile, commitment.

Dedicating more time to the pursuit of yoga and teaching yoga, is an endless process that will start with the first two years of this course, and should then continue to grow over your lifetime. This training will deepen your understanding of yoga and develop a strong independent practice.