750 hours later in the yoga teacher training

Over the Pentecost holiday, we completed the third and final module of our Alignment Yoga Teacher Training series.

The participants spent 750 training hours with us over 3 or 4 years and are now ready to pass on their expertise to their students.

Their toolkit is filled with a wealth of knowledge and personal experience regarding proper alignment in the asanas, anatomy, pranayama, meditation, and yoga philosophy.

But the most important point is!

👉🏼 Their knowledge hasn’t just remained knowledge; they can apply it correctly and competently while feeling comfortable and confident.

They’re so successful at this today because they stuck with it.

After all, alignment and proper positioning in yoga poses aren’t something you learn in a weekend or a few hours—there’s a lot more to it—and I’ll describe what that is here in this article.

You have to learn how to apply knowledge—learning by doing!

Like a big yoga buffet

Why we love our work

Knowing is not the same as being able to do

It’s like driving a car. Just because someone shows you how it’s done—gas here, brake there, gear here, turn signal there—doesn’t mean you can drive a car.

You might even pass the written test with a perfect score, but that doesn’t mean you can actually drive yet either.

Only after you’ve driven for a long time—first with an instructor and the blue “L” so major mistakes can be corrected immediately, and later on your own with all the important learning experiences (also known as mistakes) that come along with it—only then can you truly drive. Or how was it for you?

I still remember my first solo drive very well: a short route, all straight ahead, no highway, me: super nervous—and the handbrake? I’d completely forgotten to release it 😅—does that sound familiar, have you had experiences like that too?

The same applies to other areas of life, theoretically I can do practically anything, I once read that as a saying. So true!

But if you know theoretically how to hang a light bulb, it’s a whole different story until it’s finally hanging and giving off light. There are thousands of other examples—I think you get what I mean? That’s just how it is in yoga and with teaching, too.

Here’s another important point

👉🏼 Just because you know something doesn’t mean you can put that knowledge into practice.

Knowing isn’t the same as being able to do.

To be able to do something, it takes constant repetition and practice—that’s the only way you’ll become confident in what you’re doing.

That’s why, in our yoga teacher training programs, we focus on correct alignment

Not just in a single module or over a weekend, but throughout the entire training.

From the foundational training, the 200-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training, all the way to the training for specialists in Alignment Yoga.

“What? That many hours for a yoga teacher training?

750 hours? All in the same yoga style?

What do you even learn there? Isn’t that boring?”

That’s what one participant was asked when she mentioned that she was completing the 750-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training with us over the weekend.

Many people aren’t even aware of how much skill and craftsmanship goes into being a good yoga teacher—it’s not just about knowledge!

This is likely also due to the sheer abundance of training programs on the yoga market.

Many programs cover a wide range of topics and impart knowledge, but they don’t really delve deeply into the subject matter—much of it simply remains on the surface.

The skills and practical application are not taught. Many people complete a yoga teacher training program but don’t feel confident teaching afterward.

Knowledge is more accessible today than ever before—but having someone show you how to apply it confidently and competently, so that you feel confident and competent afterward, is rare.

Our participants are convinced by how we transform knowledge into skill

Perhaps it’s also due to the current zeitgeist? Do people still have the leisure and patience to truly commit to something? To invest time in really learning something, and not give up right away when it gets challenging?

That immediately brings the Dunning-Kruger effect to mind. This describes a phenomenon in which people with little knowledge or skill in a field tend to overestimate their competence, while those who have invested a lot of time and energy often tend to underestimate their knowledge.

Yet this is precisely what our participants value most: that we truly guide them into the depths of the subject matter, how we transform knowledge into their ability.

After the training, they truly understand what yoga is all about.

They feel very well-prepared, competent in what they have learned, and confident when teaching their classes.

Joey and I (Tanja) learned yoga in exactly the same way—by sticking with the same subject for years and by not constantly turning to something new.

This allowed us to delve deeper into our field, and we continue to do so. That is exactly what fascinates us, and that is exactly what we want to pass on.

We sometimes like to joke about what we call “crash courses” in yoga teacher training programs in Bali, India, Costa Rica, or wherever they’re offered. Of course, this can give you a first glimpse into yoga and let you see what’s out there.

But even with the best intentions, you’re still not competent enough afterward to teach safely and with professional expertise.

One of our participants once described this very well. Before our training programs, he had also attended a yoga teacher training in Bali. For him, it was a good experience because it simply gave him a chance to see what’s out there.

He compared it to a large buffet where you can sample different dishes. By the end, you might feel a bit sick from all the sampling—but you’ve seen what’s available and what tastes best to you.

Today, after 750 hours and four years later—as well as many additional hours of study and practice outside our yoga studio—he says the following:

“I now feel confident and competent in what I do. You delved deeply into the subject matter with us, and I really appreciate that. Less is more—in training and in life—as I’ve learned.”

Confidence brings peace

All our participants say they now feel confident when teaching. This brings peace and relaxation—and that’s exactly what transfers to the people they teach.

Of course, we understand if someone doesn’t want to commit to such a long period right from the start.

Many simply want to first learn to understand yoga better for themselves and be able to perform the exercises safely and correctly. And that’s a good reason to start your first training with us.

For this reason, our 750-hour program is divided into three modules.

Each module (200-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Module 1, 300-hour Module 2, and 250-hour Module 3) is a self-contained training program.

Those who wish to can continue afterward: Some complete the modules one after another, others take a break, and still others stop after the first or second module.

Every path is valid and depends on the individual needs of the participants. We bring depth to every training program.

For Joey and me (Tanja), every group we have the privilege of guiding through our various training programs is unique.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to do this work—our calling—and to help people not only perform yoga poses more safely, but also develop greater mindfulness in their lives, thereby experiencing more self-acceptance, inner calm, and peace.

Interested in joining one of our training programs? Then take a look at our offerings here—we have something for everyone:

200-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training – Foundations Training Module 1 (also ideal as continuing education for yoga teachers who want to learn more about alignment).

300-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training – Advanced Training in Alignment Yoga Module 2 (also available for career changers who meet the necessary requirements).

250-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training – Expert Training in Alignment Yoga Module 3​​​​​​​ (prerequisite: completion of our 300-hour Alignment Yoga Teacher Training).