Introduction

Yoga Teacher Central offers Minimum Knowledge Standards for yoga teachers to:

1. 1. Promote and support widespread adoption of training models that adequately prepare yoga teaching professionals.
   2. Make it easy for teachers to become aware of gaps in their knowledge, and to efficiently bolster their education in foundational knowledge.

Scroll down to see a complete list of the proposed minimum knowledge standards.

Notes

1. 1. We recognize and support the Heart of Yoga recommended standards for yoga teachers (detailed here), which offer a comprehensive perspective of yoga teaching as a whole.
   2. There are no other widely published or accepted standards for yoga teaching professionals. Therefore, we offer these specific minimum knowledge standards. (A common misperception is that Yoga Alliance “certifies” teachers and that YA registration has a relationship to teaching competency. That is not correct. See factual information here.)
   3. These standards relate to the knowledge component of teaching only, as distinguished from practice, transmission and mentorship.
   4. These standards are relevant across a wide range of teaching styles, are comprehensive in scope and have been methodically devised and contextualized in a full curriculum. Each of the standards has been well-researched, is transparent and is fully supported with clear, precise and accessible lessons.
   5. We offer teachers an opportunity to become aware of any gaps in their education, and to efficiently round out their education in the fundamentals. See the Standards & Self-Assessments Hub for free and private self-quizzes.
   6. For teacher trainers, we provide curriculums and a library of resources for meeting these knowledge standards, plus much more in the way of advanced and specialized teaching knowledge.

The standards (listed below) are organized as follows:

Humanities

• Roots of Yoga
• Yoga Philosophy

Anatomy & Physiology

• Anatomy & Biomechanics
• Physiology

Safety

• Student Safety Foundations

Teaching Arts

• Ethics & Equity Foundations
• Teaching Methodology Foundations
• Your Presence as the Teacher
• Alignment & Adjustments
• Sequencing Foundations
• Adapting for Student Needs
• Personal Practice & Self-Care
• Professional Development

Yoga Techniques

• Breath & Pranayama
• Asana Foundations
• Mantras & Meditation
• Poses

Roots of Yoga

Yoga History

1. Origins & Sources of Yoga – Gain a basic understanding of the roots of yoga philosophy.
2. Branches of Yoga – Be familiar with the major branches of yoga and their origins.

Sanskrit

1. Sanskrit Introduction – Have an understanding of the origins of Sanskrit, its distinctive qualities, and the significance of it being the language of the original yoga texts.
2. Sanskrit Study & Teaching Tips – Progressively develop the capability to use Sanskrit in teaching by practicing vowel pronunciation and learning the common Sanskrit words that form the components of pose names.
3. Sanskrit First Words – Be prepared to introduce Sanskrit words into teaching.

Yoga Philosophy

Yoga Philosophy Foundations

1. Defining Yoga – Be aware of the profound depth and potential scope of yoga as a philosophy and practice, and consider multiple perspectives on the purpose of practice.
2. Foundational Philosophies – Understand key assumptions built into the foundational philosophies upon which various branches of yoga are based: Samkhya, Advaita Vedanta and Tantra.
3. Bhagavad Gita Introduction – Understand the Gita’s prominent role in yoga philosophy and have a foundation for exploring its teachings.
4. Yoga Sutras Historical Context – Understand the historical context of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and have a foundation for exploring the teachings.
5. Yoga Sutras Overview & Structure – Be familiar with the scope and content of The Yoga Sutras.
6. Kleshas Introduction – Be grounded in the teachings of kleshas, a foundation of yoga philosophy.
7. Eight Limbs Overview – Have an understanding of the intention, teachings and tools of the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
8. Yamas & Niyamas Overview – Be familiar with the general subject matter of yamas and niyamas as a whole and individually.

Anatomy & Biomechanics

Anatomy General Considerations

1. Tips for Studying & Teaching Anatomy – Be familiar with priorities and guidelines for studying and utilizing knowledge of anatomy and physiology in teaching.
2. Anatomy & Study for Safety and Accommodations – Be aware of an effective study pathway that begins with anatomy and moves through a series of lessons in order to methodically develop skill in adapting for students with conditions.

Musculoskeletal System

1. Musculoskeletal System Intro – Have an understanding of the foundational anatomy of the musculoskeletal system.
2. Connective Tissue & Fascia – Understand the anatomy and physiology of connective tissue, the functions and significance of fascia, and techniques for applying this knowledge in teaching.
3. Location & Movement Terminology – Know terminology that describes anatomical movements and location.
4. Muscle Movement & Contraction – Have an understanding of how muscles move and learn the related terminology.
5. Joint Movements & Mobility – Be familiar with foundational terminology related to joint movements, learn factors that affect joint mobility, and review the normal ranges of motion for various joints.
6. Muscle Pairs & Pose Examples – Be knowledgeable about key agonist/antagonist muscle pairs in major joint movements, and name poses that utilize them.
7. Hyperextension & Hypermobility – Be familiar with the characteristics of musculoskeletal health and issues, particularly hyperextension and hypermobility, and teaching techniques to optimize joint health, especially for students with hypermobile joints.

Spine & Back Anatomy

1. Spinal Regions & Vertebrae – Be proficient in the anatomy of the spine including each of the five regions, the spinal curves and the vertebrae.
2. Back Muscles – Learn the anatomical terminology and function of superficial, intermediate and deep back muscles, plus poses that strengthen and stretch them.
3. Spinal Functions – Know the functions of the spine and the attributes of a healthy spine.
4. Spinal Movements – Be proficient in using accurate terminology related to spinal movements and how to apply knowledge of the movements to inform teaching of the various categories of asana.

Anatomy of Posture

1. Healthy Posture – Learn terminology and considerations related to posture including anatomical position, habits and muscle memory, sensory motor amnesia and the attributes and implications of healthy posture.
2. Postural Issues & Conditions –Become knowledgeable about postural issues such as thoracic mobility issues, hyperlordosis and kyphosis, and the vast variety of potential causal factors.
3. Teaching Spinal Anatomy & Posture – Apply knowledge of spinal anatomy, posture and compensatory movement patterns to support effective teaching of individual students, and review sequences that may help with teaching healthy posture.

Core Anatomy

1. Core Form & Function – Have an understanding of the foundational anatomy of the core, including the function of the individual muscles and the core as a whole.
2. Core Fundamental Teachings – Be proficient in choosing practices and verbalizing teachings to promote a balanced, healthy core.
3. TA & Engaging Deeper Abs – Be knowledgeable about the TA and how to effectively teach engagement of the deeper abdominals.
4. Pelvic Floor – Become proficient in describing the pelvic floor, its role in core functioning, potential issues, and teachings that can contribute to pelvic floor health.

Physiology

Physiology, General

1. How Yoga Supports Health & Physiology – Be competent in specifying the ways that yoga supports health from various perspectives.
2. How Trauma Affects Physiology & Wellness – Understand the widespread prevalence of trauma, and its specific and profound physiological effects.

Nervous System & Stress

1. Nervous System Overview – Have an understanding of the foundational anatomy and physiology of the nervous system.
2. The Vagus Nerve – Be familiar with the significance of vagal tone in the experience of stress and the effectiveness of yoga techniques.
3. Stress & Relaxation Response – Understand the functioning of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and the workings of the Stress Response, Fight or Flight Response and Relaxation Response.
4. Why Yoga Works – Be proficient in communicating how yoga impacts the nervous system and stress, and the many profound effects this has on health, including genetic expression (epigenetics).

Respiration

1. Respiration / Breathing Introduction – Have an understanding of the foundational physiology of the respiratory system.
2. Accessory Muscles & More – Be familiar with the nasal cycle and lungs, plus the differentiation between primary and accessory respiratory muscles and the muscles used for inspiration and for expiration.

Flexibility & Stretching

1. Anatomy & Physiology of Flexibility & Stretching – Know what limits flexibility (including connective tissue and the nervous system) and gain a deeper understanding of stretching.
2. Stretch-Related Reflexes – Be knowledgeable about the Stretch Reflex, the Golgi Tendon Reflex and Reciprocal Inhibition, and explore how to apply this knowledge in teaching.
3. Stretching Issues & Techniques – Be proficient in identifying and preventing overstretching as well as practices that do and do not improve flexibility.

Student Safety

Student Safety Foundations

1. Injuries & Conditions in Yoga – Be knowledgeable in injury prevention and ways to accommodate students who have injuries and conditions.
2. About Sensation & Pain – Gain an understanding of the complexity of pain and how to use this knowledge when teaching asana.
3. About Contraindications & Alternatives – Be aware of the importance of knowing and utilizing contraindications and cautions, and understand how to wisely choose alternatives.
4. When to Refer Out – Know when it’s advisable to refer students out for diagnosis or individual assessment and how to be prepared to do so.
5. Contraindications Index – Have a quality Contraindications Index and understand the necessity of having contraindications on hand when teaching.

Ethics & Equity

Ethics & Equity Foundations

1. Teacher-Student Relationships & Ethics – Be knowledgeable about ethical factors in teacher-student relationships, including the likelihood of psychological transference, and reflect on how to wisely fulfill the responsibility of a teacher.
2. Equity in Yoga – Inclusion & Diversity – Understand the factors that impact equity and diversity in yoga and become familiar with specific ways to mindfully and proactively address these factors.
3. Inclusive & Accepting Word Choice – Become competent in choosing words that inspire an inclusive and accepting environment in which to practice yoga.
4. Cultural Appropriation & Cultural Exchange – Understand what cultural appropriation is and why it matters. Distinguish cultural exchange from appropriation, and how to mindfully and ethically honor this difference.
5. Body Positivity + Larger Bodies – Be aware of perspectives and actions that can help teachers to support students in having a body-positive experience.

Teaching Arts

Teaching Foundations

1. Teaching Methodology Intro & Overview – Become familiar with the scope and range of foundational skill sets for effective yoga teaching.
2. Humility & Boundaries – Be aware of the critical role of mindfulness and embodiment while teaching and explore how to apply humility and boundaries for optimum outcomes.
3. Personal Practice & Study (Part 1) – Explore the reasons why personal practice and self-study are vital for effective teaching.
4. Skillful Teaching – Be familiar with specific elements of artful and skillful teaching, and tools that can support you in developing your skillfulness.
5. Promoting Student Safety – Be knowledgeable in how to foster a safe, noncompetitive environment and to promote student safety.
6. Space & Logistics Checklist – Be aware of a number of logistical and timing considerations to attend to before class, during class, and after class ends, plus considerations for obtaining student feedback.
7. Sacred Space & Ritual – Become familiar with the significance of ritual and specific considerations for setting up a sacred practice space and honoring the Four Directions.
8. Teaching with Themes – Be familiar with techniques and considerations for effectively teaching themed yoga classes.

Your Presence as the Teacher

1. Authenticity, Body Language & Presence – Be aware of elements of your teaching approach that contribute to your overall presence, so that you can be your unique self while also examining ways to maximize your effectiveness in delivering the teachings.
2. Sonic Components of Voice – Be familiar with the sonic (sound) components of voice (cadence, tone, energy and volume) and become conscious of optimizing your voice for teaching.
3. Wise Word Choice – Be aware and skilled in specific strategies for effectively and wisely choosing words while teaching.

 Alignment & Adjustments

1. Defining & Teaching Alignment – Clearly understand why and how to teach people as opposed to poses, and techniques for empowering students to learn alignment “from the inside.”
2. General Alignment Principles – Prioritize spinal positioning, breath awareness, the foundation of the pose, “stacking” bones, moving from the core, and using knowledge of muscle pairs during practice.
3. Choosing Alignment Cues – Be clear that no alignment teaching will work for all students while exploring cues that may work in a reasonably broad set of situations, plus cues that may be problematic.
4. Problem Cues: Spine & Pelvis – Be familiar with considerations related to cueing for rib flare and misalignments of the spine and pelvis, taking particular care with the problem cues “tuck (or scoop) your tailbone” and “use a flat back.”
5. Problem Cues: Standing Poses – Be proficient in considerations related to such cues as “place feet parallel,” “square the hips” and “align your kneecap toward the second toe” plus other cue options to meet particular needs.
6. Adjusting & Assisting Guidelines – Establish a foundation for decision-making and proficient techniques for assisting an individual student, whether verbally, energetically or physically.
7. Mindful Asana Transitions – Be proficient in teaching mindful asana

 Planning & Sequencing Foundations

1. Inviting Inspiration – Have a structured process you can turn to for inviting inspiration and creativity using a mindful planning strategy.
2. Class Elements – Consider a multitude of yoga techniques to create comprehensive class plans.
3. Sequencing Fundamentals & Guidelines – Have a foundation for sequencing poses to safely and effectively meet class objectives.
4. Choosing & Arranging Poses – Know how to apply anatomy, biomechanics and knowledge of poses in order to choose and arrange poses to promote a balance of strength and flexibility, prepare for a peak pose, sequence vinyasa flow, and meet other objectives.
5. Segmenting Your Class – Be familiar with how a class can be segmented in order to assist in effective sequencing and pacing, and how to use a segmented class framework for setting and meeting intentions.
6. Sequencing & Pacing to Balance Energy – Know how yoga affects energy and understand the guiding principles and yogic tools for promoting energetic balance.

Adapting For Student Needs

Adapting for Student Needs

1. Adaptation Principles – Understand the difference between 1) generic teachings, 2) an adaptive approach, and 3) therapeutics (yoga therapy), and become aware of adaptation principles that can serve as a foundation for making in-class decisions.
2. Trauma Informed Teaching – Become familiar with foundational considerations related to trauma-sensitive teaching, and review specific tactics for promoting emotional and psychological safety in the classroom.
3. Working with Pain – Cite research on the effectiveness of yoga with pain, and apply knowledge of anatomy, physiology and yoga tools to work effectively with students experiencing pain
4. Pregnancy & Yoga Intro – Know the criteria for determining when it’s appropriate to accommodate a pregnant student in a general class and when it’s advisable to refer to a Prenatal Yoga Class.
5. Pregnancy Adaptations by Trimester – Be aware of general safety cautions, plus guidelines and suggestions for each trimester.
6. Beginners Intro – Be prepared to teach to the unique needs of beginning Hatha Yoga students.
7. What Students Want & Need – Be prepared to balance students’ desires to be seen and included, a teacher’s need to promote safety, and the need for students to explore without feeling excessively “corrected.”
8. Mixed Level Classes – Understand the challenges in effectively teaching a mixed-levels class and review suggestions for overcoming them.

Personal Practice & Self-Care

Personal Practice & Self-Care

1. Reaching Your Teaching Potential – Reflect on the ways that being a teacher is different from being a student and explore particular actions that can help you to meet your potential as a teacher.
2. Personal Practice & Study (Part 2) – Clearly understand why personal practice is vital for teachers and how to overcome obstacles to practice.
3. Inspiration to Teach – Explore strategies for stoking your passion and inspiration to teach, overcoming perfectionism, inspiring persistence, and framing struggle or failure.
4. Self-Care & Burnout – Be clear about common stressors faced by yoga teachers, what self-care is and is not, and specific strategies for preventing and addressing burnout

Business Planning

1. The Business of Teaching – Be familiar with business considerations related to yoga teaching including the importance of your niche, applying mindfulness, and considering various career strategies.
2. Building Business & Revenue Streams – Be familiar with the variety of ways to build teaching experience and create revenue streams via different teaching formats and opportunities.
3. Marketing Your Yoga Business – Be familiar with ways to approach marketing of a yoga business.
4. Insurance & Continuing Ed – Be aware of resources for insurance and professional affiliation.

Breath & Pranayama

 Subtle Body Foundations

1. Energy & Subtle Body Anatomy – Have an understanding of the yogic perspective on how life force energy moves and functions within the physical, mental and emotional bodies.
2. Koshas Overview – Know the kosha model and explore ways to apply and teach it.
3. Chakras Introduction – Be familiar with chakras and their symbolism.
4. Pranayama Philosophy – Know the philosophical perspective on the purpose and effects of the practice of pranayama.

 Breathing Foundations

1. Breath Teaching Cautions – Be clear on the cautions related to practicing pranayama and best practices for teaching about the breath, including teaching to beginners.
2. Healthy & Restricted Breathing – Be knowledgeable about the power of the breath to affect physiology and emotions, and the causes and effects of breathing issues, including reverse/paradoxical breathing and chest breathing.
3. Natural Effortless Breathing – Be proficient in the hallmarks and benefits of natural breathing and ways to promote conditions for an effortless breath.
4. Basic Breath Training – Understand the difference between unconscious and conscious breathing and techniques for guiding students in conscious breathing that slows their breathing rate and expands respiratory capacity.
5. Yogic Breathing – Understand the differences between clavicular, thoracic and diaphragmatic breathing and be knowledgeable about conscious exhalation and diaphragmatic rib cage breathing.
6. Pranayama Teaching Foundations – Understand the parts of the breath cycle, what is necessary for safely teaching kumbhaka and which practices serve different energetic purposes.
   

Pranayama Techniques

1. Ujjayi – Be familiar with teaching considerations and instructions for Ujjayi Pranayama, also known as Victorious Breath.
2. Nadi Shodhana – Be  familiar with teaching considerations and instructions for Nadi Shodhana, also known as Anuloma Viloma and Alternate Nostril Breathing.
3. Kapalabhati & Bhastrika – Be familiar with teaching considerations and instructions for Kapalabhati, known as Skull Shining Breath, and review an introduction to Bhastrika, Bellows Breath.

Asana Foundations

Asana Foundations

1. Mudras Introduction – Be familiar with the five classes of mudras (hasta, mana, kaya, bandha and adhara), their purpose and the central role they fulfill in Hatha Yoga.
2. Bandhas Introduction – Be familiar with the purpose of bandhas and why it’s inadvisable to teach bandhas in most drop-in classes.
3. Asana Philosophy & Theory – Memorize and understand Sutras 2.46 to 2.49 and study expert teachings regarding the purpose and benefits of asana.
4. Pose Families Introduction – Understand the importance of function over form and how knowledge of pose categories and families informs teaching.
5. Asana Category Highlights – Know the physical and energetic effects of all major pose categories and become proficient in using this knowledge to inform sequencing.

Mantras & Meditation

Meditation & Mantra

1. Mantras & Chanting Introduction – Be aware of the central role and importance of mantras in yoga practice.
2. Meditation & Mindfulness Introduction – Have a foundational understanding of meditation from a yogic perspective.
3. Meditation Effects – Be knowledgeable about the many potential effects of meditation and become proficient in explaining yoga philosophy related to thoughts, sensations, suffering, absorption (samadhi) and meditation.
4. Teaching Meditation – Be knowledgeable in how to apply the philosophy and knowledge of meditation to practical and effective teaching.

Asana Categories & Poses

Be familiar with the qualities and sequencing considerations of each category of asana, plus naming, effects, cautions, basic form, cueing and variations of individual poses within each category:

1. 1. Meditation Seats
   2. Standing Poses
   3. Surya Namaskar & Vinyasa Yoga
      
   4. Balancing Poses
   5. Core Strengthening Poses
   6. Arm Balancing Poses
   7. Backbending Poses
   8. Forward Bending & Hip Stretching Poses
   9. Twisting Poses
   10. Inversion Poses
   11. Restorative Yoga
   12. Yin Yoga

Next Steps

1. Email us with any feedback. The feedback form on this free page is anonymous… so if you use that form and wish to receive a reply, please include your email address.
2. To view free, private self-assessments, see the Standards & Self-Assessment Hub.
3. To bolster your knowledge, consider the Yoga Teacher Central Pre-Certification Study Program. For a one-time fee of $25, you get a 150-page Knowledge Standards Lesson Guide that you can consult for years to come, five downloadable lessons of your choice for lifetime use, 10 days of online access to Yoga Teacher Central, and recognition as a YTC Teacher (for life, no expiration), including a marketing kit for displaying your status.

Practice vs. Knowledge

Yoga is a lifelong pursuit of learning and practice. And so, too, is the teaching of yoga.

Yoga teachers develop their skills and evolve over time through:

1. 1. Personal Practice
   2. Practice Teaching and “Real” Teaching
   3. Mentoring / Coaching
   4. Transmission
   5. Knowledge

The techniques that teachers use in their growth and evolution fall into two broad categories:

1. 1. Practice and
   2. Knowledge Acquisition

Practice & Knowledge Acquisition

Here we use “practice” to mean all those things that you engage in with the mind-body in real time, including not only your personal practice (including self-study and reflection) but also practice teaching and receiving coaching and mentoring. Both practice and knowledge are critical for teachers.

• • Teaching is not simply spouting knowledge, and it’s not just oversight and coaching of students. Excellent teaching is a sharing of your whole self, including your accumulation of experience and a transmission of your energy.
  • A teacher lacking adequate practice will not have the level of experience and consciousness needed to transmit the depth associated with transformation, and they may sound “hollow” or superficial.
  • A teacher lacking adequate knowledge will be unprepared to share the deep and broad scope of teachings, to utilize and adapt the broad and deep teachings that are needed to effectively meet the variety of student needs.

Although our growth as yogis and teachers usually happens in non-linear, organic and circular ways, we come to realize that practice and knowledge are most effectively approached methodically. One of the reasons why a teacher training can be so transformative is because it inspires disciplined and methodical practice and knowledge acquisition.

The primary reason for distinguishing knowledge acquisition from practice is this:

• • Many vital aspects of a yoga journey fall under the category of practice, which cannot be written down in a book or manual.
  • Knowledge, however, can be methodically studied, which is an accessible and practical way for every teacher to efficiently build an ever-more-powerful teaching toolkit.

Practice is critical to personal evolution, which happens in organic and non-linear ways. Knowledge, however, is a component of teaching that can be methodically learned at a pace that you define.

When it comes to the knowledge component, perennial study is a critical aspect of teaching effectiveness. The more we learn, the more we realize there is to learn. Thus, lifelong study is the norm for teachers.

As you become more aware of the vast scope and depth of knowledge related to yoga teaching, it may at times feel overwhelming. To reduce overwhelm, it can help to bring some perspectives and strategies to your learning:

1. 1. As a general rule, study is best approached methodically, as opposed to reacting to whatever gets thrown at you from random sources of information.
   2. Honor your learning style and move at the optimum pace for you. Since there’s no end to learning, there’s no need to rush. If something feels challenging to you, take more time with it. And if something comes naturally and easily, be grateful and move on to the next step in your learning.
   3. Generally, it’s ethically advisable to meet a minimum standard of knowledge and to integrate that learning before endeavoring to teach others. No matter where you are in your development, if you’re sharing yoga as a guide, be sure to teach what you actually know. Refer out when faced with something you don’t.
   4. Learning the fundamental knowledge in any subject is most efficiently achieved by using a structured or methodical approach. However, as you go further in your study, curiosity and interest serve as excellent guides to lead you to your next area of study.

Sample Support

Here you’ll find examples of the lesson support behind each standard.

Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Exchange

In this lesson, we differentiate cultural appropriation from cultural exchange and explain the significant reasons for honoring the roots of yoga.

• Objective: Be aware of what cultural appropriation looks like; the historical context that explains the significance of honoring the roots of yoga; and how to mindfully and ethically do so.
• Description: Define cultural exchange and cultural appropriation, and explain the key differentiators between them. Describe the vital significance of the roots of yoga and what appropriation of yoga looks like
• Free Sample Lesson: Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Exchange

Defining & Teaching Alignment

In this lesson, we introduce alignment and a general approach to teaching it.

• Objective: Understand the goal and priorities of teaching alignment and how to empower students to learn alignment “from the inside.”
• Description: Define “alignment.” Explain the goal of alignment and how alignment and prana are said to relate. Explain why no alignment teaching works for all students and provide priorities in teaching alignment. Explore the value in empowering students to learn alignment “from the inside” and how this can be accomplished.
• Free Sample Lesson: Defining & Teaching Alignment

Related Information

For factual, verifiable information on the Yoga Alliance registry, alternatives, teaching competency issues and proposed standards alternatives, see:

1. 1. YA Misperceptions — Registration, certification, accreditation; Yoga Alliance misperceptions; Why you don’t need to pay the Yoga Alliance fees; Teacher & trainer reports of YA issues
   2. Who is Responsible for Standards? — State of the self-governing yoga teaching field; Many highly qualified teachers do not register with YA
   3. Options & Considerations — YA alternatives; Other organizations; Standards proposals
   4. Minimum Knowledge Standards — Proposed Minimum Knowledge Standards for yoga teachers
   5. Proposed Yoga Teaching Standards — Includes acknowledgement that “Yoga must be adapted to the individual, not the individual to the Yoga”
   6. Insurance Providers — Insurance options for yoga teachers and trainers (YA registration not required)

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