About Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training

The Level 1,2,3 Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Certificate Course is for yoga practitioners interested in growing their knowledge of Hatha yoga and developing their techniques in executing various Hatha yoga poses. The course is divided into 3 levels, each of which focuses on basic and intermediate poses, their possible modifications and variations, and teaching and demonstration techniques.

The aim of the course is to challenge practitioners to advance in their practice by exploring the limits of their body and overcoming them, as well as to develop their knowledge of the body in order to better understand every joint and muscle nuance in the poses. By the end of the course, participants shall be able to demonstrate the wide range of Hatha yoga poses, explain their possible modifications and variations, and demonstrate the steps required to achieve the pose.

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Why us?

We recognize that yoga is a popular pursuit in Hong Kong. People seek it out for its health benefits and often incorporate it into their active lifestyles. However, yoga instruction is not equal among the various yoga centres in Hong Kong. This is where our accredited Teacher Training Courses make all the difference.

Our courses are accredited by, and offered in conjunction with, Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre in India. This is the first time outside of India that such a programme is being offered.

Our classes are designed and taught in the same way as our instructors are taught. Predominantly from India, our instructors are fully learned not only in the practice of their discipline but also in the history and philosophy behind the practice. The resulting combination of grassroots knowledge both practical and theoretical in our programmes give students more in-depth learning that they may able to find elsewhere in Hong Kong.

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Accreditation

International Yoga Academy is a registered school with Yoga Alliance and Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre, Chennai, India (www.andiappanyoga.com).

Yoga Alliance is an international governing board for yoga teachers and training courses around the globe. We offer assistance to students interested in applying for a Yoga Alliance Registration after completing a teacher training course.

About Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre – Chennai, South India is known throughout the world for its contribution to Yogic Science. Founded by Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan in 1950, it is meticulously run by Dr. Asana Andiappan and Trust Members, all of whom have over 50 years of experience in Yogasanas and Naturopathy. It is the only yoga college and research center recognized by the government as well as two universities in India.

Located in Chennai, South India, the centre runs various yoga programmes as well as free awareness camps that are aided and supported by various government and private organisations. It has been collaborating with various medical universities, hospitals and organisations that run research programmes on yoga and its therapeutic benefits. The centre is also home to the widely read Asana International Yoga Journal, which has a readership of 200,000 and growing, in India and around the world.

Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre also has accredited franchisee centres in over 30 countries that run yoga programmes, and teacher training courses.

Frequently asked questions

Why should I learn advanced yoga postures? Isn’t yoga about more than just postures?

Well said yoga is not just about postures, and postures make a tiny drop in the vast yoga ocean. But a healthy body is the foundation for everything, and practicing advanced yoga postures helps keep the body in its peak form. Postures are only considered advanced when the practitioner is not ready to do the pose, or if he/she has not yet been guided by a teacher on the basic steps to achieving the pose. Some people may never have done yoga before, but can execute a lotus pose without difficulty, while others cannot. In order to overcome our body limitations, certain postures first need to be modified and adapted according to the ability of each individual. Once the individual has shown progress in executing a pose with grace and accuracy, the instructor may modify the pose further; raising the level of difficulty and, therefore, advancing the level of technique demanded. This way, a person is constantly exploring and pushing the limits of their body, developing with it a deeper connection. Doing so keeps a person motivated and inspired in the practice.

How intense is the course?

Although the course is titled Advanced, we will still explore basic and intermediate levels of poses. The title refers particularly to the way the course is designed; it is for people who are interested in learning the modifications and variations of a pose. Also, because it is part-time, participants may practice the poses during their own time, and follow up on any questions and doubts that they may have in the following class.

I have been practicing yoga for only one year. Am I ready for this course?

The Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Course is suitable for practitioners with over six months of regular practice. Since the course is not simply about executing advanced postures but also about the preparations needed to advance one level of practice, it is important that participants are well aware of their own capabilities and limitations in deciding whether to enroll in the course. Every yoga practitioner aspires for consistency and progress in their practice, that they may one day overcome their own limitations. This course will help them achieve that, given that they are able to put in the time, effort, and dedication it demands which usually requires a certain amount of experience to begin with.

What can one expect to learn in this course?

The course covers basic to intermediate poses and their advanced variations. Every posture also has its warm up techniques, modifications for purposes of recovery, counter postures, as well as cool down techniques. All this is vital information for the advanced Hatha yoga practitioner, especially in preventing injuries, as they develop a better understanding of a postures anatomy and how it affects the body. Such knowledge is significant regardless of the style of yoga one practices, as it gives the practitioner an informed view of every asana (posture).

Why should I take an advanced Hatha teacher training course at Anahata Yoga and not elsewhere?

The course director, Master Yogananth Andiappan, is a lifelong yogi who has practiced and taught yoga for over 25 years. Born to a family of yogis, Master Yogananth has been engaged in the discipline his entire life; he has won many International yoga titles and championships all throughout, and has taught students of various backgrounds. As a dedicated yoga practitioner, Master Yogananth can execute over 3,000 asanas (postures) and has invented many approaches to the same posture according to an individual limits and body type. While it is never too late to learn yoga, it is important that one teacher is an expert in the field that he is teaching. Yoga practitioners need more than good guidance and excellent demonstration skills to learn advanced yoga postures. They also need a good source of inspiration and motivation; a mentor who could guide them through every step of executing a pose, tap into the potential of their body, mind, and spirit, and draw out the best of their abilities. With a course director who has dedicated a lifetime to yoga, we are confident that such training and mentorship cannot be found elsewhere.

How to Apply?

1. Students interested in enrolling in the Kids Teacher Training Certificate Course may do so by filling up the Online Application Form.

2. Applications will then be assessed by our Programme Directors. Successful applicants will be informed of their admission within three working days of their application.

3. Students may call or visit our studio and speak to one of our membership consultants or faculty members for any questions or concerns that they may have about the course.

4. Once your application is approved, you may pay the course fee to confirm your enrollment and secure your slot in the course.

5. We strongly advise students to prepare for the course by reading the suggested materials. Students may also begin using their 30 hours of group class sessions as part of their physical, and mental, preparation.‌

For more details please email to enquiry@anahatayoga.com.hk