Sivananda / Iyengar, etc > Yoga Alliance? / Sivananda Teacher Training

Yoga Teacher Training
#1

Has anyone done Teachers Training with some of the earliest and very renowned branches of Yoga such as Sivananda or Iyengar?

Neither is registered with Yoga Alliance (U.S.) as far as I’m aware, assume they feel no need to do so as they were around long before YA was even formed. If you do Teachers Training with a school such as Sivananda can you later after it register with Yoga Alliance if you wanted to? Would it be worth doing or no need for it as Sivananda is so recognised everywhere anyway, if you say you trained with them nobody will worry if you are YA registered or not?

Regarding Sivananda Teacher Training course , as I am looking into doing it with them in the future; what are peoples experiences of it, anyone here that has done it? One aspect of it that would not say put me off but looking at the schedule of average day on Teachers Training course (scroll down page for times average day) :

http://www.sivananda.org/yoga-teacher-training/ttc-curriculum.html

?5:30 am: Wake up
?6:00 am: Satsang (Meditation, chanting, lecture)
?8:00 am: Asanas
?9:00 am: Anatomy and physiology
?10:00 am: Wake up
?11:00 am: Karma Yoga (helping out with chores)
?12:00 pm: Bhagavad Gita or Kirtan
?2:00 pm: Main lecture in philosophy or anatomy
?4:00 pm: Asanas and pranayama
?6:00 pm: Dinner
?7:30 pm: Satsang (Meditation, chanting, lecture)
?10:00 pm: Lights out

It seems to include quite a lot of time on Satsang (Meditation, chanting), Karma Yoga, Bhagvad Gita or Kirtan. Nothing wrong with that at all, its great but would probably rather do a Teachers Training course that was more hours practicing Yoga or learning theory such as physiology, alignment, etc.
[B][I]Anyone else feel it is quite a lot of time each day on things you could do yourself in your own time? [/I][/B]

[B]For anyone that has done Sivananda Teachers Training do you feel it is one of the best out there (as it was the first Teachers Training course in Yoga I think)? That it keeps up with other modern schools of Yoga?

Does it include anything on marketing yourself or your school, and business aspects of teaching, etc? [/B]

Actual Sivananda style Yoga (Hatha Yoga) does it flow like Power Yoga or or do they hold Asanas for long time, can you do lot of variations with it when you teach it? Can it keep up with modern styles that seem to attact a lot of people at fitness centres as they are more dynamic (people used to fitness classes BodyPump, Step, etc)? Don’t think I’ve seen any videos of Sivananda people doing Yoga to see exactly what their style looks like or how it flows.

Thanks for help and advice!

#2

Go to a Sivananda Center, train there for a year, preferably more. Take all the classes you can, get involved in the karma yoga and attend all the satsangs. If that gos well for you, take the TTC and then continue ongoing teaching training at the Center.

#3

[QUOTE=Terence;62244]Go to a Sivananda Center, train there for a year, preferably more. Take all the classes you can, get involved in the karma yoga and attend all the satsangs. If that gos well for you, take the TTC and then continue ongoing teaching training at the Center.[/QUOTE]

There is no centre near me, not even close - as in several hundred miles away.

The fact Sivananda TTC apparently only covers 12 basic Asanas has put me right off it. Don’t misunderstand that , I’m not suggesting the TTC that teach more asanas are better; what I am saying is learning only 12 done in a set sequence will mean a class that may potentially bore students long term.

There is more to Yoga than 12 basicAsanas done in a set sequence; just as there is with Bikram Yoga 26 (or around that amount) Asanas + 2 breathing exercises, such approaches are limited especially when teaching long term.

#4

Starts off with 12, but variations and additional asanas get taught later. Also, only 2 pranayamas in a basic class, but in intermediate/advanced classes there are more. Check this http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illustrated-Book-Yoga/dp/0517884313

Iyengar teacher training, purely off the top of my head, can last several years or more and is ongoing once you become a teacher. There are very interesting specialist areas such as remedial yoga, most of the Iyengar teachers I’ve met have real skill so I’m in praise of their teacher training.

The best Sivananda teachers I’ve met are generally the ones who have spent a few years or more, completely immersed in the system.

#5

I disliked the amount of chanting compared with the mount of learning teaching methodes in my Sivananda TTC. But I guess its had to find something better for the same price.

#6

If you want to do a yoga TTC you should do a TTC in the form that you are practicing!!!
The form that you know,love and are dedicated to.
It seems strange to do a TTC in a form that you have not done!!!

If you want to teach in USA or Europe having a YA accredited qualification will help you to get insurance and get a job.

Iyengar will cover much more about alignment,anatomy and the benefits of asana for muscle,bones,posture etc…
The sivananda asana is much more wishywashy.

Try to find a TTC which demands that all students attending the TTC have an established practice of several years…the sivananda lets anyone qualify as a yoga teacher even if they have never done any yoga…and that is just insane!!!

If you want to teach in fitness centers or gyms you will need insurance…so will probably need a YA accredited course…and if you want to teach dynamic or flow yoga you MUST practice ALOT…you need a very good understanding of how to do the asanas, what muscles groups they stretch/strengthen and how to link them together…what order makes sense for what you want to gain…what is safe…

In my experience the best teachers are those who love their practice and have worked hard at teaching skills, a good anatomy knowledge…

you can see some of my sequences here…I am NOT teaching…just doing…the videos posted so far are NOT teaching…just showing…I will post some teaching ones soon…

#7

Hi MindNinja,
I’d agree with the other posts here - it would be a good idea to do a TCC in the type of yoga you are passionate about.

It is my long term goal to do a Sivananda TCC. However, I’ve been practicing yoga for over 5 years - the first two were a bit exploratory and I tried Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Bikram and Iyengar before I found Sivandanda. I have been taking regular Sivananda style classes for the past three years and can say that I do not find the classes boring, particularly when learning more intermediate or advanced variations.

Having been on a couple of Sivananda-style retreats I’m pretty confident that I would enjoy the TCC and be happy with the schedule (and all the Kirtan and satsang!). Good luck with your decision, but maybe don’t leap into it too quickly.

#8

Sivananda TTC is officially recognized by the [B]Yoga Alliance[/B] in the USA and Canada for the 200 hours Registered Yoga School Standards.

#9

[QUOTE=ActiveLink;65508]Sivananda TTC is officially recognized by the [B]Yoga Alliance[/B] in the USA and Canada for the 200 hours Registered Yoga School Standards.[/QUOTE]

…huummm…so if a course which will had out a yoga teaching certification to someone who has never done yoga before at the end of a 4 or 6 week course can be registered YA…then how much value does registration have???

#10

How much value do you want?

How much value is 100 hours of training by an exprienced teachers in asanas, pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra, meditation and other traditional yoga techniques.

Another 25 hours of teaching methodology
Another 20 hours of anatomy
Another 20 in the study of yoga philosophies, yoga lifestyle and ethics for yoga teachers.
Finally 25 more hours in practicum and electives.

For a nice 200 plus hour entry level standards of what a yoga teacher should have [B]as at least a minimum[/B].

#11

I did a Sivananda YTT and loved it. In Kerala, India and with monastic trained teachers.

I found that with the constant repetition of the 12 basic asana’s, there develops deeper understanding and connection with the postures & breathing & concentration - then you can explore modifications & advanced variations on your own time after the education to establish a strong foundation in the basics.

When I learned to play piano, for a long and continued time there was a focus on playing scales over and over again, sometimes with some variation, but there is no question it was repetitive as anything. There is a purpose to that. There is a foundation lain by repetition of basics. If you understand that, and are self motivated to expand your practice and the learning of variations on your own, you will appreciate the Sivanada trainings give you the initial foundation and understanding so that you can progress on your own from there.

Not everybody wants to appeal to the “workout” focused yoga client and there are many students of yoga for whom the traditional focus of nurturing and awakening the energy that is the evolutionary mechanism in mankind is primary - like myself. Because of that, I found the philosophy, mediations, chanting enriching.

In my opinion if you want to learn about Yoga as it was originally intended and practiced and taught for thousands of years, there is no question which training to take. Not that it should be your only one ever - I will definitely take other trainings as well, but already feel delighted that those, no matter how modern or intense or not, will be informed by my Sivananda training foundation.