Designing Your First YTT Program: A Yoga Education Expert’s Guide

Summary: Designing your first yoga teacher training can feel overwhelming! However, we can simplify this by focusing on a keystone of good education: rather than worrying about sharing everything you know, instead focus on clarifying the specific outcomes you want for your students. From these outcomes, then build your teaching journey.

Are you an experienced yoga teacher? Thinking about creating your first yoga teacher training? Perhaps you are feeling the call to create a program, but get stymied when you sit down to start creating. Where do you start? How do you organize everything into a 200 HR yoga teacher training program without making it overwhelming for aspiring yoga teachers?

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, that’s absolutely normal! What no one tells you is that teaching yoga classes and designing teacher trainings are two completely different skill sets. You don’t need more knowledge; you need a clear process and structure.

Hello! I’m Rachel Scott, a passionate yoga education expert who helps studios and teachers create excellent education. In this blog, I will give you some pointers for developing your own yoga teacher training.

Let’s dive in!

How to Design Your First YTT Program: What a Yoga Education Expert Suggests

1. Start With What Your Students Need to Do

When first designing a YTT, most trainers make what I call “the great mistake.” They believe that a great training starts with what they know. So they start by brain dumping everything that they want to teach into a student manual. However, this is not the best place to begin. Instead of focusing on what you think you should teach, start by outlining what you want your students to be able to do as a result of their experience with you. By changing the focus from you (your knowledge) to your student (their performance), you will instantly clarify what you need to teach and how you will get there. Ask yourself, what should your students be able to do (and demonstrate) at the end of your training? Not just feel inspired or deepen their practice. Can they sequence a class? Cue clearly? Observe students and respond with appropriate adaptations? Getting clear on your measurable learning objectives will set you – and your students – up for success.

I will suggest focusing heavily on these aspects, such as essential cuing and sequencing skills (called Professional Essentials by Yoga Alliance).

2. No Need to Start from Scratch

You have already been teaching for years. You have led classes, taught workshops, supported students, and focused on your own continuing education. However: designing and leading a teacher training program is very different. Instead of designing a 1 hour experience, you now need to structure 200 hours of content.

However, don’t worry! You don’t have to go it alone. With my fully customizable and brandable 200-hour lesson plans (free anatomy for bones and joints, and 300-hour course lesson plans are available too), you can get step-by-step guidance for teaching, schedules, assessments, and presentations along with students handouts.

3. Build a Clear Structure (Not Just Content)

Most first-time trainers try to include everything they know. (When I designed my first 200 hour, that was my instinct, too!) However, this tactic is overwhelming for you and your students. Instead, you need clarity and structure. I organize my training so each topic builds on and reinforces the next. Anatomy supports alignment. Alignment supports cueing. Cueing supports sequencing.

If you’d like assistance in designing your own program, check out my “Creating Your Yoga Teacher Training” course. In this program, I will give you a clear roadmap that helps you to create a strong teacher training program that supports your passion, brand, and business.

4. Don’t Guess Your Curriculum

When we start to build a training, we can easily get overwhelmed. We stare at a blank page, thinking, “Where do I even start?” You don’t have to guess. I offer a complete 200-hour curriculum with my lesson plans, manuals, and teaching materials already built. You can use it out of the box or as a launching pad for your own unique voice and style. As an instructional designer, I’ve structured this training to be student-centered, engaging, and comprehensive.

5. Keep It Practical and Teachable

It’s very tempting to overload our students with information (after all, we’re often very excited about everything we want to share). However, too much information also makes things harder for your students. Instead, focusing on presenting key skills, then focuses on application. In my training, I focus on practice teaching, feedback, and the cultivation of practical, measurable teaching skills. At the end of the program, your students need to leave ready to teach, not just understand concepts.

6. You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Designing your first YTT can feel like an awesome undertaking – and it is! There are a lot of moving parts. That’s why I love offering courses and coaching to walk you through the process step by step. I help you take what’s in your head and turn it into a structured, professional training so that you can shine as an educator. Sometimes you just need support to move forward. Book a free chat with me, check out my lesson plans or investigate my online content for your YTT to start your journey!