Level One Teacher Training FAQs

You can become a RYT200 in five short months

Yes, Yoga Flow has been a certified school as part of Yoga Alliance since 2009 allowing its graduates to have the ability to teach anywhere in the world.

Our program is 200 hours over the course of 5 months, completing a level-one registered yoga teacher training.

• $200 non-refundable deposit
• Tuition before December 1st is $2,600 total (originally $2,800 - $200 deposit = $2,600) *$2,400 is able to be broken down into monthly payments
• We offer a monthly payment plan (inquire for more details)
• If a Trainee withdraws from the 2025 program after January 26th, they are responsible for the full tuition. Once trainees pay the remaining tuition they will be eligible to complete training in 2026.
• Tuition must be paid in full by June 15th, 2025. 

Yoga Flow has successfully trained over 300 yoga teachers in the Pittsburgh area. We’ve also recently trained 20 virtual students.

Aside from learning the fundamentals of teaching and designing a well-balanced yoga class and safely moving your students through postures, you can expect to gain the following skills:

• People skills: interacting with your students from the time they walk in and roll out their mat to when they leave after class
• Studio prep: creating an atmosphere for your students by engaging all of the senses through aesthetic, sounds, scents, temperature, lighting, etc. 
• Confidence building: gain experience speaking in front of a room, projecting your voice and inspiring your students through leadership skills.
• Management skills: managing your class schedule, being responsible for the studio while teaching, customer service and processing sales while in-studio and helping to maintain a clean and safe space. 

Over the years Yoga Flow’s training has cultivated a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals. You can expect to meet life-long friends that will be with you long past your teacher training journey.

Trainees will have the unique opportunity to teach real, in-person, classes while observed by a Yoga Flow instructor. We believe this aspect of our training is key to a teacher’s success as it gives real-life experience on and off the mat.

We start with a 6-week intensive training on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm-7pm in our Aspinwall Studio

• January 2025 Saturday/Sunday
• 11/12
• 18/19
• 25/36
• February 2025
• 1/2
• 8/9
• 15/16

After the intensive, we have four once-a-month meetings from 11:15am-3:15pm covering yoga anatomy, yoga injuries, prenatal information, names in Sanskrit, chakras, mudras, music/playlists and adjustments.

• March 16th
• April 13th
• May 18th
• June 15th
• Graduation day

Yoga Flow has a unique Ujjayi Vinyasa sequencing created by Dominique Ponko. Our program is led by Dominique and co-director Michelle Planert with a combined teaching experience of 40 years.

During the duration of teacher training, all trainees will receive a month-unlimited (5 months unlimited) package to attend class at any of our 5 studios

• Attend 40 classes = 80 hours (an average of 2 classes per week)
• Assist 10 classes = 20 hours (meet the teacher before class, prepare the room, observe the class and take notes, help close studio and receive mentorship from experienced teacher)
• The time spent taking and assisting classes count as 100 hours towards your 200-hours Level 1 Teacher Training.

NO! You learn as you learn to teach. Your body will become stronger and more flexible through our comprehensive training. The only requirement is the desire to learn more about this sacred practice and to possibly teach yoga!

Yes, included in your teacher training hours you will learn and practice proper adjustment skills so that you can confidently keep your students safe while in a variety of postures.

No, the studio is kept at room temperature for all of the training sessions.

During training we spend an average of 50% of our time sitting on our mats, openly discussing and learning the material while completing the workbook. The other 50% of our time we spend practicing teaching each other in smaller groups as well as practicing with the class as a whole. The best way to gain teaching experience is to teach!

A teacher training workbook will be provided on the first day of training, however, you will be responsible to purchase Quantum Yoga by Laura Baumann: the new expanded edition printed in Spring of 2013 and Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff: second edition prior to the first day of training.

A journal/notebook, pens, highlighters, comfortable clothes (dress in layers), snacks and drinks, your purchased yoga books, yoga mat, quarters for parking on Saturdays. 

Yes! We recommend bringing a packed lunch but there are some local options. We usually break for an hour.

NO! There are no tests, no pass or fail. We keep working together until you feel confident. Get ready to go on the adventure of your life; finding your yoga tribe and discovering a new passion within you!