10 Best Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings

Looking to learn a new style of yoga? Or are you looking for a competitive edge as a yoga teacher? Then doing a yin yoga teacher training is just what you need to take your teaching to the next level.

Unlike other styles of yoga, which traditionally draw on Indian culture and heritage, yin yoga draws heavily on Traditional Chinese Medicine and its associated idea of yin and yang (yin being more passive, and yang being more active).

Brought over to the West by
Paul Grilley
and popularised with the help of his student, Sarah Powers, yin yoga consists of long holds (poses are held for around 3-5 minutes) and passive stretching, often in conjunction with instruction on the Chinese Meridians or acupressure. Because it does not require active muscle engagement, it helps to target the fascia and connective tissue in the body, thereby helping to improve flexibility.

Since the poses are held for a long time, mindfulness is also required; some might even think of yin yoga as a meditation practice itself! As a result, yin yoga can be challenging, despite being a very slow practice. This is one of the main differences between yin yoga and restorative yoga. In restorative yoga, the intention is relaxation and to reduce stress. While this can also happen in yin yoga, it’s not (usually) the main intention for practicing yin.

Yin yoga is an excellent complement to other, more active (or ‘Yang’) styles of yoga, such as Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga.

Even if you don’t intend to teach yin, attending a yin training or a yin yoga workshop is a great way of deepening your own practice. It not only helps with mindfulness, but also teaches you more about the connective tissues and their importance in overall health and flexibility. In addition, learning a little about traditional Chinese Medicine and theory will make you a more well-rounded teacher, and allows you to add something different to your classes (students love a little acupressure in savasana!).

There are also fewer yin yoga instructors compared with ‘yang’ yoga teachers (like vinyasa and Hatha teachers), so becoming a certified yin yoga teacher gives you a competitive advantage!

Of course, if you decide you do want to teach yin yoga, then it’s important to undertake a certified yin yoga teacher training, so that you are able to teach your students safely and effectively.

Now that you’ve decided to learn yin yoga, there are a couple of things to bear in mind when looking for a good yin yoga course.

Most yin yoga teacher trainings require that you already have a (minimum) 200hr yoga teacher training
before attending a yin training, in order to be able to officially teach yin yoga. If you don’t already have a 200hr certification, check out All Yoga’s trainings in Bali and Thailand, or look for a yin training that doesn’t have any prerequisites, such as Yinspiration’s (details below).

Otherwise, the main things to consider are whether you need an online course (if you can’t get time off work, for example). Or whether you prefer to do an in-person residential training. This will undoubtedly give you more hands-on experience, which can be important for yin yoga (especially if you are also learning about acupressure or massage), but it also comes with other costs such as accommodation, flights, and so on.

Have a look at the syllabus – does it sound interesting to you? Many yin trainings include other subjects, such as meditation, yoga nidra, sound healing, Chinese Meridians, and so on, so decide what interests you the most.

You should also look at the faculty; who is going to be leading the course? How long have they (or the school) been running the training? Reading reviews and testimonials is also a good way of getting a feel for the course and whether it’s worth the money.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best yin yoga trainings in 2023. Some of these courses are online, and there are various lengths and training hours, so you can find the best course to suit your needs.

1. Annie Au Yoga

As part of the 200 Hrs Yin/Yang Yoga teacher training
, Annie offers a 30hr Soulful Yin training in Bali. For those who prefer to learn yin yoga from home, she teach a 70hr online training . Annie’s training combines yin yoga with Chinese Meridians, acupressure, and Qi Gong, as well as her signature ‘Soulful method’, which focuses on emotions and self-love through yin yoga. She also teaches how to integrate story into your yin classes, as well as yin yoga sequencing, so you leave totally ready to teach your own inspiring yin yoga class!

Type: 100hr Soulful Yin Yoga TT
Length: 10 days
Location: Bali
Price: $1499
More info: Click Here

2. Rose Erin Vaughan (Science of Self)

Rose Erin Vaughan offers a 100hr yin yoga teacher training online. There is also the option to do two 50hr in-person immersions (various locations around the world) on top of the 100hr course, to come out with a 200hr training. Her approach is heavily focused on Chinese Meridians, pranayama, and therapeutic yin (for emotional and physical healing).

Type: 100hr-200hr Meridian Yoga Therapy & Yin Yoga TT
Length: 5 weekends
Location: Online
Price: from $1008 (for 100hr only)
More info: https://www.scienceofselfytt.com/200-hour

3. Rise and Shine Yoga School

In this 60hr yin yoga training, you will be taught by Kata Van Doesselaar, who studied with Sarah Powers (one of the founders of yin yoga in the West). Set on the beautiful island of Ibiza, off the coast of Spain, this training includes modules on myofascial release, meridians, sequencing, and mindfulness, all with a gentle, feminine approach to yin yoga.

Type: 60hr Yin Yoga TT
Length: 7 days
Location: Ibiza
Price: €1700
More info: https://www.riseandshineyogaschool.com/becoming-yin-yoga-teacher-ibiza/

4. Eleanor Evrard (Love and Thrive Retreats)

Elea offers unique, women-centred yin yoga retreats in Corfu (Greece) and Puglia (Italy). The 50hr yin certification course includes modules you would expect from a yin training (such as fascia, meridians, acupressure, and yin theory) but also practices specifically designed for nurturing the feminine energy, such as cacao ceremonies, ecstatic dance, journaling, and Taoist energy work.

Type: 50hr Yin & Yinyang (Heart & Womb Wisdom) TT
Length: 6 days
Location: Greece or Italy
Price: €890
More info: https://olajiva.com/pages/courses-retreats

5. Shanti Atma Yoga

Shanti Atma Yoga school offers a range of very reasonable online yin yoga teacher trainings, from 50-80hrs. They combine yin yoga with other disciplines, such as neuroplasticity and mindfulness, emotional intelligence and aromatherapy, and yoga nidra. This provides you with a unique perspective and approach to yin yoga, and a second area of expertise to bring to your teachings. The online format is self-paced so you can start anytime, and there’s no time limit. As such, it’s highly flexible and allows you to fit the course around your life and work. The content is also downloadable, and you have lifetime access to the material!

Type: 50hr-80hr Yin Yoga, Neuroplasticity & Mindfulness OR Yin Yoga, Emotional Intelligence & Aromatherapy OR Yin Yoga & Yoga Nidra Training
Length: Self-paced
Location: Online
Price: $400
More info: https://www.shantiatma.com/online-training/yin-yoga-neuroplasticity-mindfulness-i-50-hour/

6. Yoga Academy International

Yoga Academy International offers a 60hr yin yoga training in a luxurious retreat setting in Morocco. The training can also be taken as a retreat for those who don’t want to teach or don’t already have a 200hr yoga teacher training. Besides the usual modules on Chinese Meridians, the anatomy of yin and fascia, yin history and theory, the course also covers moon cycles and how they relate to yin yoga, the safe use of props in yin, and how to create your own personalised yin yoga classes.

Type: 60hr Yin Yoga TT
Length: 7 days
Location: Morocco
Price: $2365
More info: https://yogaacademyinternational.com/yinyogatraining/

7. Yinside Yoga Bali

Led by Hayley Wenn, Yinside Yoga Bali offers in-person yin trainings in Bali, designed primarily for yoga teachers. The 100hr training comprises of three shorter courses (a 50hr, 30hr and 20hr) all of which can also be taken individually. Rather than taking all three trainings together, Hayley suggests that you take a ‘pause’ between each course, which allows you to absorb what you’ve learned, integrate it into your practice, and then come back later to dive deeper with the other modules. The 30hr and 20hr trainings are aimed at people who are already yin yoga teachers and would like to deepen their practice. Accommodation is not included in any of the courses, but this means you are free to find your own (potentially cheaper!) accommodation, which keeps the cost of the course low.

Type: 50hr-100hr Yin Yoga TT
Length: 6 days (for the 50hr course)
Location: Bali
Price: $880
More info: https://yinsideyogabali.com/teacher-training/?ref=9udgyceuxtuy#/

8. Ananda Yoga and Detox Centre

This 100hr in-person yin yoga training takes place on the stunning, tropical island of Koh Phangan in Thailand. Over 12 days you will learn everything you need to start teaching yin yoga immediately upon graduation. As well as the usual modules (anatomy, introduction to Chinese medicine, yin theory), this course emphasises the practical side of teaching, with classes in the business of yoga and plenty of opportunities to practice teaching yin yoga during the training. Plus, there are two massages included in the course fee!

Type: 100hr Yin Yoga TT
Length: 12 days
Location: Thailand
Price: from $1400 (not including accommodation)
More info: https://anandayogadetox.com/yoga-teacher-training-thailand/100-hour-yin/

9. Yoga Medicine

Co-founded by Tiffany Cruikshank, Yoga Medicine is now one of the leading yoga training institutions globally, recognised for the high quality of its teachings, its focus on anatomy, and its science-based approach to yoga. The 55hr online yin training combines yin yoga with meditation, so includes classes on neuroplasticity and obstacles to meditation, as well as modules you would expect from Yoga Medicine such as the science of stretching, joint mechanics, and so on. Co-taught by Tiffany herself, the course can be started anytime, and you can complete it at your own pace.

Type: 55hr Yin Yoga and Meditation TT
Length: Must be completed by Dec 31st 2023 to gain YA accreditation
Location: Online
Price: $1390
More info: https://yogamedicine.com/product/yin-meditation-yoga-teacher-training-online/

10. Yinspiration

The longest course on offer in this list, the 200hr yin yoga training by Yinspiration has no prerequisites, so you don’t need to already have a yoga training in order to join (upon completing this course, you can register as a 200hr yoga teacher). Founded by Jo Phee, one of Paul Grilley’s original students, Yinspiration was the first ever yoga school to offer a 200hr yin yoga training, and is considered to have one of the most rigorous and comprehensive yin trainings in the world. As such, the course not only covers yin yoga teaching, but also, as a 200hr yoga foundation training, covers all the usual yoga teacher training modules, including the Indian lineage and tradition, anatomy and physiology, the business of yoga, teaching skills, and more. So, if you don’t already have a yoga certification, and know you would like to teach yin, then this might just be the perfect course for you.

Type: 200hr Yin Yoga TT
Length: 6 months, part-time
Location: Online
Price: €2950
More info: https://yinspiration.org/product/200hrs-yin-yoga-teacher-training/#Pre-Requisites