Written by Laura Porter  ・ 5 mins

Since Power Living started in 2004 the number of students becoming a yoga instructor in Australia has grown immensely. We’ve seen this first hand. And we couldn’t be happier – more yoga teachers means more yoga. What more could we ask?

Well, there’s one thing we ask of all 200hr certified teachers – that’s to stay committed to the learning journey. It’s a journey that never really ends. No matter how many hours of training we have under our belts, we’re all still students who can learn more.

As one of our current 500hr yoga course students, Claudia van de Tonnekreek, said: “We talk a lot about growth to our students but as a teacher it’s so essential to keep adding to your growth, to keep being inspired and to inspire others. After my 200hrs I felt I needed to go deeper, to learn more, for example about anatomy and yoga philosophy. The knowledge I’ve built in my advanced yoga practice gets me so excited and allows me to create more inspiring classes. It’s the best decision I ever made.”

The Benefits of an Advanced Yoga Course

Believe it or not 30 years ago yogis would spend years studying. And only when their mentor or teacher felt they were ready would they be on their way to becoming a yoga teacher. The teaching journey may be simpler today but it’s still one where real experience can only come with time.

The appreciation that deeper learning can only come with time explains why students often say that an advanced teaching practice is truly ‘game changing’. Here’s why:

• Build your confidence. Only when you’ve ticked the 200hr box will you have real yoga teacher experiences. Some good and some not so good. They all shape your style and confidence. In a 500hr yoga course you get to apply these real world experiences – to grow, ask questions and receive feedback based on having been in the teacher’s shoes.
• Find your authentic yogi. As Duncan Peak, Power Living’s founder says: “After the 500hr yoga course, you won’t feel the urge to copy anymore but rather be ready for your own voice and authentic teacher to emerge. An advanced yoga practice teaches you how to be powerful with what you say, not just repeat what every yoga teachers says in the classroom and also arms you with the skills to create fun, exciting, grounding and effective classes that both heal and empower students.”
•  Make yourself stand out. You might be vying for the same teaching position as other yoga teachers. That’s why a 500hr yoga course is so valuable. The growth and experience you’ll gain from making a deeper commitment is a sure fire way to put you five steps ahead when you’re looking for that perfect yoga teacher position.
• Find your niche. In 200hrs you covered philosophy, anatomy, alignment, sequencing and more. But how deep you can go is limited. This is where advanced yoga training comes in – in a 500hr program you can dive deeper into specific types of yoga, breathing styles or even learn to specialise for certain groups of people.
• Be part of a community. “As a teacher it’s so essential to keep adding to your learning journey – it allows you to build a bigger community and to connect with other teachers and discuss their challenges and opportunities” – thanks Claudia, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

500hr YTT – It’s Waiting for You

Are you a 200hr certified teacher keen to expand your knowledge and experience? Before you dive in here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• 500hr yoga teacher training includes your 350hr Yoga Australia accreditation – and we can guide you through the necessary steps to achieve each certification properly!
• To become a 500hr RYT or 500hr E-RYT with Yoga Alliance, you need 500hrs of training with one education provider or a 200hr teacher training, plus 300hrs of advanced training from another registered yoga school.
• We’ve developed our own 500hr pathway for students who want to grow with us and learn the Power Living yoga methodologies. We’d love you to be part of it!
• All Power Living advanced yoga courses count towards continuing education hours.

“At the end of our 500hr Teacher Training program, teachers walk away with the skills to create multiple ways of teaching – from focusing on a muscle group, a peak pose or the subtle body, the list goes on! And they have a new found confidence in sequencing, with an intelligent rhetoric throughout classes that speaks to the hearts and minds of students.” Duncan Peak, Power Living founder.

To find out more about our 500hr yoga teacher training pathway or to register your interest register here or find out more here.