Upcoming 2016 Registered Yoga Teacher trainings in Charlotte

Yoga Alliance is the governing body of Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) certification with standard designations for teachers including RYT 200 and RYT 500, which means the programs covered 200 or 500 hours of training. There are E-RYT 200- and 500-hour designations for credentialed teachers with significant teaching experience who have logged a certain number of classroom hours. Specialty designations for Children’s Yoga Teachers (RCYT) and Prenatal Yoga Teachers (RPYT) are also available. In order to get these credentials, you must successfully complete a training program at an official Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS).

Aside from learning the history of yoga, the yoga sutras, physical yoga postures, breathing techniques and sanskrit vocabulary, you should also be prepared to dive deep into the emotional side of the practice. This varies by program, of course, but in my experience, teacher training doubled as a 6-month-long therapy session. (I completed Y2 Yoga’s program.)

All told, it completely flipped my world upside down (literally and figuratively) and changed my life forever (in what I think is a very good way). If you’re up for the emotional and physical ride of your life, training options abound in Charlotte. Here are upcoming 2016 teacher training programs at Yoga Alliance certified studios.

(Not all studios have announced their 2016 training schedules. I’ll continue to update the list as details become available. If you have a program I should know about, email [email protected].)

Charlotte Yoga

Tuition: $2,800; $2,600 if you sign up by 11/1/15
Schedule: 8 intensive weekends from January through May. Classes meet Fridays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (see all dates here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructors: Jennifer Busco, Kyle Conti, Jaimis Huff

Enlighten Yoga

Tuition: $2,800
Schedule: 9 intensive weekends January – May with some Tuesday night classes (see exact dates and times here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructors: Marilyn Brown, Shari Goldstein, Amani Murray

Goal Yoga School

Tuition: $2,400 (save $100 if you’re a YMCA Charlotte member)
Schedule: 9 intensive training weekends from January through May. Classes meet Fridays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (see all dates here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructor: Ken Heptig

Om Yoga

Tuition: $2,200
Schedule: 8 intensive training weekends from February through July (see schedule and details here)
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructor: Johnna Smith and Maria Lages

Urban Bliss

Tuition: $2,499; $2,199 if you register by 12/1/15
Schedule: February 1 – 28; Monday – Friday 5:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and Saturday/Sunday 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructor: Lizzy Hoffman

Vital Yoga Center

Tuition: $2,500
Schedule: 8 intensive weekend training sessions February – July 2016
Certification: 200-hour RYT

Y2 Yoga

Tuition: $2,999; $2,699 if you register by 11/1/15
Schedule: 8 intensive weekends January – April. Training classes are Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday (see exact dates/times here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructors: Tanner Bazemore, Jen DeCurtins, Johnna Smith

The Yoga Oasis

Tuition: $2,300
Schedule: 8 monthly weekend intensive training sessions from March until October. Classes meet Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (see all dates here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT

Yoga One

Tuition: $2,950 ($2,700 if you register by 11/20/15)
Schedule: 6 weekends of training (Friday 1 – 8 p.m., Saturday 8 – 9 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and 9 Wednesday evening trainings (6 – 9 p.m.) beginning January 15 through March
Certification: 200-hour RYT

Yoga Teacher Training with Grace Morales

Tuition: $2,900; $2,600 if you register by 12/18/15
Schedule: 8 monthly weekend intensives from January through October. Classes meet Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (see all dates here).
Certification: 200-hour RYT
Instructor: Grace Morales

(Photo credits: Header image via JPK Productions, Charlotte Yoga via their website, Enlighten Yoga via Facebook, Urban Bliss via their website, Y2 Yoga via their website, Yoga Oasis via Facebook, Yoga with Grace Morales via Facebook.)