Looking for the right yoga teacher training (YTT) program can be a tedious process. Los Angeles is home to over 200 yoga studios, and around 270 neighborhoods according to the Los Angeles Times. If you haven’t found your yoga home yet, this is a great place to start.
Studio | Regular Price | Early Bird Rate | Payment Plan | Scholarship | Schedule |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
One Down Dog | $3,250 | $2,950 by March 1 | — | — | April 11 – August 18 |
The Tree Yoga Cooperative | $2,800 | $2,500 | — | — | February 24 – May 12 |
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center | $3,000 (Om Cabin – Double) | — | — | March 2 – 30 | |
Astro Gong Yoga | $3,850 | $3,400 by December 29 | — | — | January 13 – June 2 |
Shefayoga | $3,200 | $3,000 by September 1 | — | — | October 12 – January 17 |
Red Diamond Yoga | $3,400 | $2,999 by January 15 | — | — | February 24 – May 19 |
Black Dog Yoga | $4,800 | — | — | — | January 19 – June |
Rising Lotus Yoga | $3,500 | — | — | — | February 2 – May 5 |
Established in 2013, One Down Dog (ODD) is a woman-owned business that offers a variety of yoga and fitness classes across their three studios in Los Angeles. They offer advanced trainings, workshops, weekend retreats, as well as 200-hour and 300-hour yoga teacher trainings. With 20 YTTs under their belt since their inception, One Down Dog has the experience and knowledge to lead students to become well-rounded practitioners and yoga teachers.
The ODD 200-hour program teaches students the foundations of yoga history and philosophy before leading lessons on the principles of anatomy and physiology. Any yoga teacher will tell you that these are essential in gaining a better understanding of their practice, and to effectively sequence classes. Their curriculum also includes lessons on using props and offering adjustments to students.
The One Down Dog YTT is led by a group of seasoned instructors with backgrounds that include yoga therapy, pre- and post-natal yoga, and trauma-informed yoga, among others. Many of them have been with ODD since the beginning and offer a breadth of experience that allows this program to truly shine.
Website: https://onedowndog.com/
Next Schedule: BBBBApril 11 – August 18BBBBBBB
Location: Multiple locations: Colorado Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, Glendale Blvd
Price: $2,950 – $3,250
The Tree Yoga Cooperative is on a mission to provide accessibility in the wellness space to Black and Latinx communities. They hold workshops regularly in their studio, as well as make their beautiful studio available to rent for private classes or wellness events. After opening the studio in 2020, their founders, Rita, Ja Cole, Jana, and Jenni, have worked hard to create a space for education, empowerment, and community support for the communities they serve.
Their 200-hour YTT will be held three times this year, making it easy for students to pick programs that suit their schedules. Rather than promising that students will become teachers after the program, The Tree Yoga Cooperative focuses its training on mindfulness, social justice, and self-practice. Part of their curriculum includes decolonization of history, yoga in Spanish, and yoga as social justice.
The Tree Yoga Cooperative YTT is primarily led by founders Jana and Ja, who collectively have over two decades of teaching experience. Both are 500-hour RYTs with Yoga Alliance and are supported by a diverse group of guest teachers with expertise in restorative yoga, public health and healing justice, and Kemetic yoga.
Website: https://thetreeyogacoop.org/
Next Schedule: February 24 – May 12
Location: 918 E. 60th St., Los Angeles, CA 90001
Price: $2,500 – $2,800
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers are an international network of nearly sixty ashrams and city centers dedicated to yoga’s classical teachings. Their founder, Swami Vishnudevananda, started the non-profit organization in 1959 and has carried on yoga’s ancient traditions by teaching five basic principles that can be integrated into daily life. Their centre in Los Angeles is fully operated by volunteers and offers a variety of courses and retreats, along with their teacher training course.
The Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training is a fully immersive program spanning one month. Students are required to be on-site, at their Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm located 450 miles from Los Angeles. The program’s curriculum is based on classical yoga, with lessons on asana, pranayama, meditation, nutrition, anatomy, and yoga philosophy. Students will also be led through traditional exercises and practices such as kirtan. At the farm, students will be required to follow community guidelines such as abstaining from certain foods like eggs and coffee.
All teachers who lead the teacher trainings at Sivananda are dedicated practitioners with active senior roles in the organization. They collectively have over fifty years of experience in teaching yoga, with many of them travelling to the different Sivananda Centers across the globe to share their knowledge and expertise.
Website: https://sivanandala.org/
Next Schedule: March 2 – 30
Location: 3741 West 27th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90018
Price: Starts at $2,400 (tent)
For those interested in sound healing and astrology, Astro Gong Yoga is the perfect place to elevate your practice. Aside from the vinyasa and hatha yoga classes that most yogis are more familiar with, Astro Gong Yoga also offers gong immersions, and astrology readings and workshops.
Their YTT curriculum focuses on all the basic foundations of trainings. These include anatomy and physiology, asana and pranayama, as well as traditional yoga philosophy. The program prioritizes self-study and exploration, meeting every other weekend to give students the time and space to absorb lessons. Students are given the opportunity to lead community classes and are required to keep a journal throughout the training. The program at Astro Gong Yoga fosters introspection and an authentic connection with the practice and yoga teachings.
The Astro Gong Yoga YTT is led by Shaun McNally, who has an M.A. in Yoga Studies and is an E-RYT 500. She will be supported by a diverse set of guest teachers who have deep knowledge and experience in various aspects of the YTT curriculum.
Website: https://astrogongyoga.com/
Next Schedule: January 13 – June 2
Location: 145 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Price: $3,400 – $3,850
shefayoga was founded by Leah Zaccaria, who opened her first yoga studio in Seattle in 2009. shefayoga in Venice is her third studio, which has been operating for almost four years. The studio offers over 100 classes weekly, and you can find them occasionally hosting outdoor classes on the beach or at the park.
Called Sendatsu Evolution, their 200-hour YTT is named after the Japanese word that translates to leader. Their program has four modules, with each module taking 50 hours. Module 1 places emphasis on leadership and finding your own voice, as well as the foundations of the sun salutations. Module 2 allows students to delve further into standing poses, forward folds and backbends, and more advanced poses. Yoga philosophy, history and the more traditional teachings are learned in module 3 of the program. The program ends with module 4, where students learn how to become teachers. This entails lessons on sequencing, theming, and peak poses.
The shefayoga YTT is led by founder Leah, as well as instructors Yancy and Beau. Leah leads yoga retreats around the world and has over ten years of experience in teaching yoga. Yancy and Beau have over 25 years of combined experience leading yoga classes and have their passions in skating and dance, respectively.
Website: https://shefayogavenice.com/
Next Schedule: October 12 – January 17
Location: 245 Main St. Venice, CA 90291
Price: $3,000 – $3,200
With three studios around the Los Angeles area, Red Diamond Yoga offers yogis around 150 weekly classes to choose from. Depending on which location you visit, Red Diamond holds monthly sound baths and workshops to enrich your regular practice.
The Red Diamond Yoga YTT is held at their Palms location, with weekday lessons done through Zoom. Their curriculum gives students the fundamentals on asanas and pranayama, anatomy, meditation, and sequencing classes. The teachers lead you through the eight limbs of yoga and its application to one’s own life and daily practice, and the physical aspect of alignment, posture breakdown. All these ensure that each student gains a personal understanding that they can then pass on to their own students.
The program is primarily led by Sara Blowers and Catie Purcell. Sara has trained in San Francisco and New York, with additional certifications in Rocket Yoga and Yin. Catie has certifications in vinyasa and Ashtanga, with different experiences in yin, sound healing, kirtan and mantra, and Ayurveda. They are joined by guest teachers specialising in anatomy, philosophy, Ayurveda and prenatal yoga.
Website: https://reddiamondyoga.com/
Next Schedule: February 24 – May 19
Location: 3500 Overland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90034
Price: $2,999 – $3,400
Black Dog Yoga opened its doors in 2002 and has served as a home for many established yogis’ early practice. Previously located in Sherman Oaks, they recently made the move to Studio City in the past two years. Their quaint studio offers no pretences and is a space for community and connection.
Black Dog Yoga is hosting its 300-hour YTT in 2024. This is a six-month course that requires that students have completed their 200-hour teacher training. Their lessons cover more advanced sequencing and breakdown of postures and how to mindfully create yoga workshops and retreats. More than learning about meditation and various yoga styles, students will be more equipped to lead these classes themselves.
Sigrid Matthews leads The Black Dog Yoga YTT. She has been teaching yoga and fitness for over thirty years. Sigrid is co-owner of the studio and helped establish the Black Dog teacher training program almost twenty years ago. She is a 500 E-RYT and has additional certifications in advanced anatomy, therapy, and massage.
Website: https://www.blackdogyoga.com/
Next Schedule: January 19 – June
Location: 11423 Moorpark Street, Studio City, CA 91602
Price: $4,400 – $4,800
Rising Lotus Yoga was founded by Claire Hartley and Daniel Stewart in 2006. They are located in the Sherman Oaks area and hold numerous workshops, events and retreats. Students can access all of their daily classes online, making it easy to maintain a steady practice even on days you can’t make it in-person.
The Rising Lotus Yoga YTT started in 2008 and is offered in 2 modules. Module 1 spans seven weekends and includes all the basics of a teacher training. Students will learn yogic philosophy, sequencing, anatomy, pranayama, adjustments, and will be able to practice teaching. Those who sign up can opt out of module 2, but the latter is needed to complete the 200-hour YTT certification. Module 2 focuses on teaching. Students will spend this time with a mentor, leading community classes, and learning teaching skills such as voice projection and presence.
The YTT is led by the Rising Lotus Yoga co-founders. While Claire has been teaching yoga for over two decades, Daniel is the studio’s director of philosophy with his own private practice as a psychotherapist.
Website: https://www.risinglotusyoga.com/
Next Schedule: February 2 – May 5
Location: 14148 Magnolia Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Price: $3,500
In summary, Los Angeles offers a rich array of Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) programs, each with its unique focus and approach. From One Down Dog’s experienced teaching to the Tree Yoga Cooperative’s emphasis on social justice and mindfulness, there’s a perfect fit for every aspiring yoga instructor. Programs like Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center offer immersive experiences, while Astro Gong Yoga combines yoga with sound healing and astrology. Shefayoga emphasizes leadership, Red Diamond Yoga blends traditional techniques with modern approaches, Black Dog Yoga focuses on advanced training, and Rising Lotus Yoga provides a comprehensive, mentorship-driven program. The diversity of these programs in Los Angeles ensures that every yoga enthusiast can find a path that aligns with their personal goals and interests in the journey towards becoming a skilled yoga teacher.
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