54 Day 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course at the Beach in South Goa, India

500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training

This course is the Palm Trees Ayurvedic Heritage's 200-hour course and 300-hour course combined. This is an 8-week course that includes 1 1-week break between the 200-hour and the 300-hour courses.

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (3 Weeks)

Over 3 weeks of yoga teacher training in Goa, India, you will embark on a transformative journey to deepen your connection with the inner self. With a small, intimate group size, the experienced teachers offer individualized attention. With no more than 12 students in a group, there’s plenty of room for questions, feedback, meaningful connections, and debate.

Whether you’re a total newbie or an experienced practitioner, if you’re craving a deep dive into yoga and meditation, this is the yoga course for you. You will be equipped with the fundamentals to nurture your practice and gain the confidence to teach yoga with authenticity.

You will graduate with a comprehensive understanding of Vinyasa Flow, Functional Anatomy, and Ayurveda. Palm Trees Ayurvedic Heritage presents a fusion of contemporary knowledge and traditional thought. You should be prepared to be physically and mentally challenged. This yoga course prepares you to teach modern yoga, pranayama, and meditation to work as a yoga teacher upon returning home. You will teach a 60-minute Vinyasa Flow towards the end of your training. This is an added advantage of training with Palm Trees Yoga.

In three weeks, you will:

• Improve your physical and spiritual practice through movement and meditation
• Learn to teach Vinyasa Flow and Pranayama with confidence
• Debate the 21st-century yogi
• Find balance through Ayurveda
• Get certified in the holiday setting of Patnem

Program Breakdown

Morning Practice: Vinyasa Flow

In this class, you will dive into a dynamic Vinyasa Flow sequence, exploring the key yoga postures. Palm Trees Yoga combines traditional Ashtanga alignment with modern, functional, and dynamic movements. The aim is to connect postures and transitions while working on building strength and flexibility, allowing you to explore new shapes and poses.

Some of the Vinyasa styles we practice include:

• Ladder sequencing
• Peak posture
• Mandala Flow
• Slow Flow
• Music Flow

What You’ll Gain?

• You will build strength, flexibility, and mobility in your practice. By learning different postures, you will be well prepared to practice and teach Vinyasa Flow. You also gain fresh ideas and inspiration for your future classes.

Morning Practice: Ashtanga Vinyasa

During the first week, you will start with a modified version of the Ashtanga series, gradually progressing to the full sequence. You will get options to modify poses, making them more accessible while still learning the full series. This practice will prepare you to take part in self-practice (Mysore) classes. Since Ashtanga is the root of Vinyasa, you’ll build a strong foundation for future creativity in your flow.

Key postures you will work on include:

• Chaturanga Dandasana (Yogi Push-Up)
• Sirsasana (Headstand)
• Virabhadrasana A&B (The Warriors)
• Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose)

What You’ll Gain?

• By the end, you will know the Ashtanga Primary Series and understand how to flow from one pose to the next, linking breath with movement. This will also lay the groundwork for your Vinyasa practice.

Saturday Special: Rocket Vinyasa

Rocket Vinyasa is all about fun and energy. Every Saturday, Julia guides you into this playful and powerful class, set to an energizing playlist. The focus is on arm balances, inversions, and creative transitions. Rocket Vinyasa is built from both the Primary and Intermediate Ashtanga series, and it’s often called “Progressive Ashtanga.”

What You’ll Gain?

• This is the time to have fun and learn playfully!

Teaching Methodology

In this class, you learn how to effectively teach yoga to various skill levels. You will get hands-on experience designing and leading a 60-minute Vinyasa Flow class. Each session will help you build your class step by step while improving your teaching skills and confidence.

Topics we will cover include:

• Using your voice
• Presence as a yoga teacher
• How to give clear instructions and reminders
• Demonstrating poses
• Setting the right pace and rhythm
• Setting intentions for your classes
• Modifying poses for different levels
• Teaching relaxation techniques, pranayama, and meditation

What You’ll Gain?

• You will have the knowledge and skills to create and lead your own Vinyasa Flow class, making sure it’s both effective and accessible to all levels.

Anatomy and Physiology

This module is all about understanding how the body moves in yoga. It’s interactive, giving you the chance to explore how your body works in different poses, and how to adapt your practice to suit your physical abilities and limitations. We will also explore using props to make poses more accessible.

Topics we dive into include:

• The Musculoskeletal System
• The Science of Stretching
• The Spine
• Shoulder and Hip Stability
• The Nervous System

What You’ll Gain?

• You will learn why you struggle with certain postures and how to modify your practice to work with your body. Understanding anatomy will help you create a safer, more mindful yoga practice.

Yoga Philosophy

In this class, you explore the deeper meaning of yoga, both in its historical and modern contexts. You will learn about the 8 Limbs of Yoga from Patanjali and dive deeper into the Yamas and Niyamas, which are the ethical guidelines for yogis. You’ll also look at the story of Ashtanga Yoga and how this ancient practice evolved into the creative and dynamic styles you practice today.

What You’ll Gain?

• You’ll come away with a solid understanding of yoga philosophy and how it relates to life today.

Pranayama and Meditation

Each morning, you practice pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. You’ll learn different techniques and understand how breathwork and meditation can positively affect your nervous system and release stress.

What You’ll Gain?

• You’ll experience the benefits of breathwork and meditation firsthand and discover how these practices can help calm your mind and improve your daily life.

Technical Workshops

These workshops are all about having fun while you build strength, flexibility, and stamina to support your physical practice.

The workshops include:

• Hip Opening
• Backbends
• Transitions
• Arm Balances
• Inversions

What You’ll Gain?

• It will give you a chance to challenge yourself and play with new poses and transitions in a supportive, encouraging environment.

Ayurveda

In this module, you will be introduced to Ayurveda, the holistic approach to life and wellness. You will learn about the three doshas – Kapha, Pitta, and Vata – and how to recognize when there’s an imbalance in yourself or others. You will also discover natural remedies and lifestyle practices that can help bring balance back to the body and mind.

What You’ll Gain?

• You get a better understanding of how to maintain physical and emotional balance by applying Ayurvedic principles to your daily life.

Typical 200-Hour YTT Schedule

• 07:00 Ashtanga or Vinyasa Flow
• 08:45 Pranayama/breathwork
• 09:30 Breakfast
• 10:30 Anatomy and alignment
• 13:15 Lunch
• 14:45 Ayurveda or teaching methodology
• 16:15 Tea, juice, and fruit
• 16:30 Technical workshop or Yin yoga

300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (4 Weeks)

Course Objectives

• Develop a practice of Vinyasa flow through the foundation of Ashtanga yoga
• Understand the technicalities of advanced postures and complex transitions
• Create and present an advanced Vinyasa flow
• Learn how to adjust postures and apply in practice
• Develop commentaries to give anatomical and technical guidance
• Discover a holistic approach to the anatomy of yoga through the fascial body
• Understand the impact of yoga and breathwork on the nervous system
• Know your digestive system through Ayurveda

Program Breakdown

The Anatomy of Yoga

Students will learn about the skeletal and muscular system. This module will include the anatomy of the shoulder, hips, spine, and feet. We will also work with the fascial body, you will explore the concept of biotensegrity. This is undoubtedly a very technical module in the YTTC. Students are encouraged to learn about anatomy through experience, experimentation, and functional movement.

Advanced Vinyasa Flow

Your morning practice in Goa will include advanced Vinyasa flow. Students will develop a self-practice of Vinyasa flow by understanding how to prepare the body to achieve or advance postures. Peak yoga postures will include: King Pigeon, Vasthistasana, Grasshopper, Koundinyasana 1 and 2. The classes will bring together the traditional alignment of Ashtanga Yoga and the contemporary wisdom of functional movement.

Teaching Methodology

The course will encourage students to build on their existing repertoire of teaching tools. This module will focus on how to develop a yoga commentary and discover your unique teaching style and energy. Advanced teaching methods will include The Music Flow, Mandala Sequencing, Peak Posture Pyramid, and Vinyasa. This module allows students to demonstrate what they have learnt and engage in experimentation and playful discovery.

Ashtanga Yoga Adjustments

Students will develop a hands-on approach to teaching and adjustments. An adjustment allows deeper access to postures and is an important part of the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. Adjusting in Vinyasa Flow has become increasingly popular and is an excellent thing to be able to offer your students. The Adjustments Module will outline what you can and cannot do in a yoga class and how to take precautions when teaching and adjusting a yoga class.

Advanced Yoga Workshops

Play time! Julia offers these workshops in a fun and progressive environment to understand key Vinyasa flow postures and transitions. Students will explore postures through a lens of traditional alignment mixed with functional movement. You discover how you move from posture to posture with the transference of weight, be present with mind-body-spirit, and find integrity to practice yoga on and off the mat. This is how you develop an intelligent practice.

• Shoulder stability – Supporting yourself
• Happy hips – Everybody feels
• Ashtavakrasana and more
• Handstand – It’s all about the journey
• Backbending – Vulnerability and transition
• Myofascia release – What keeps you stuck?

Workshops will include mini flows, yogi drills and mindful stretching, partner work and exploration, cuing tips, and playtime.

Yoga Philosophy

Students will learn about the surrounding philosophies of Ashtanga Yoga, putting Vinyasa Flow into context. Teachings will come from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. To immerse yourselves in our yoga practice is to understand its surrounding philosophy and application. Discussion will be supported and encouraged as we discover what it means to uphold these philosophies as 21st-century yogis.