Vital Heart Level 2 Yoga Teacher Training

Established 2026

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Cape Cod Center for Well-Being, LLC - Vital Heart Yoga Teacher Training

1046 Main St suite 8

Barnstable, MA

Program Instances

Hybrid

Dates: TBD

300 hours • TBD

Barnstable, MA, US

Led by

Kate McHugh

CYT-L3

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Purpose

In this Advanced Level 2 AYC Approved Teacher Training, you’ll learn to:

Practice a yogic lifestyle – on and off the mat
Create well-designed advanced yoga classes for students of all levels
Explore and refine advanced yoga teaching skills that help students develop a heart-centered practice
Understand yoga philosophy and the history of the great literature of India’s Rishis and Sages
Understand advanced physiology and anatomy of a vital heart and vital heart yoga
Prompt and cue the benefits, contraindications and modifications for each posture
Teach advanced breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation practices
Teach advanced yoga to special groups, with modifications based upon faculty specializations
Develop successful yoga business practices
Refine an advanced personal practice and develop teaching skills in a positive, fun, and supportive environment

What to expect

The program includes:

• An Overview of Yoga History, Philosophy, and the Yoga Sutras

• Teaching and Practicing Sun Salutations & Advanced Standing, Seated, and Prone poses

• Teaching and Practicing Advanced Twists, Arm Balances and Inversions

• Yoga Sequencing for Beginner, Practiced and Advanced Classes

• Advanced Pranayama and Bandha Practices• Advanced Meditation Techniques

• Teaching and Practicing Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra

• Advanced Anatomy of the Heart and Hatha Yoga

• Cuing, Adjustments, and Student Safety for Challenging Forms

• Teaching Yoga to Specific Groups (with Modifications)

• Sanskrit Pronunciation and Vocabulary for Yoga Teachers

• Advanced Chakra Practices and the Science of Ayurveda• The Business of Yoga and Ethics for Yoga Teachers

Style/Lineage

Yoga is a consciousness-based system of healing founded in India thousands of years ago. Yoga is a sanskrit word meaning union. Bringing union of the body and mind by listening to signals of the body and making conscious choices that improve balance, strength and flexibility are fundamental to a healthy yoga practice. Yoga also provides an approach to psychological issues that can heal the body, mind and spirit. Scientists are now looking at psychology in a way that parallels the ideas of philosophers and sages of ancient times. Current research reveals by shifting the focus of our attention, new possibilities for health, happiness & well-being become available. Our center offers natural and energetic approaches, including yoga and ayurveda, to improve individual well being. By correcting the root causes and imbalances in attitudes, behaviors and life-style, clients gain personal power and better health.

Additional Information

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Yoga History & Theory	Identify the major historical periods and lineages of yoga from ancient to modern, including Vedic, Classical, Post-Classical, and Modern eras. Apply sutra teachings to personal practice and class themes by designing a class or journaling exercise rooted in a specific sutra. Describe the purpose and practice of each limb in the context of yoga philosophy, explaining how each supports the overall path toward samadhi. Analyze how Samkhya and Vedanta philosophical frameworks underpin yoga practice, identifying specific parallels in asana, pranayama, and meditation instruction.
Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Apply anatomical knowledge to cue safe alignment in standing, seated, and prone postures, using accurate anatomical language in verbal instruction. Describe how pranayama and asana affect cardiovascular and respiratory physiology, including heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen exchange. Apply trauma-sensitive principles to posture cueing, language, and class structure, using invitational language and offering choice throughout instruction.
Practice Skills	Design salutation variations and themed flows for different class levels and intentions, integrating appropriate pacing, breath cues, and thematic language. Describe the alignment principles, primary anatomical actions, and physical and mental benefits of each standing and balance postures. Demonstrate revolved and seated poses with appropriate modifications, prop use, and alignment cues for a range of student abilities. Analyze joint movement and stabilization principles for safe backbend practice, identifying common misalignments and their anatomical consequences. Evaluate individual student capacity for inversions and adapt instruction by offering wall-supported, chair, or legs-up variations as needed. Identify and practice many core pranayama techniques including diaphragmatic breathing, Ujjayi, Anuloma Viloma, Kapalabhati, and complete breath by name and description. Evaluate student readiness and appropriate meditation techniques for different contexts including beginners, trauma-sensitive populations, and advanced practitioners. Describe the method, recommended duration, physical and energetic benefits, and contraindications of each mudra and bandha practice.
Teaching Skills	Design and present a complete class structure(s) for diverse populations (for example: beginners, teens, seniors, and families), with rationale for all major sequencing decisions. Evaluate the quality and impact of one's own cueing through self-review or peer feedback, identifying areas for growth in clarity, pacing, and inclusivity. Demonstrate modified sequences appropriate for pregnancy, pediatric, senior, and chair yoga contexts, using correct props and verbal cues.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Describe the yamas and niyamas and their direct relevance to ethical teaching behaviors, professional boundaries, and personal conduct. Discuss and analyze liability considerations, scope of practice boundaries, and professional accountability factors specific to yoga instruction in studio, community, and institutional settings.

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Oral Exam
Written Exam
Written Submission
Direct Observation
Graded Skill Demonstration
Solo Project Or Presentation

Students will be evaluated through a combination of oral/written exams, solo projects, and direct observation/skills demonstrations

AYC Evaluations

AYC also requires the following experience for Level 2 Yoga Teacher badges:

4+ years teaching experience
sessions taught per year

More about AYC levels

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Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Kate McHugh

Kate started teaching in the eighties and has been studying the practices of yoga for decades. She is a certified E-RYT 500 and C-IAYT through Yoga Alliance and the International Association of Yoga Therapists, a health coach and a mental health clinician of about 40 years.

capecodcenterforwellbeing.com

Barnstable, MA, US