Yoga Teacher Training

Established 2014

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Emery Bryant Yoga Teacher Training

2268 W Nottingham St, Springfield, MO 65810, USA

Springfield, MO

Program Instances

Hybrid

Feb 2 – Jun 6, 2027

125 days • 200 hours • $ 1500+

Springfield, MO, US

Led by

Emery Bryant

CYT-L3

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Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide aspiring yoga teachers with a strong foundation in yoga philosophy, anatomy, sequencing, and teaching methodology while fostering confidence, creativity, and personal growth. Through an inclusive, individualized approach, trainees develop the knowledge, practical skills, and authentic teaching voice needed to lead safe, meaningful, and accessible yoga classes.

What to expect

Throughout this comprehensive yoga teacher training, participants can expect a balance of hands-on practice, interactive learning, personal exploration, and practical teaching experience. The program combines traditional yoga teachings with modern, evidence-informed approaches to movement, anatomy, and wellness.

Trainees will participate in guided yoga practices, group discussions, partner exercises, posture analysis, teaching demonstrations, and practice teaching sessions. Emphasis is placed on building confidence, developing effective communication skills, and learning to create thoughtful, accessible yoga classes for a variety of students.

Major topics covered include:

Yoga History & Philosophy: The origins and evolution of yoga, the Yoga Sutras, Eight Limbs of Yoga, and traditional teachings applied to modern life.
Anatomy & Physiology: Musculoskeletal anatomy, biomechanics, functional movement, and injury prevention.
Asana & Alignment: Exploration of foundational postures, modifications, variations, and safe movement principles.
Pranayama & Meditation: Breathwork techniques, mindfulness practices, meditation, and relaxation.
Sequencing & Class Planning: Creating balanced, purposeful classes for different levels, abilities, and intentions.
Teaching Methodology: Effective cueing, observation, class management, creating inclusive environments, and developing an authentic teaching style.
Professional Development: Yoga ethics, the teacher-student relationship, and practical considerations for beginning a teaching career.

By the end of the training, participants will have gained valuable hands-on teaching experience, a deeper understanding of yoga beyond the physical postures, and the confidence to share yoga with others in a knowledgeable, compassionate, and authentic way.

Style/Lineage

Emery Bryant Yoga Teacher Training is rooted in an eclectic, inclusive approach to yoga, drawing from multiple traditions while honoring the history and philosophy of classical yoga. Emery's teaching journey began with her 2007 certification in VariYoga, a style influenced by Iyengar, Anusara, and Viniyoga that emphasizes adapting yoga to the individual rather than expecting every student to conform to a prescribed practice.

Her continued education has included training in the Ashtanga Primary Series, Core Strength Vinyasa with Sadie Nardini, and Power Yoga for Sports with Gwen Lawrence. These diverse influences have shaped a teaching style that blends mindful movement, intelligent sequencing, functional anatomy, and breath awareness.

While the training primarily prepares teachers to lead Vinyasa-based classes, from gentle flow to dynamic power yoga, it encourages exploration beyond any single style or lineage. Students study traditional yoga philosophy, including the Eight Limbs of Yoga, while learning to apply these teachings in a modern, accessible, and meaningful way.

At the heart of this training is the belief that yoga is not one-size-fits-all. Trainees are encouraged to develop their own authentic teaching voice, think critically, honor individual differences, and create safe, purposeful, and inclusive experiences for their future students.

Additional Information

No prior yoga teaching experience is required! This training is designed for both aspiring teachers and dedicated yoga practitioners seeking to deepen their knowledge and personal practice. Students should bring a yoga mat, notebook, and an open mind. Required reading and additional training materials will be provided or discussed prior to the start of the program. Payment plan options are available to make the training more accessible. Participants should be prepared to attend scheduled training sessions, complete assigned coursework, and actively participate in practice teaching and group activities.

Core competencies

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

Lifestyle & Ethics	Apply ethical principles in yoga instruction, including professional boundaries, respectful communication, student autonomy, and consent for physical adjustments by demonstrating respectful interactions with students, using inclusive and professional language, and requesting appropriate consent before offering physical assistance or adjustments. Demonstrate respectful and inclusive teaching practices that acknowledge differences in students' physical abilities, experience levels, personal goals, and comfort by creating a supportive teaching environment, offering appropriate choices and modifications, and using nonjudgmental language that encourages students to respect their individual needs and limitations.
Other	Evaluate traditional yoga teachings, contemporary wellness claims, and scientific information related to yoga practice by distinguishing established scientific evidence from traditional beliefs, identifying claims that require further investigation, and explaining how credible information can inform responsible yoga instruction.
Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Identify the major bones, joints, muscles, and anatomical structures involved in common yoga postures by correctly identifying key structures and explaining their roles in movement, stability, and posture during asana practice. Explain fundamental principles of biomechanics, including joint actions, planes of motion, force, leverage, and stability by analyzing common yoga postures and accurately explaining how biomechanical principles influence movement, balance, and physical demands. Explain the anatomy and physiology of respiration, including the diaphragm, accessory breathing muscles, and mechanics of ventilation by describing the mechanics of inhalation and exhalation and explaining how breathing techniques influence respiratory function and autonomic nervous system activity. Apply principles of functional anatomy and biomechanics to the alignment and execution of yoga postures by demonstrating appropriate modifications, positioning, and movement strategies based on anatomical considerations and individual abilities. Discuss the physiological responses and adaptations associated with yoga practice, including muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous system responses by accurately distinguishing between immediate physiological responses and longer-term adaptations and relating these concepts to different styles and intensities of yoga. Apply anatomical and biomechanical principles to recognize movement limitations, potential contraindications, and opportunities for safer yoga practice by identifying relevant risk factors in common postures and demonstrating appropriate modifications, alternatives, or referrals when indicated. Explain the relationship between the nervous system, proprioception, balance, and neuromuscular control during yoga practice by describing how sensory feedback, muscular coordination, and motor control contribute to posture, stability, and movement awareness. Describe how anatomical variation, skeletal structure, joint mobility, and individual differences influence yoga practice by explaining why postures may look different among practitioners and identifying appropriate variations that accommodate individual anatomy.
Practice Skills	Demonstrate foundational yoga postures, including standing, seated, balancing, supine, prone, and introductory inverted postures by performing representative asanas with appropriate alignment, stability, body awareness, and breath coordination while respecting individual anatomical differences. Demonstrate mindful transitions, posture variations, and the use of modifications and props in an individualized yoga practice by demonstrating controlled transitions between postures and selecting appropriate variations or props to accommodate different abilities, mobility levels, and anatomical considerations. Demonstrate foundational pranayama practices, including diaphragmatic breathing, three-part yogic breathing, ujjayi, and alternate nostril breathing by correctly performing the breathing techniques with appropriate positioning, pacing, breath control, and awareness of relevant precautions. Practice foundational meditation and mindfulness techniques, including breath awareness, body scan, and focused-attention meditation by participating in guided and independent meditation practices, demonstrating appropriate techniques for maintaining and redirecting attention, and reflecting on personal experiences with meditation.
Teaching Skills	Design balanced, purposeful yoga class sequences that incorporate appropriate warm-ups, progressive movement, postural variety, transitions, and relaxation by developing a 60-minute class plan with a logical progression of postures, appropriate preparation for more demanding movements, and an intentional conclusion. Demonstrate effective verbal communication, including clear instructions, concise anatomical cues, breath coordination, and appropriate pacing by delivering understandable, accurate, timely, and inclusive verbal instructions during a supervised yoga teaching demonstration. Demonstrate the ability to teach foundational yoga postures using appropriate verbal instructions, visual demonstrations, and anatomical knowledge by accurately instructing representative postures, communicating key movement principles, and using demonstrations without unnecessarily disrupting the flow of instruction. Apply individualized teaching strategies, including posture variations, modifications, and appropriate use of props for students with different abilities and anatomical characteristics by offering appropriate alternatives and accessible instructions during practice teaching while respecting individual differences and avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Demonstrate the ability to observe students' movement, body language, participation, and responses during a yoga class by maintaining awareness of students throughout a teaching demonstration and making appropriate adjustments to cues, pacing, or posture options based on observable needs. Demonstrate effective management of a group yoga class, including time allocation, transitions, instructor positioning, and maintaining a supportive learning environment by leading a complete 60-minute class within the assigned time frame while maintaining logical transitions, appropriate pacing, and clear organization. Demonstrate the safe and effective instruction of foundational pranayama techniques within a yoga class by guiding students through selected breathing techniques using accurate explanations, clear instructions, appropriate pacing, and relevant precautions. Demonstrate effective public speaking, professional demeanor, confidence, and interpersonal communication in yoga instruction by teaching with audible and clear speech, appropriate eye contact, professional behavior, and a supportive teaching presence that encourages student participation. Evaluate personal teaching performance through reflective observation, constructive feedback, and identification of professional development goals by reviewing a recording of a personally taught yoga class, identifying specific teaching strengths and areas for improvement, and proposing actionable strategies for continued development.
Yoga History & Theory	Describe the historical origins and evolution of yoga, including major yoga traditions and the development of contemporary styles of practice by identifying key historical influences, distinguishing among major yoga traditions, and explaining how traditional practices have influenced modern yoga. Identify the foundational principles of patanjali's eight limbs of yoga and their relationship to yoga practice beyond physical postures by correctly identifying the eight limbs, describing their basic purposes, and providing examples of how selected principles may be applied to contemporary yoga practice or daily life. Identify foundational sanskrit terminology associated with common yoga postures, breathing techniques, and traditional yoga concepts by correctly matching selected sanskrit terms with their english meanings and identifying common yoga postures and practices using appropriate terminology.
Business Skills	Identify basic professional considerations for yoga teachers, including professional registration, continuing education, and liability insurance by identifying relevant professional registration options, explaining the purpose of liability insurance, and recognizing common considerations when beginning a yoga teaching career. Describe basic financial recordkeeping practices for yoga teachers, including tracking teaching income, business expenses, and maintaining appropriate documentation for tax purposes by explaining the importance of accurate income and expense records and identifying examples of financial documentation that yoga teachers should maintain.

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

Other
Written Exam
Group Project Or Presentation
Graded Demonstration
Direct Observation
Graded Skill Demonstration

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Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Emery Bryant

With over 18 years of teaching experience, I blend my background in biology, health promotion, and fitness with extensive training in multiple yoga styles, including VariYoga, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Prenatal, and Power Yoga for Sports.

emerybryantyoga.com/

Springfield, MO, US