Welcome to the University of Utah's 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program!
The ESSF Program has partnered with Yoga Alliance to offer an accredited 200-Hour Yoga Certification. The program is broken down into three courses that can be taken for credit or non-credit and is available to students, staff, faculty, and members of the community.
All three courses MUST be completed in order to complete the 200-hour program and the program is the same regardless of which course series is used to enroll.
ESSF 1800/1801/1802: These courses are for students wanting to take the program for academic credit in addition to receiving a Yoga Teacher Training Certificate, earning a total of 7.5 credit hours for completing the program. Students can enroll for these courses through the CIS portal.
ESSF 800/801/802: These courses are for students who do not need the academic credit hours and are completing the program for personal or professional development. Students can enroll for these courses through Continuing Education or through the CIS portal.
ESSFC 800/801/802: These courses are designed for students looking to enhance their professional development. Enrollment is managed by Continuing Education. An application may be required for this option depending on a potential candidate's personal yoga experience. Students will be provided with a digital badge for their online profile post-completion. For more information regarding the certificate, please visit Cont. Ed's website found here.
Detailed Information on what to expect from the U of U YTT Program can be found here. Please read!
For questions, please contact Rebecca Davenport or Jendar Morales
An FAQ quick sheet can be found here.
Yoga Teacher Training 1: Foundations of Asana - ESSF 1800, ESSF 800, and PEPEC 800 (Course 1)
Yoga Teacher Training 1: FOUNDATIONS of ASANAS
Pre-Requisite Required: 3 months or more of a personal yoga practice is strongly encouraged for those seeking the YTT certificate, but not required; there are no pre-req ESSF courses needed to enroll in ESSF 1800/800 at this time. Class is HYBRID; 1st session on Zoom, 2nd session in-person.
The main focus of Yoga Teacher Training 1 is the Foundation of Asanas. This course will also include the learning of Asana names in Sanskrit and English, a history of yoga and its varying styles, the importance that the Bhagavad Gita text plays in yoga’s underlying philosophies, basics of metaphysical value applied to yoga practice, and an introduction to chakras. Other topics covered are:
Posture Clinics
- Body Alignment
- Use of props
- Physical adjustments
- Appropriate cueing
- Variation of poses
- Partner Work
Readings
- Bhagavad Gita (required reading)
- Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar (required reading for YTT Course 1
Pranayama Study
- Various Styles of breathing exercises
Yoga Teacher Training 2: ESSF 1801, ESSF 801, PEPEC 801 - Anatomy, Sequence, and Philosophy (Course 2)
Yoga Teacher Training 2: ANATOMY, SEQUENCING, PHILOSOPHY
Pre/Co-Requisite: Yoga Teacher Training 1
The main focus of YTT 2 is to build on YTT 1. In this course, students will learn how to construct and teach their own sequences. Students will also learn the U’s signature YTT sequence, the Chakra Flow. This course will also include discussions around the Business of Yoga, Anatomy Clinics, and the Yoga Sutras Eight Limbs of Yoga and how they can be incorporated into a deeper yogic practice and is mainly held in-person on Thursdays over Fall & Summer, and Saturdays (accelerated format) for Spring semesters.
Other topics covered are:
Sequence Creation
- Creating a themed practice
- Knowing Your Audience
- Teaching For Body Types
- Use of Music, Voice, Sounds, etc.
Round Robin Instruction
- Small Group teaching
- Teaching methodology
Patanjali’s Eight limbs
- Yamas
- Niyamas
- Pranayam
- Asana
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Pratyahara
- Samadhi
Readings
- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (required reading for Course 2)
- The Vedas (suggested reading for Course 2)
- Key Muscles of Yoga (suggested reading for Course 2)
- Yoga Teacher Toolbox (required reading for Course 2; can be located at the U's Bookstore)
Ayurveda Intro
- Know Your Doshas
- Understanding Vayus
Yoga Teacher Training 3: ESSF 1802, ESSF 802, and PEPEC 802 (Course 3)
Yoga Teacher Training 3: YOGA STYLES WORKSHOPS
Pre-requisites: None
This course is required for the 200 hour YTT certification but is also open for anyone interested in learning more about a variety of yoga styles to enhance and grow their own personal practice.
This course provides a unique experience to students by providing a wide array of guest lecturers who are experts in their respective style of Yoga. Students will be introduced to a variety of yoga disciplines in order to increase awareness of yoga lineages, both ancient and modern.
This class will be held exclusively online, with a few exceptions regarding the yoga style being taught.
Styles Covered
- Astanga
- Anusara
- Vinyasa Krama
- Iyengar
- Yin/Restore
- Nidra
- Kundalini
- Partner
- And much more!
Contact Us
ESSF Program Manager
Rebecca Davenport
essf@utah.edu
HPR N Room 249
ESSF Graduate Assistant
Off-Campus Course Contact
Meghan Hedrick
u1374232@utah.edu