300 Hour YTT Review: My Vinyasa Practice

I give the My Vinyasa Practice 300 hour YTT a very positive review. I learned so much about so many different aspects of modern yoga teaching. The space they created was welcoming to all bodies and all levels. While it does take some perseverance and organization to complete the training, I stand on the other side of the experience a better, more well-rounded yoga teacher.
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Over the span of six months of 2022, while teaching yoga internationally in France, Mexico and Australia, I completed my 300 hour training online at My Vinyasa Practice based in Austin, TX. The 300 hour YTT for my vinyasa practice requires several components to complete:

1. Online workshops (60 hours) called the Learning Lab available recorded or via live zoom on a variety of topics from Pranayama, Trauma-informed Yoga, Meditation, etc. I completed all of these trainings in the recorded format. This meant that at times, people from the training were in small groups and I "missed" that interaction. I decided to spend the time journaling and reflecting about the content presented before the small group sessions which were hidden to me since the recordings on zoom only record the main room.

2. Yoga Lectures and Course Material (130 hours) recorded modules on a variety of topics such as restorative yoga, yoga nidra, adaptive yoga, etc. In addition to the videos, reading is provided and prompts for your reflective journal are included. There is an exam afterwards that you must pass; however you are allowed multiple attempts.

3. Personal Practice (20 hours) This includes your own yoga practice, as well as additional reading or classes you may be taking. As an independent learning, I logged by Mysore Ashtanga practice as well as a variety of books related to yoga that I was reading. My Vinyasa Practice also hosts a monthly book club. I read a few books from their book club, but did not join the zoom for the book club discussion.

4. Yoga Teaching (20 hours) If you do not have a studio or other opportunities to teach yoga, they suggest you offer karma yoga for free to friends and family. I taught over 100 hours of yoga in a variety of studios during this time. Note: in order to demonstrate your yoga teaching ability, you must record yourself teaching or provide details class plans with all of the language that you might say allowed during your sequences. I used the web-based program, Tummee to complete this requirement since I'm uncomfortable recorded classes which I see as a safe space for my participants.

5. Independent Study (30 hours) This includes additional study that you complete through readings or lectures.

Considering each of these different components, it is important that you develop a tracking system. My Vinyasa Practice does provide you with a basic way to track with tables that you can fill out and then return to them. I've received many questions about the extent to which people can lie about this tracking. It is true that a lot of it--outside of the videos and the exam at the end alongside the demonstration of your teaching-- is on the honor system. But, yogis as a group tend to have a bit more integrity than others. I certainly didn't feel comfortable "fudging" any of the hours. Also, there isn't really a deadline--there's isn't a time you MUST complete everything within--so why not just be honest and complete it all to the best of your ability? In addition to the tables tracking your progress that you maintain, you will write a 7-10 paragraph reflection about what you learned throughout your progress.

I've included my reflection here if it is helpful as a model, but also, as a way of summarizing my experience.

Special shout-out to the peer support team who was always extra supportive and prompt when I sent in emails with questions or concerns! Thanks!