Have you noticed the rising interest in Yin yoga in recent years? Or have your students been inquiring about Yin yoga and asking for Yin classes from you? It’s almost as if humanity is realizing the importance of the fascia and deep slow stretching more and more. In this article, I introduce the best online Yin yoga teacher training certification courses that you should know about. These online courses just might be the perfect next step in your yoga teacher training journey.
If you are ready to be the facilitator who helps your students restore, repair, and strengthen their bodies in Yin yoga postures, then becoming a certified Yin yoga teacher is a brilliant way to make yourself more dynamic as a yoga instructor, and a smart decision if you want to add a complementary yoga certification to your name and build out your yoga teacher toolkit.
You can add more credibility to your name and become more well-rounded in the styles of yoga you are qualified to teach by completing an online Yin yoga teacher training from an accredited and experienced online yoga school. All of the Yin courses detailed below are registered with Yoga Alliance.
Article content:
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Understanding online Yin yoga teacher training
5 reasons to do Yin yoga teacher training
What you will learn in Yin yoga teacher training
How long is Yin yoga teacher training?
Do you need to be certified to teach Yin yoga?
Best Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training Certification Courses
Takeaway on the best online Yin yoga teacher trainings
FAQ about Yin yoga
Understanding online Yin yoga teacher training
Online Yin teacher trainings meet the same certification requirements as in-person Yin YTT.
While there are two main formats for online Yin YTT (self-paced and cohort), the programs will all meet the requirements for certification.
Formats of online Yin yoga courses
There are two main formats of online programs, self-paced and cohort, both of which are included in this guide. Here's how the two formats for online YTT differ:
- Self-paced: You can start the course as soon as you enroll. You finish lessons as your schedule permits and progress through the course as a solo student.
- Cohort: You start the course on the date the training begins. You finish lessons in sync with your classmates, and there are set dates for live group calls. You progress through the course and finish the course with fellow students.
Pros and cons of self-paced vs cohort training
A cohort training is more interactive, and because you meet with your classmates and teachers weekly online, it's easier to stay accountable. However, to actually be on the weekly calls, you will want to ensure that calls are being offered at times that work for your schedule and timezone.
Self-paced courses offer the most flexibility, so they could be the best training choice if you have a family, a part-time job, or other obligations. I did a self-paced yoga teacher training and found it very challenging to stay on track, but creating a training schedule for myself really helped with this.
5 reasons to do Yin yoga teacher training
While there are many reasons to do a Yin YTT, here are 5 top reasons I recommend doing a Yin yoga course:
- Deepen your knowledge of anatomy and fascia: Yin yoga focuses on targeting the deeper connective tissues, like fascia, ligaments, and joints. A teacher training in Yin will provide a better understanding of how these tissues respond to stress and how to safely guide students in poses that enhance joint health and flexibility.
- Accrue hours for your Continuing Education requirements: If you are a Registered Yoga Teacher, the hours you log in a Yin teacher training can count towards your required Continuing Education hours.
- Offer a complementary practice to Yang styles: Many yoga teachers primarily teach dynamic, yang-based styles like Vinyasa or Power yoga. Yin yoga offers a more meditative and slower-paced practice, which can be a wonderful complement to high-energy classes. It helps to balance the body’s energy systems and brings variety to your teaching portfolio.
- Enhance students' mental and emotional well-being: Yin yoga encourages mindfulness, allowing practitioners to slow down and connect more deeply with their inner selves. It helps in managing stress, anxiety, and mental health by promoting relaxation. As a teacher, you can offer this healing space for students.
- Attract a broader range of students: Yin yoga appeals to a wide demographic, including beginners, older students, and those recovering from injuries, as it focuses on long-held postures without muscular engagement. Expanding your skillset with Yin training can help you attract a broader range of students looking for a gentler or more restorative practice.
Do you need to be a yoga teacher to take a Yin yoga teacher training?
There are no requirements or prerequisites to enroll in Yin YTT. Any yogi wanting to expand their knowledge is welcome to enroll in one of these courses.
Now let's find an online Yin yoga teacher training course for you.
What you will learn in Yin yoga teacher training
Each Yin yoga teacher training has a unique syllabus, but you can look forward to diving deep into the following topics:
- In-depth study of the fascia & connective tissue
- The mechanics of Yin yoga
- Functional Yin anatomy
- How to teach Yin yoga
- Sequencing Yin classes
- Yin poses & modifications
- Energetic meridians
How long is Yin yoga teacher training?
As you may have noticed in the table above, the hours for Yin yoga teacher training range from 20 hours to 80 hours. While there are no specified requirements for Yin yoga teacher training, your training hours can be applied to your Yoga Alliance Continuing Education requirements, assuming you are a RYT.
If you are not a Registered Yoga Teacher but a dedicated yoga student, you can also take any of these courses for your own personal development.
Do you need to be certified to teach Yin yoga?
Most yoga studios will require a Yin yoga teaching certificate on top of a 200-hour yoga teaching credential to teach the Yin style of yoga in their space.
Yoga regulations differ from country to country and for the most part, yoga is unregulated. However, most yoga studios and online yoga platforms will want to see that prospective yoga teachers have completed Yin yoga teacher training as confirmation that their teachers are knowledgeable about how to teach Yin yoga safely and effectively.
So, although it may not be required by law to have a Yin yoga teaching certificate, it will be essentially required to be employable as a Yin yoga teacher. And of course, as a yoga teacher, you want to learn and understand the history of the Yin style and the technique, so completing a Yin teacher training course is as personally fulfilling as it is needed.
⬇Click on any training below to read my take on the training and to get insider info!⬇
6 Amazing Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training Certification Courses
School: | Hours: |
Akasha Yoga Academy | 80 hours |
Pranamaya | 50 hours |
Santosha Yoga Institute | 50 hours |
YogaRenew | 20 hours |
Yoga Medicine | 55 hours |
Loka Yoga School | 50 hours |
(Click on any school name above to jump directly to full details below about that training.)
Akasha Yoga Academy
80-hr Yin Certification
⬇Use code THEYOGATIQUE for 5% off below⬇
The 80-Hour Yin Yoga TTC of the Akasha Yoga Academy is a unique program that will certainly take your yoga mastery journey to the next level.
This Yoga Alliance-certified online course focuses on target areas in the physical body and delves deep into the energetic, emotional, and spiritual depths of this heart-opening practice.
Akasha combines Yin Yoga with self-inquiry: This profound method gives you a heightened sense of curiosity, assisting you in gaining a different perception of your inner world.
The combination of Yin yoga & self-inquiry will help you to overcome obsessive thoughts & emotions, and you will be able to guide your future Yin students in doing the same.
Akasha’s profound approach to Yin Yoga invites you to hold hands with your own stillness. This training gently guides you home to your authentic essence, helps you transcend the struggles of the ego, and helps you discover who you really are.
Akasha Yoga Academy school ratings:
Yoga Alliance Overall School Rating | 4.92/5 |
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score | 9.6/10 |
Google Reviews | 4.9/5 |
Use code THEYOGATIQUE for 5% off
Yoga Alliance certified – 80 Continuing Education credits
Rich, interactive, engaging format
Lifetime access to course materials
Start course immediately upon enrollment
Free bonuses include: Done for you Yin sequences, Yin/Yang Pranayama masterclass, Breathbaased alignment workshop, Ayurveda program bundle
Pranamaya
50-hr Yin Certification
Internationally acclaimed yoga teacher and scholar Paul Grilley is your guide through the Pranamaya online Yin yoga teacher training. His paradigm-shifting teachings will help you understand anatomy like you never thought possible.
Paul is the perfect teacher for all levels. Whether you're a seasoned yoga teacher or a curious practitioner, you will finish this illuminating course with a head filled with new knowledge. Paul Grilley's online course is one of the most sought-after Yin courses and one to certainly consider. Paul's teachings are even mentioned on Wikipedia's Yin yoga page.
In Paul's “Functional Approach” to Yin yoga, you will learn about the 24 target areas of the body, the 7 archetypal pose families, and other insights that you can apply to all different styles of yoga, not just Yin.
Immerse yourself in Paul's 12-hour online workshop and join the eight practices led by Paul himself. Download and keep the 100+ page illustrated study guide with key images, anatomical illustrations, self-quizzes, and every major point in the program for you to reference anytime.
Graduate with a certificate of completion and 20 hours to apply towards your Yoga Alliance continuing education credits.
Yoga Alliance certified – 20 Continuing Education credits
Lifetime access to course materials
Access the course immediately upon enrollment
Santosha Yoga Institute
50-hr Yin Certification
⬇Use code YOGATIQUE10 for 10% off below⬇
Embody mindfulness, release blockages, improve energy flow, and teach your students how to do the same after graduating from the renowned Santosha Yoga Institute’s online Yin yoga teacher training course.
This Yoga Alliance approved online training is a self-paced course offered by Santosha Yoga Institute, one of the most popular yoga teacher training schools.
This Yin teacher training covers the modern lineage of Yin as well as the ancient scriptures. As with everything Santosha creates, you will be a student in a very comprehensive and well-procured course.
Santosha's online Yin TT is extremely detailed and world-class. Prepare to deeply explore Yin intentions and principles, the biomechanics of Yin yoga on the body, Yin sequencing, how to incorporate props into Yin yoga classes, using Yin yoga to affect certain organs and meridians, and more.
This online Yin yoga teacher training is led by Andrea, a Yoga Therapist, Physiotherapist, and dedicated yogi of over a decade, and Piera Maria, who is a RYT 500, and certified Exercise Educator. The Yin yoga teaching tips you will absorb in this training will enable you to become a successful and sought-after Yin yoga teacher.
Santosha Yoga Institute school ratings:
Yoga Alliance Overall School Rating | 4.34/5 |
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score | N/A |
Facebook Reviews | 5/5 |
Yoga Alliance certified – 50 hours of Continuing Education credits
Lifetime access to course materials
Access the course immediately upon enrollment
YogaRenew
20-hr Yin Certification
YogaRenew’s online Yin YTT will teach you how to bring your class into stillness. This 20-hour online Yin yoga teacher training offered by YogaRenew is completely self-paced and will enlighten you on Yin yoga's philosophy, practice, and history.
The curriculum of YogaRenew’s popular Yin training delves into anatomy, the unique practice of Yin yoga, and its benefits. Holding a Yin teacher training certification from YogaRenew will enable you to guide your students in a peaceful and deep practice.
Be guided through your Yin learning journey by Kate Lombardo, an E-RYT500 certified teacher, certified Yin Yoga teacher, and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education (YACEP) Instructor. In addition to being an experienced yoga teacher, Kate holds a certificate in Positive Psychology.
You may be familiar with YogaRenew, one of the most well-known online yoga schools. They are known for their low-cost courses and for graduating thousands of students over the years. YogaRenew is one of the pioneers in the online yoga space, and they’ve created exceptional online yoga courses since 2015.
YogaRenew school ratings:
Yoga Alliance Overall School Rating | 4.81/5 |
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score | 8.9/10 |
Google Reviews | 5/5 |
Yoga Alliance certified – 20 Continuing Education credits
Lifetime access to course materials
Access the course immediately upon enrollment
Yoga Medicine
55-hr Yin Certification
Yoga Medicine’s online Yin/Meditation yoga teacher training is like no other Yin teacher training. Tiffany Cruikshank and Rashmi Bismark, MD, MPH, co-teach this course. Rashmi brings over 15 years of study and practice of alternative healing modalities, including ayurveda, energy healing, yoga, and meditation, and Tiffany Cruikshank is an international yoga teacher, author, and health and wellness expert who holds a Master's in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.
This course takes a deep dive into the fascia and its relationship with Yin yoga and Chinese Medicine principles, such as using the meridians to support the energetic body.
Yoga Medicine’s in-depth certification program also analyzes scientific literature and papers about meditation’s effect on neurotransmitters, the endocrine system, the immune system, epigenetics, aging, and cognitive effects. You can look forward to studying advanced concepts like neuroplasticity and how it relates to meditation and more.
The training is composed of 6 parts that include pre-recorded lectures, asana practice, homework, and review. The main topics covered in this comprehensive training are:
- YIN: TCM foundations & Yin/Yang Theory, Fascia Anatomy & Function in a Yin Practice, Stretching Research & Implications, Joint Anatomy, How to Use a Yin Practice Therapeutically, Anatomy of a Yin Practice: the What, Why, When & How, Detailed Dissection of Yin Poses & Uses, Chinese Medicine Meridians, 5 Elements & Uses, Myofascial Chains, Yin Yoga Sequencing
- MEDITATION: Mindfulness: A Primer, Meditation: The Evidence Base, Meditation as a Neurocognitive Exercise, Approaching Obstacles in Meditation Practice, Spiritual Path of Meditation, Guiding Meditation: the What, Why, When & How, Focused Attention vs. Open Monitoring, Still vs. Movement, Guided vs. Unguided.
Yoga Medicine school ratings:
Yoga Alliance Overall School Rating | 4.94/5 |
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score | N/A |
Facebook Reviews | 5/5 |
Yoga Alliance certified – 55 hours Continuing Education credits
Lifetime access to course materials
Access the course immediately upon enrollment
Loka Yoga School
50-hr Yin Certification
Learn the secrets of Yin yoga with the Internationally certified Loka Yoga School and get ready to fall in love with this Bali-based yoga school right from the start.
This online Yin YTT, designed by experts Taryn, an E-RYT 500, and Yann, who holds a BA in Nursing, offers deep and meaningful teacher training. This dynamic duo has been working in the field for more than 20 years and has taught Yin yoga to Olympic athletes, circus performers, corporate employees, and more.
Join this 50-hour online Yin yoga teacher training with Loka Yoga School and look forward to a deep immersion into anatomy and physiology. This fascinating and educational journey will teach you about the theory, history, and science of the Yin practice as well as how to properly sequence a Yin yoga class, proper alignment for Yin yoga poses, and how to adjust your students.
Loka Yoga School's online learning opportunity offers full-length pre-sequenced Yin yoga classes to bring to your studio or to your online community so that you can start teaching Yin yoga just as soon as you’ve completed the program. Also included is a Yin yoga teaching manual with in-depth instruction and guidance for 64 Yin yoga poses.
Whether you want to learn how to teach Yin yoga or you are curious to learn more about the healing qualities of this style of yoga, Loka Yoga School's training will provide deep enrichment that will help you understand the fundamentals of Yin better and set you up for success as a Yin yoga teacher. This is certainly a Yin yoga online course to put at the top of your list!
Use code THEYOGATIQUE50 for $50 off
Yoga Alliance certified – 50 hours Continuing Education credits
Lifetime access to course materials
Access the course immediately upon enrollment
Takeaway on online Yin yoga teacher training
Yin yoga is one of the most in-demand styles of yoga being requested today. Join a Yin yoga teacher training today to deepen your understanding of anatomy and the facia. Enrolling in a Yin yoga teaching certification course is an ideal way to build out your yoga teaching toolkit.
For further Yin reading, check out our detailed post about the Yin yoga props you'll need to embark upon your Yin journey as a teacher or a student. And to discover how to create that perfect space for your Yin practice, check out our tips!
FAQ about Yin yoga
How long does it take to become a Yin yoga teacher?
Yin yoga teacher training ranges from 20 hours to 80 hours. There are no specific requirements for how long a Yin yoga teacher training needs to be.
How hard is Yin yoga?
I personally find Yin yoga to be very challenging. This is likely due to my nature of being more in a Yang state of constant movement. In some ways, Yin requires more patience than other styles of yoga, and patience and stillness can be a pretty big challenge for some!
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