Aspiring yoga teachers
If you want to teach in studios, gyms, retreats or online, this is the course that opens the door. You leave with a method for planning classes, practice teaching hours and the certificate most employers ask for.
Avatar Yoga School runs a residential 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh for beginners and intermediate students who want to teach or deepen their own practice. Over about three weeks you study Hatha yoga, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, anatomy and teaching methodology, and you finish the course ready to lead a class.
A 200 hour yoga teacher training is the standard first qualification for yoga teachers. It is a residential course of about three weeks, from the 2nd to the 22nd of every month, in which you study the practice, the philosophy and the teaching of yoga every day. At Avatar Yoga School in Rishikesh, classes run six days a week and Sunday is kept free for rest.
Most studios and gyms around the world ask for a 200 hour certificate before they hire a new teacher, and Yoga Alliance uses 200 hours as the entry level for teacher registration. That is why this is the course most people choose when they decide to teach.
It is also a good fit if you never plan to teach. Many students join to understand yoga properly, to fix habits that cause pain or simply to spend a month living a structured, quiet life. You study with a group, so you learn from each other as much as from your teachers.
Rishikesh adds something that a weekend course at home cannot. The town has taught yoga for generations, the Ganga flows close to the school and the routine leaves little room for distraction.
If you are still choosing a length, see how the 200 hour course compares with the 100 hour and 300 hour courses.
The 200 hour course suits beginners with a few months of practice, regular students who want to teach, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of yoga. You do not need to do advanced poses.
If you want to teach in studios, gyms, retreats or online, this is the course that opens the door. You leave with a method for planning classes, practice teaching hours and the certificate most employers ask for.
You may have practised for years and feel ready to look beneath the poses. Daily classes on anatomy, philosophy and alignment explain why the practice works and how to keep your own body healthy.
A few months of classes is enough to start. Teachers explain each pose from the ground up, and the group moves at a pace that lets newcomers keep up without feeling lost.
Physiotherapists, fitness trainers, counsellors and office workers often join to add yoga to their work or to change direction.
The syllabus covers six areas: Hatha yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, yoga philosophy, anatomy and teaching methodology. Together they cover what Yoga Alliance expects from a 200 hour program.
Learn the classical Hatha poses in standing, seated, forward bending, backbending, twisting, balancing and inverted groups. Teachers break down alignment, modifications and common mistakes, and you practise sequencing so a class flows from warm up to rest.
Study the main pranayama techniques, such as deep yogic breathing, alternate nostril breathing and cooling breaths, along with simple cleansing practices called kriyas. You learn when each one helps, who should avoid it and how to teach it safely.
Practise breath awareness, mantra, silent sitting and relaxation methods such as yoga nidra. By the end of the month you have a personal practice you can keep at home and the tools to guide a group through a short session.
Explore the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the eight limbs of yoga, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the main ideas of the Bhagavad Gita. Classes link the texts to daily life, ethics and the way a teacher speaks to students.
Learn how the spine, hips, shoulders and knees move, how breathing works and which poses stress which joints. You also cover common injuries and how to adapt a pose for stiff, injured or very flexible bodies.
Plan classes, demonstrate poses, give clear cues and adjust students with care. From the second week you teach short sessions to your batch, and in the last week you lead a full class and receive feedback.
The balance of subjects can change by batch. Ask the team for the current syllabus before you book.
Avatar Yoga School is a residential school in Swargashram, Rishikesh, where the day is built around practice, study and rest. Here is what you can expect when you train with us.
Teachers answer questions after class and show you how a pose should feel, not only how it looks. You leave with understanding you can pass on, instead of a sequence you memorised.
Swargashram lies beside the Ganga, away from the louder parts of town. Mornings are quiet, meals are simple and your phone matters less after the first few days.
You get the dates, the fee and the inclusions in writing before you pay, and nobody pushes you to decide. If another course would suit you better, we will say so.
A typical day begins around 6 am with pranayama and ends with meditation in the evening. Classes run six days a week and Sunday is free. Timings shift a little with the batch and the season, so ask for the current timetable.
Ask for the current timetable
The three weeks build on each other. You begin with foundations, move to alignment, anatomy and sequencing, and finish with teaching, practice classes and a final review.
You learn the basic poses, the breathing and meditation routine and the rhythm of the day. Teachers watch your practice and suggest props and modifications that suit your body.
Classes go deeper into alignment and how the body moves, and you learn to build a balanced class. The philosophy lectures begin to connect with what you do on the mat.
You teach short sections to the group, lead a full class, complete a short written assessment and sit down with your teachers for a final review before graduation day.
Choose the 200 hour course if you want to teach, because it is the level that most studios and Yoga Alliance expect. Choose 100 hours for a shorter foundation, and 300 hours once you already hold a 200 hour certificate.
| Feature | 100 hour | 200 hour | 300 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | About 2 weeks | About 3 weeks | About 5 weeks |
| Best for | A short foundation or a first taste | New teachers and serious students | Teachers who want deeper study |
| Yoga Alliance | Not eligible on its own | Route to RYT 200 | Adds to 200 for RYT 500 |
| Teaching readiness | Informal, small groups | Ready to lead public classes | Advanced sequencing and teaching |
| Before you start | No experience needed | A few months of practice helps | A 200 hour certificate |
Read more about the 100 hour course and the 300 hour course. If you prefer a different style, Avatar Yoga School also teaches a 200 hour Kundalini yoga teacher training.
Avatar Yoga School teaches its 200 hour course as a Yoga Alliance program, and graduates can apply to register as RYT 200 teachers. Check the school's registration in the Yoga Alliance online directory before you pay, and ask the team to confirm it in writing.
Yoga Alliance is a non-profit registry rather than a government licence, but studios around the world recognise it. Its 200 hour standard groups the training into four educational categories: techniques, training and practice; yoga humanities; anatomy and physiology; and professional essentials, which includes teaching methodology and practicum. All 200 hours are classroom hours, and a school may not schedule more than 14 instructional hours in a single day.
After you finish, you apply to Yoga Alliance for the RYT 200 designation, the credential many teachers list on their profiles. Registration is optional and is not a legal requirement to teach yoga, but many employers ask for it. To graduate you attend the classes, take part in practice teaching and complete a short assessment.
The fee depends on the room you choose. It covers tuition, accommodation, vegetarian meals and course materials, per person for the full course. A new batch starts every month.
These sessions are included in the course fee at no extra cost.
Ask the team for the current fee for your batch. The payment page explains the booking advance and refund terms.
The course fee usually covers tuition, accommodation, daily vegetarian meals, course manuals and your certificate. Flights, visa, travel insurance and personal expenses are normally extra.
When you compare prices, look at the full picture. A lower fee that leaves out meals or study material can cost more in the end. Ask for the inclusions in writing.
February to April and September to November are the most comfortable months in Rishikesh. A new batch starts every month, so pick the month that suits the weather and book two to three months ahead.
| Months | What the weather is like | For training |
|---|---|---|
| February to April | Pleasant days and clear skies as the hills warm up. | Best |
| May to June | Very hot, especially in the afternoon. | Hot |
| July to August | Heavy monsoon rain that can disturb travel. | Rainy |
| September to November | Comfortable days, clear skies and mild mornings. | Best |
| December to January | Cold mornings and evenings. Bring warm layers. | Good with warm clothes |
Avatar Yoga School is in the Swargashram area of Rishikesh, near Omkar Cafe. Fly into Dehradun or take a train to Haridwar, then continue by road. To join, send an enquiry, choose a batch and pay the booking advance.
Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest, about 35 km from Rishikesh. Taxis run from the airport to town.
Haridwar railway station is about 25 km away, with regular trains from Delhi and other large cities.
Rishikesh is about 240 km from Delhi, which takes five to six hours by taxi or bus.
India's tourist and e-Tourist visas allow attending a short term yoga programme. A 30 day e-Tourist visa counts from your first arrival, so a three week course plus a day or two either side fits inside it. If you plan to travel in India as well, check whether a longer visa suits you, and confirm the category and fees on the official Indian visa portal.
Build a daily practice for a month before you travel, sort out your visa and insurance early and pack simple, comfortable clothes.
Tell us your preferred month and your experience. The team will reply with batch dates, the fee and what is included.
Check batch datesWhatsApp usShort, direct answers on eligibility, certification, fees, daily hours and travel.
Talk to our team directly. We reply on WhatsApp and phone.
WhatsApp us Call +91 78309 61407