Online Yoga Teacher Training: How Flametree’s Iyengar Training Works
Can you do yoga teacher training online? The short answer
Yes, mostly. Flametree Yoga Studio’s Iyengar yoga teacher training is run as a mix of online and in-studio sessions, so you can train from anywhere in Australia. The weekend intensives, the weekly classes and the trainee practice class can all be joined LIVE online. The one part that needs you in person is assisting and observing classes: trainees who live outside Darwin visit twice a year, for about two weeks each time.
It is a 300-hour program over a minimum of 3 years, taught by Chris Lalor, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher, yoga therapist and an accredited Iyengar Yoga Australia assessor. At the end you are assessed independently by the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia, not just signed off by your own trainer. Full details are on the teacher training page.
Here is this page in short form:
- Online: weekend intensives, weekly classes and practice, LIVE over Zoom.
- In person: assisting and observing, about two visits a year if you live outside Darwin.
- Length: 300 hours over a minimum of 3 years.
- Before you start: about 3 years of Iyengar yoga practice.
- Why do it: to teach, or simply for your own practice and personal development.
How Flametree’s Iyengar yoga teacher training works
See current dates and pricing on the enrolment page
Why I teach teacher training (Chris Lalor)
I (Chris Lalor) was not consciously looking for some of the biggest things I got from becoming a yoga teacher. Some were things I did not even know I needed. Here are a few, because they are also what our trainees tell us they get, whether or not they go on to teach.
Being coachable
Rising to the challenge of teaching well meant I had to become more coachable. I had to learn to take and apply advice from people who knew more than me, and who often knew what I needed before I did. In the process I became less resistant. Both skills have been enormously useful in my life, my business and my relationships.
Teacher training, in the studio or online, works for personal development, for your own yoga, or for a new part-time or full-time role if you want one.
A reason to keep improving my own yoga
Setting out to teach constantly called me to work on my yoga and pranayama (breath practice). That mattered, because I started as a 40-year-old non-yogi who was as stiff as a board. I would never have learnt my yogic skills without a strong reason to master them.
Acceptance, and contentment
On a family front, I had to learn to accept, and find peace around, some challenging situations. Almost every family has some version of these. Out of respect for those still living, I will not say more. Yoga practice also brought a kind of contentment that did not depend on having more, which changed how I think about consumption and my own footprint.
Chris Lalor teaches every part of the Iyengar yoga teacher training at Flametree, in the studio and online.
Meaning and direction
The yoga philosophy I studied, including the ethical guidelines (yamas) in the 8 limbs of yoga, confirmed values I already held. After careers as a university economics lecturer and a plant nursery owner, teaching yoga gave my life a new and welcome direction. And, as every teacher knows, the best way to learn something is to teach it.
Making a difference
Before I taught, I had no idea of the joy of helping students improve their fitness, their wellbeing and their lives. As a teacher, and as someone who models a practice others admire, you can make a real difference to many people.
Teacher training as personal development
Doing teacher training does not mean you have to teach. Many trainees do it for the depth of study and the one-to-one coaching, which go well beyond what a regular class gives you. Leave the question of what you will do with it open. The answer tends to arrive in its own time.
Trainees learn how to teach poses using props such as a chair, at introductory and more advanced levels.
How the online parts of the training work
- Five weekend intensives a year, covering theory, teaching technique and practical skills. Join in the studio or online.
- A weekly trainee practice class on Friday afternoons, working through the assessment sequence together.
- Your own classes: two asana (pose) classes and one pranayama class each week with Chris, in the studio or LIVE online, building toward a daily home practice.
- Readings and assignments through each year, including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the writings of B.K.S. and Geeta Iyengar.
- A yearly one-to-one review with Chris.
- In person: at least one class a week of assisting and observing, logged each year. If you live outside Darwin, this is done during two visits a year of about two weeks each.
- Anatomy and physiology: 36 hours, which can be done online through a recognised external provider.
The requirements are set out in full on the teacher training page.
Trainees learn how to do, and how to teach, inversions safely, step by step.
Who it suits
You need about 3 years of Iyengar yoga practice before you start (breaks are fine if they add up), and your practice should be at least intermediate. If you are not there yet, the best preparation is regular non-beginner classes with Chris. If you are new to Flametree or have been away 3 months or more, start with 12 non-beginner classes for $104.50, in the studio or online (see the non-beginner timetable).
Iyengar yoga is known for precise alignment, props and careful sequencing (how Iyengar yoga is taught). It is not a fast flowing style, and the training reflects that: the emphasis is on practical experience and learning to see and adjust real bodies.
Trainees can join most of the program online from anywhere in Australia, with in-studio weekends and visits as they suit.
Pranayama is part of the training
Pranayama (breath practice) is taught as a core part of the program, not an add-on. The weekly Pranayama classes are at 6.30am on Tuesday and Thursday (Darwin time), in the studio and LIVE online. See what is pranayama for more.
Pranayama teaching is part of the teacher training at Flametree.
@flametreeyoga Energy, stamina, strength, core, calmness. Get it all from Forearm Balance yogapose. HALF price Novice 10 pack ($5 a class) #yoga #onlineyoga #darwin
A simple example of teaching the stages of Forearm Balance. There are more on the Flametree TikTok page.
How to take the next step
- Read the full teacher training page, including what past trainees say.
- See current dates and pricing on the enrolment page.
- Ask us anything using the CHAT button, or get in touch. Even if you might be ready in a year or two, talk to Chris now: she can guide you on what will get you ready.
- Read reviews from Flametree students.
How Flametree’s Iyengar yoga teacher training works
See current dates and pricing on the enrolment page
Online yoga teacher training: questions people ask
Can you do yoga teacher training online in Australia?
Yes. Flametree’s Iyengar yoga teacher training runs as a mix of online and in-studio sessions, so you can train from anywhere in Australia. The one in-person part is assisting and observing classes, done in two visits a year of about two weeks if you live outside Darwin.
Which parts of Flametree’s teacher training can be done online?
The five weekend intensives each year, your weekly asana and pranayama classes, and the weekly trainee practice class can all be joined LIVE online. Anatomy and physiology can be done online through an external provider. Assisting and observing classes is done in person.
How long does Iyengar yoga teacher training take?
A minimum of 3 years, with at least 300 contact hours: 100 hours of observing and assisting, and at least 200 hours of practical asana and pranayama training. Some trainees take a little longer, depending on their progress.
Do I need to be an experienced yoga student before I start?
Yes. You need about 3 years of Iyengar yoga practice first, and your practice should be at least intermediate. If you are not there yet, regular non-beginner classes are the best preparation. 12 non-beginner classes are $104.50 for newcomers and anyone away 3 months or more.
Is online yoga teacher training recognised?
Flametree trainees are assessed independently by the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia, which is the same assessment whether you trained mostly online or in the studio. Chris Lalor refers you for assessment when you are ready.
What do I need for the online sessions?
A laptop or tablet with the free Zoom app, a camera set up so the teacher can see your whole body, a yoga mat, and the usual Iyengar props: blankets, a belt, blocks and a sturdy chair. A clear wall is useful too.
Is pranayama part of the teacher training?
Yes. Pranayama (breath practice) is a core part of the training, and trainees attend a weekly pranayama class with Chris, in the studio or LIVE online, at 6.30am on Tuesday or Thursday, Darwin time.
How much does Flametree’s online yoga teacher training cost?
Pricing and any current offers are kept up to date on the enrolment page, since they change from time to time. That is the best place to check before you apply, or ask Chris through the CHAT button.
