200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training:
The Viniyoga Approach
For teachers who qualified but didn't feel qualified,
and for those who want to get it right from the start.
Most 200-hour yoga teacher training courses teach you what to do. This one teaches you why it works.
There is a significant number of qualified yoga teachers who will admit, when asked directly, that their training left them underprepared. They can sequence a class. They know the names of the poses. They are less certain about why one practice produces clarity and another produces exhaustion, why breath matters beyond the instruction to "breathe deeply," or how to adapt intelligently for a student whose body or nervous system doesn't fit the standard template.
If that description is familiar, this course was designed with you in mind.
It was also designed for those coming to teaching for the first time who want to understand yoga properly before they stand in front of a room, not just learn enough to pass an assessment.
This is a 200-hour GOYA-accredited teacher training rooted in the Viniyoga approach: a precise, evidence-grounded tradition that treats breath as the foundation of practice, adaptation as a principle rather than an afterthought, and philosophy not as decoration but as the framework everything else hangs from.
It is not a fast track. It is not designed to be. It is designed to produce teachers who actually know what they are doing and why.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
The course covers the full spectrum of what a yoga teacher needs to understand, not just to qualify, but to teach with genuine confidence and precision.
By the end of the training you will understand:
Why breath determines the effect of a practice, and how to use it as the primary tool in class design rather than an afterthought.
How to sequence intelligently for a specific person, on a specific day, with a specific intention, rather than delivering the same class to every body in the room.
How to adapt any practice meaningfully, so that modifications serve the intention of the practice rather than simply making it easier.
The philosophical framework that underpins the Viniyoga approach, not as abstract theory but as practical guidance for every teaching decision you make.
The history and language of yoga, including Sanskrit terminology, at a level that gives you genuine understanding rather than surface familiarity.
How the energetic principles of yoga (including pranayama, meditation, and chanting) relate to practice design and student wellbeing.
The fundamentals of Ayurveda and how they inform an intelligent approach to individual practice.
How to run a yoga class professionally, ethically, and sustainably, including the business and ethics considerations that most training courses treat as an afterthought.
WHY THIS COURSE IS DIFFERENT
There are a great many 200-hour teacher training courses available. Most of them will teach you sequences. Some will teach you adjustments. A smaller number will cover anatomy. Very few will teach you to think.
The Viniyoga approach starts from a different premise: that every practice should be designed for the person in front of you, rooted in an understanding of what yoga is actually trying to do, and built around breath rather than pose. This is not a style of yoga. It is a methodology; one that makes you a better teacher regardless of the style you eventually teach.
Teaching on this course is led by Kate Plummer, who has nearly twenty years of teaching experience in the Viniyoga tradition and a background in teacher training that includes being among the first independently appointed Viniyoga Approach Introductory Course tutors in the UK. Kate is assisted by Marc Plummer who also brings extensive experience as a practitioner and class teacher. Both are GOYA-certified.
The course runs in small groups with live, interactive online sessions supported by on-demand recordings and home study materials. You will receive individual feedback throughout the live elements of the course. The balance of live and on-demand content varies by unit: full details are in the course structure below.
Sign up now to secure your place on this unique course and start your journey toward becoming a certified Yoga teacher.
Course Structure
This is a 200-hour training comprising live online sessions, on-demand content, and supported home study.
Pre-course requirements (35 hours)
Before the main training begins you will need to complete three pre-course elements:
The Foundations of Yoga: Ancient Principles in Practice (10 hours live) with Phoenix Yoga. This is your opportunity to experience our teaching before committing to the full training.
A 20-hour online Yoga Anatomy course from Yoganatomy (approximately US$55 plus the cost of their Functional Anatomy of Yoga book at approximately US$25) if you do not already hold an anatomy qualification.
GOYA's Yoga Business and Ethics unit (5 hours).
Main training (165 hours across 11 units)
Unit 1 Asana: Pascimatana (15 hours including 10 hours live)
Unit 2 Asana: Purvatana (15 hours including 10 hours live)
Unit 3 Asana: Parsva, Parivitti, Visesa, Viparita (15 hours including 10 hours live)
Unit 4 Practice teaching, business and ethics (20 hours including 10 hours live)
Unit 5 Yoga Studies: History, Philosophy, Language (30 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 6 Yoga Energetics (10 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 7 Ayurveda (15 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 8 Practical Practice Planning (15 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 9 The Viniyoga Approach (15 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 10 Pranayama, Meditation, Chanting (15 hours including 5 hours live)
Unit 11 Asana: Samasthiti (5 hours) - Available on enrolment.
2026/2027 Live Training Schedule
All live sessions run 10:00 to 16:00 Paris time (09:00 to 15:00 London time). Recordings are available after each session.
Weekend 1 - 9-10 January 2027 Saturday: Unit 9 - The Viniyoga Approach, Sunday: Unit 1a - Asana: Pascimatana
Weekend 2 - 6-7 February 2027 Saturday: Unit 1b - Asana: Pascimatana, Sunday: Unit 2a - Asana: Purvatana
Weekend 3 - 13-14 March 2027 Saturday: Unit 2b - Asana: Purvatana, Sunday: Unit 3a - Asana: Parivrtti, Parsva, Visesa, Viparita
Weekend 4 - 17-18 April 2027 Saturday: Unit 3b - Asana: Parivrtti, Parsva, Visesa, Viparita, Sunday: Unit 4a - Practice Teaching, Business and Ethics
Weekend 5 - 8-9 May 2027 Saturday: Unit 5 - Yoga Studies: History, Philosophy, Language, Sunday: Unit 6 - Yoga Energetics
Weekend 6 - 12-13 June 2027 Saturday: Unit 7 - Ayurveda, Sunday: Unit 8 - Practical Practice Planning
Weekend 7 - 3-4 July 2027 Saturday: Unit 10 - Pranayama, Meditation, Chanting, Sunday: Unit 4b - Practice Teaching and Assessment
Between Weekends 4 and 7 The weeks between the first practice teaching session (April) and the final assessment (July) are used for supervised independent teaching practice with friends, family, or existing students. Guidance and support are available from Kate throughout this period.
Prior learning If you have completed our Advanced Study in the Viniyoga Approach, please contact us to discuss which units may be credited against your prior learning.
To receive updates and be notified when enrolment opens: Email kate@phoenixyogafrance.com with the subject line "2026/27 YTT dates".
ACCREDITATION
This course is accredited by the Global Online Yoga Association (GOYA) and meets the requirements for registration as a 200-hour yoga teacher with GOYA on completion.
Course fees
Full course: €2,999 (approximately £2,500)
Alternatively, the course can be taken unit by unit:
5-hour units: €120
10-hour units: €240
15-hour units: €360
20-hour units: €480
30-hour units: €720
Total cost if paying per unit: €4,080.
All course materials and assessments are included in the fees. Additional costs are the pre-course anatomy course (if required) and GOYA membership plus prior attendance on The Foundations of Yoga: Ancient Principles in Practice course.
The only book required for the course is The Heart of Yoga by TKV Desikachar. Further reading will be suggested but is optional.
Course prerequisites
To join this course you should have at least two years of regular yoga practice or equivalent experience, and you should have completed the Viniyoga Foundations Introductory Course with Phoenix Yoga (see more here).
If you are unsure whether you meet the prerequisites, please get in touch before applying. We would rather have that conversation early than have you commit to something that isn't the right fit yet.
IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR YOU?
It probably is if:
You have completed a 200-hour training elsewhere and feel it did not give you the depth of understanding you were looking for.
You want to become a yoga teacher and are determined to learn properly rather than quickly.
You are drawn to an approach to yoga that takes breath, philosophy, and individual adaptation seriously.
You are prepared to commit to a rigorous training over an extended period rather than a condensed intensive.
It probably is not if:
You are looking for a fast-track qualification.
You want a training that focuses primarily on asana technique and physical adjustment.
You are looking for a large, community-based training with many fellow students.
APPLY FOR YOUR PLACE
This course runs in small groups. Places are limited.
To apply, email kate@phoenixyogafrance.com with a brief note about your yoga background and what has brought you to this training. We will arrange a short conversation to make sure the course is the right fit before you commit.
Alternatively, book a 30-minute call directly: Find a time
At Phoenix Yoga France, we value transparency and professionalism in everything we offer.
Our 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training runs with clear expectations around attendance, payments, and certification so you always know where you stand.
You can review all the details in the Course Terms & Enrollment Conditions below before confirming your place.
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By enrolling in this training, you agree to the following additional terms, which supplement our Terms & Conditions and Refund & Cancellation Policy.
1. Fees and Payment
The course (or unit fee) must be paid in full before the course (or unit) begins.
No course materials or platform access will be released until full payment is received.
Deposits are non-refundable under any circumstances.
Cancellations made more than 14 days before the start date will receive a 50 % refund of fees paid (excluding the deposit). After this date all fees are non-refundable.
If the course is cancelled by the organiser, a full refund or transfer to a future training will be offered.
2. Attendance and Certification Requirements
The training consists of 200 hours of live Zoom sessions, online modules, and self-study assignments.
To qualify for certification, participants must attend all live sessions (or view the recordings), complete all assignments, and demonstrate understanding of course material.
Missed sessions can be caught up by prior arrangement with your tutor. Additional one-to-one time is charged at €50 per hour.
Certificates of completion are issued by Phoenix Yoga France confirming that the training meets the standards required to apply for registration as a 200-hour Yoga Teacher with the Global Online Yoga Association (GOYA).
3. Eligibility
This programme is suitable for students with at least two years of consistent Yoga practice or equivalent experience.
You are responsible for ensuring you are physically and mentally fit to participate and for informing the tutors of any relevant medical conditions or limitations.
4. Code of Conduct
Respectful and professional behaviour toward tutors and peers is required at all times.
Repeated breaches of conduct may result in removal from the course without refund.
5. Liability and Insurance
Participation is undertaken at your own risk.
Phoenix Yoga France and its tutors are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage arising during or after participation in the course.
Students are advised to hold appropriate personal or professional insurance coverage.
6. Intellectual Property
All course materials are copyrighted and may not be copied, shared, or distributed without written permission.
7. Changes to Course Delivery
The organiser reserves the right to modify the schedule, content, or teaching team if necessary. Any significant changes will be communicated in advance.
8. Agreement to Terms
By submitting your enrolment and payment, you confirm that you have read and agree to these Terms of Enrollment and the full Phoenix Yoga France Terms & Conditions.