What Will You Learn in a Restorative YTT?

Restorative yoga teacher trainings (YTTs) are packed with loads of valuable information supporting you on your journey to becoming an effective restorative yoga teacher. Many yoga teachers seek out a restorative YTT as an add-on after completing their foundational 200-hour yoga teacher training course. However, some teachers prefer to focus on one yoga style and make that their specialty. Whatever was your path to becoming a restorative yoga teacher, pursuing a restorative YTT will undoubtedly be a valuable experience.

In this article, we will go over some of the most commonly covered topics in restorative YTT so that you know what to expect when you begin your restorative yoga teacher training. To help you understand this information, we have laid it out in a list of the top 12 lessons that we learned in a restorative yoga teacher training course. So, let’s dive in!

What is Restorative Yoga?

12 Lessons I Learned in a Restorative YTT

1.    What is Restorative Yoga?

One of the most common questions that new yoga students and teachers ask is – what exactly is restorative yoga? Restorative yoga is a slow, methodical, therapeutic yoga style that emphasizes long holds in your favorite yoga poses. Restorative yoga classes typically involve lots of props to support your body and allow your muscles to completely relax into a state of deep ease and rest. Restorative yoga is precisely what it sounds like – it is restorative to your body, mind, and spirit!

2.    How to Use Props in Restorative Yoga

Using props in restorative yoga is a wonderful way to help your body relax into the poses. The goal of restorative yoga is to facilitate your muscles in entering a state of complete relaxation without any gripping or holding. Props can support your body in crucial areas, allowing a gentle stretch but with greater easefulness. There are many ways to utilize props in restorative yoga, and in a restorative YTT, you can learn standard techniques for using props and how to guide your students correctly in setting up each posture.

3.    The Best Restorative Yoga Poses

Perhaps the most essential component of a restorative YTT is learning the actual restorative yoga poses. Many of the restorative yoga poses are similar to the standard yoga poses that you might find in other yoga classes. The critical difference is that restorative yoga poses are typically all seated or reclined on the mat. Additionally, restorative yoga poses rely heavily on props, and learning how to set up yoga poses using props can take time and guidance to ensure it is done safely. What are the differences in yin yoga and restorative yoga?

4.    How to Modify Restorative Yoga Poses

Every single person who comes into your yoga classes has a unique body and needs. Learning how to modify restorative yoga poses allows you to meet each student exactly where they are and support them as best as possible. Modifications are crucial to make restorative yoga accessible and easeful for many different body types and physical conditions – this is the key to making restorative yoga genuinely therapeutic!

5.    How to Teach Restorative Yoga

A core component of restorative yoga teacher training is learning how to actually teach this yoga style. Teaching skills come with practice, but there are a few essential tips that you can learn from experienced teachers to guide you along the way. Our team of high-quality yoga teachers will support you in our restorative YTT to learn how to teach restorative yoga effectively and to keep your students safe and engaged throughout this process. With additional teaching opportunities and continued practice, you can become a genuinely transformational restorative yoga teacher and grow into this exciting new career!

6.    How to Sequence Restorative Yoga Classes

Once you have learned the base set of restorative yoga poses, the next step is learning how to link these various poses together into a nurturing yoga sequence. Yoga sequencing is truly an art that involves various components of theming, anatomical understanding, and therapeutic intent behind this process. When you understand the goal and intention behind each restorative yoga pose, then you can begin to create transformational yoga sequences for a range of focuses or themes.

7.    What is the Difference Between Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga?

Another one of the most common questions that new yoga students and teachers ask is, what exactly is the difference between restorative yoga and yin yoga? Both restorative yoga and yin yoga are profoundly meditative and therapeutic yoga styles, but they share some key differences that are important to know to each them each effectively. In our restorative YTT, you will understand what makes your teachings of restorative yoga different from yin yoga. You may even choose to pursue additional training in yin yoga through our yin YTT to learn more!

8.    The Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System

The basis of restorative yoga and its therapeutic potential lies in our understanding of the nervous system. Restorative yoga works on the body-mind connection by facilitating a deep release on the physical level that ultimately results in profound relaxation on a mental and emotional level. Through toning the vagus nerve and calming the nervous system, restorative yoga can have a profound impact on your overall wellbeing.

9.    The Role of the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Beyond the basics of the nervous system, it is vital for restorative yoga teachers to understand the specifics of how the parasympathetic nervous system works in a yoga class. Restorative yoga works directly on this portion of the nervous system by assisting your body from switching out of fight or flight mode and into rest and digest mode. This restful inner state is where the therapeutic potential of restorative yoga has the greatest impact and can truly facilitate a profound inner and outer transformation.

10.Creating Restorative Yoga Class Playlists

Teaching restorative yoga classes in modern yoga studios requires the use of calming yoga music to facilitate this process. But choosing the right music to accompany your classes should always be done with intention. To help get you started, our restorative YTT includes a few yoga class playlists to help give you an idea of the best music for a restorative yoga class so that you can begin to cultivate your own unique style.

11.Principles of Teaching and Demonstration in Restorative Yoga

Another core component of a restorative YTT is learning the principles of teaching and demonstration in restorative yoga. As you are guiding your students into the poses during a restorative yoga class, it is helpful to have a combination of verbal cues with physical demonstrations to suit the needs of many different types of learners. Understanding this basis of teaching is critical to creating transformational restorative yoga classes and becoming an effective restorative yoga teacher.

12.The Transformative Power of Restorative Yoga

A restorative YTT is so much more than a training course; it is an experiential journey to your inner self. In restorative yoga teacher training, you have the opportunity to dive deeper into restorative yoga practice and feel the profound therapeutic potential and transformation that this healing practice can provide. As both a student and a teacher, you can experience the benefits of restorative yoga in your own life and then offer this gift to others as well.  

Restorative Yoga for Injury

What are the Benefits of an Online Restorative YTT?

Restorative YTT is more than just an opportunity to become a restorative yoga teacher; it is also a chance to dive deeper into restorative yoga practice and learn the various techniques and practices that yoga has to offer. Yoga is a vast and deep discipline, and the more that you study the complexity of the many yoga styles available, the more that you will deepen into the mysterious beauty that yoga practice provides.

In a restorative YTT, you have the chance to build your skillset as a teacher and tap into the softer side of yoga. Teaching restorative yoga can provide you with another skill to add to your repertoire, increasing your career capabilities and earning potential while also providing another tool to support your students. Restorative YTT is also a beautiful opportunity to explore your own yoga practice and to help you discover the therapeutic potential that yoga can give you both on and off the mat.

Become a Restorative Yoga Teacher in Our Online Restorative YTT

Becoming a restorative yoga teacher is an exciting journey where you have the opportunity to step into your dharma or purpose in life and offer this healing practice to others. Additionally, restorative YTT is also an opportunity to deepen your own yoga practice. Overall, restorative yoga teacher training is a beautiful opportunity to cultivate a connection with this profoundly healing practice.

If you are interested in becoming a restorative yoga teacher or just want to learn more about restorative yoga, then make sure to check out our online restorative yoga teacher training course. In our restorative YTT, we give you all the training that you need to become an effective restorative yoga teacher. So, reach out to us today for more information on how you can join our online restorative YTT today!