It is one of the questions we are asked most: "I am not advanced. Can I still join the teacher training?" The answer is yes. Our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Uttarkashi is open to beginners. A 200-hour course is the foundation level of yoga teacher training: it teaches yoga from the ground up, for people with little or a lot of experience.
What you actually need
- A sincere interest in yoga: in the practice and the ideas behind it, not only the postures.
- Willingness to learn and to be corrected.
- Discipline: early mornings and a full day, six days a week, for 26 days.
- Reasonable health: tell us about any medical condition when you apply, so we can adapt the practice.
What you do not need
- Flexibility. It comes with practice. You will learn modifications for every posture.
- Advanced postures. Headstands and deep backbends are not entry requirements.
- Years of experience. Experience helps, but the course starts from the foundations.
- A plan to teach. Many students come to deepen their own practice.
Why beginners often do well
Teaching yoga is mostly about understanding: why a posture is done a certain way, how breath and movement fit together, how to explain a practice clearly and safely. Beginners tend to arrive without fixed habits and listen carefully. They also remember what it is like to find yoga difficult, which makes them patient, clear teachers of other beginners.
What the 26 days are like
Classes run six days a week, with Sunday as a rest day. A typical day starts at 6 am with cleansing practices and pranayama, then Hatha or Ashtanga asana, philosophy, anatomy and teaching method, a second asana practice in the afternoon and meditation in the evening. You can see the full timetable on the course page. It is demanding, and many people feel the first week in their legs and shoulders, but the group is small (at most 20 students) and teachers adapt the practice to each body.
How to prepare in the weeks before
- Practise a little most days: 20 minutes is enough. Our yoga for beginners guide gives a simple sequence.
- Learn the sun salutation: a few slow rounds of Surya Namaskar each morning.
- Practise sitting cross-legged on a cushion for 10 minutes, for meditation and lectures.
- Start breathing practice: three safe techniques for beginners.
- Shift your routine: earlier nights and earlier mornings, and lighter, simpler food.
- Pack well: our packing list covers clothes for the Himalayan mornings.
What comes after
When you complete the course, its practicum and assessment, you receive our certificate. Because we are a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS 200), you can then register as an RYT 200. Most new teachers begin with beginner classes and keep learning; our guide to 200, 300 and 500 hour training explains the next steps.
Not sure yet?
If you would like to try life at the school before committing to 26 days, our 7 Day Himalayan Yoga & Meditation Retreat follows a similar daily rhythm and is open to complete beginners. And if you have questions about your own situation, write to us or message us on WhatsApp; we are happy to talk it through.
