Last updated on November 29th, 2023.
Yoga is a staple today known for its ability to create relaxation and drive stress release. One prevalent form of yoga is called restorative yoga. Restorative yoga is a slower, gentle form that involves holding only a few poses per class for long periods. Props support the long poses, so students need to learn the use of such props, and teachers need to know how to teach effectively.
There are numerous yoga courses online that offer certification to teach restorative yoga. The four best online restorative yoga courses are:
Each course has different hours and ends with a Yoga Alliance-approved certification.
Once you learn how to become a restorative yoga instructor, you can decide which of the four online restorative yoga teacher training courses is right for you. Each offers asynchronous, online training that can be done anywhere so you can complete the course on your schedule. Keep reading to learn about the best four online restorative yoga teacher training.
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How do I get certified in Restorative yoga?
The first step to becoming a certified restorative yoga instructor is to complete a restorative yoga instruction course. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate stating the course you completed. You can proudly hang that certificate in your yoga studio or display a picture of it online if you plan on teaching restorative yoga online.
However, you are not finished with your training once you complete the course. The Yoga Alliance requires all yoga instructors to accrue 30 hours of continuing education every three years. Therefore, you must find continuing education courses to meet this requirement and maintain your yoga teaching status.
Luckily, the Yoga Alliance recently changed its requirements for continuing education to allow 20 of the 30 hours of yoga studies to be taken online. Therefore, you will not have to leave home for 30 hours to maintain your restorative yoga teaching abilities. Many times, the initial course will also meet these requirements.
After completing the 30 hours of continuing education, you are typically required to take a brief quiz before receiving your certificate of completion. This ensures you have retained the continuing education knowledge throughout the 30 hours of continuing education. It also helps you further develop your restorative yoga teaching methods.
How do I become a Restorative Yoga instructor?
Restorative yoga is stretching that rests, slows down, and opens the body. There is not a lot of movement with this type of yoga, and it usually requires the students to complete only a few actual poses over an hour. However, you still need to be trained to be an instructor who teaches this more passive type of yoga.
Anyone can teach restorative yoga with proper training. You can become a yoga instructor after you complete a certified restorative yoga course and purchase items like blankets, blocks, and bolsters. Restorative yoga usually requires holding poses for long periods with these items.
There are numerous online restorative teacher training courses available. You should choose one that is registered with the “Yoga Alliance,” which is a nonprofit organization that registers yoga studios to ensure they meet specific requirements. The yoga studio must meet specific standards for their online restorative instruction, including:
- Having both asynchronous instructions that include pre-taped videos and synchronous instruction so you can have live, real-time support
- A Lead Instructor must teach the courses at least half the time
- They are involved in the Yoga Alliance’s community so that they can have the proper resources available
Once you choose a restorative yoga course registered with the Yoga Alliance, you can also register with the Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). Since the Yoga Alliance ensures that some online training is asynchronous, most online courses will have a component that can be done on your own time.
The 4 Best Online Restorative Yoga Teacher Training
As noted above, the best online restorative yoga teacher training courses are registered with the Yoga Alliance. Courses usually range in the number of hours required to become a yoga teacher in all types of yoga, including restorative yoga. They teach everything from the history of yoga to the different poses and breathing exercises.
Online courses provide the flexibility needed to study restorative yoga anywhere and anytime. That way, you can study in the privacy of your own home, at a hotel, anywhere you feel comfortable taking your classes. All of the courses below begin as soon as you register and offer lifelong access so that you can start and finish at any time.
The four best online restorative courses offer a mixture of convenience and quality. You can finish the courses in a few weeks or a few months, whatever fits your schedule best. Since the Yoga Alliance requires live help as well as online, asynchronous teaching methods, you are not alone if you have any questions or concerns.
The teachers in the courses below offer Q&A via Zoom for extra online support on specific dates (comparable to “office hours” a college professor would have at a university). That way, you can get one-on-one help as well as asynchronous videos to complete your restorative yoga teaching training and attain your certificate to teach.
1. YogaRenew: Restorative Yoga Teacher Training
In the Restorative Yoga Teacher Training from YogaRenew, you will gain the expertise to effectively set up restorative yoga poses for yourself and others, understanding which poses are most beneficial for specific situations. In this course, you will learn how to skillfully utilize props to support practitioners of all levels and adapt and modify poses when necessary. By the end of the training, you will possess the knowledge and tools to establish a personal restorative yoga practice, as well as confidently sequence and teach restorative yoga classes.
Why we love this course:
- The philosophy, technology, practice of restorative yoga, its history, background, and the influential founders of this approach.
- Expert guidance on setting up restorative yoga poses, both for yourself and for others, ensuring a safe and effective practice.
- An emphasis on self-care, recognizing that taking care of yourself is essential to extend care to others, and deepening your understanding of restorative yoga through this lens.
- Teaching methodologies for restorative yoga classes empower you to confidently lead restorative yoga sessions and provide a nurturing space for your students.
Fees and length
30 hours and $297 one-time payment
2. Yoga Bliss: Restorative Yoga Teacher Training
Are you looking for proficiency in the art of relaxation and rejuvenation? Look no further than the 20-Hour Restorative Yoga Teacher Training offered by Yoga Bliss. This course, led by the esteemed senior teacher Gwendoline Ferreira, provides the perfect opportunity to learn and experience the transformative practice of restorative yoga.
In this training, you will
- not only learn how to practice restorative yoga but also how to skillfully teach it to all bodies and ages
- gain the expertise to design and set up your restorative yoga classes, learn the art of sequencing, and how to integrate restorative poses into other styles of yoga classes
- uncover the subtle nuances of using props, enabling you to offer personalized and nurturing adjustments to your students.
The training curriculum includes an in-depth exploration of restorative yoga postures and their variations, accompanied by guided pranayama and meditation practices. You will be equipped to guide restorative classes with confidence and compassion, creating a space for your students to unwind, release tension, and find inner peace.
Upon completion, you will receive 20 hours of Yoga Alliance continuing education credits, a bonus for those with a 200-hour certification. So, step into the realm of restorative yoga and discover the profound benefits it holds for mind, body, and soul. Enroll now and experience the serenity and bliss that await you in restorative yoga.
3. Siddhi Yoga: Restorative Yoga Teacher Training Certification
This restorative yoga training course from Siddhi Yoga is the next best thing for yoga instructors who desire a genuine immersion experience in Indian teachings of yoga while taking the course in their own homes.
This yoga institute is one of India’s leading yoga schools, with over two thousand yoga instructors training in more than sixty countries. Once you enroll in this course, you will have lifetime access to the course lessons, quizzes, and:
- Fully guided support
- Accountability and assessments
- Access to a private online community
- Individualized feedback and support
- Certification of Completion
The following are some of the topics covered in Siddhi Yoga’s restorative yoga training:
- 30 different restorative yoga poses.
- Restorative yoga poses that can be easily modified to mesh with a wide range of different abilities and body shapes.
- The basics and history of restorative yoga.
- 10 practice sessions: This restorative yoga course teaches yoga instructors ten different themed restorative yoga sequences that they can then go on to use in their yoga studios once their training is complete.
- The benefits of restorative yoga: Restorative yoga isn’t as active as some other forms of yoga, and this may lead some students to be skeptical of its advantages in the studio.
The Siddhi Yoga restorative yoga training program is one to check out if you’re seeking a restorative yoga certification from a renowned institution focusing on authentic Indian yoga principles!
4. My Vinyasa Practice: Online Restorative Yoga Certification
My Vinyasa Practice‘s online restorative yoga certification is a fantastic alternative for busy yoga instructors looking for online certification. While the curriculum is designed to be studied in weekly formats and finished in four weeks, students can spend as much time as they need to comprehend the material thoroughly.
A significant advantage of choosing My Vinyasa Practice is that this online certification counts toward a Yoga Alliance continuing education certification. Giving you 40 non-contact credit hours for this restorative yoga training course toward maintaining a registered status with The Yoga Alliance organization.
Restorative yoga training at My Vinyasa Practice also covers the following topics:
- Using restorative yoga to aid in stress management
- Restorative asanas and using restorative yoga to help students who are healing from trauma or injury
- Dynamic sequences to be used as a cooldown for active students
- Incorporating sound, oils, and aromatherapy into restorative yoga
- Standard rehabilitation practices for injury recovery
This course is ideal if you’re seeking a comprehensive course that will teach you all you need to know to become a certified restorative yoga instructor. It also offers various secondary study resources for this restorative yoga training course, such as pre-recorded lectures, instructional videos, lesson plans, and songs.
This course is perfect for students who want to improve their practice and teachers who wish to expand their knowledge!
What Does a Restorative Yoga Class Look Like?
No matter which of these restorative yoga classes you choose, they are all split up into different, well-organized modules to help you manage your coursework. Restorative yoga is a slow, gentle style that involves holding poses for an extended period. A one-hour course may only have four to six long poses and passive holds.
Restorative yoga classes are based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, a leading yoga instructor who established how to use props to support the body. As noted above, a restorative yoga class uses different props to help support the longer poses required for this type of yoga instruction and fully accomplish a deep state of relaxation and release.
In addition to props, your restorative yoga class may incorporate soothing music, guided meditation, and even oils and touch. That way, your students can feel rejuvenated and relaxed after completing your restorative yoga classes.
Ultimately, your course should help them balance their mind and body and feel stress-free.
Final Thoughts on Getting Certified in Restorative Yoga
Becoming a restorative yoga teacher can be a rewarding experience, and luckily, different options will take different amounts of time. Whichever course you choose to begin your restorative yoga teacher journey, you should consider registering with the Yoga Alliance as a teacher so that you have the validation for your students.
Looking for another type of yoga to teach? Check out adaptive yoga teacher training. There are so many types of yoga to learn because yoga adjusts to people.
