Pulsation Yoga Teacher Training FAQ’s

The Pulsation Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training and Yoga Studies programs take place at our Lake Zurich yoga studio:

• 729 W Rt 22, Lake Zurich – in the plaza at Rand and Rt 22, next to the new Crumbl Cookies near Trader Joe’s

Our Lake Zurich studio is larger, allowing for more space to spread out, practice and break into groups. It also provides easy parking, a grocery store in walking distance and the ability to include free workshops in our training.

The 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (200 hour YTT) will fully equip you to take the seat of the teacher. It covers yoga philosophy, history, traditional practices, class planning, sequencing, languaging, cueing and more. This training will also help you discover your unique style and voice as a teacher. This program includes in-person training, yoga classes, readings, homework, a practicum, class observations, practice teaching, and workshops.

The Yoga Studies programs (50 or 100 hours) are a solution for students who want to deepen their knowledge but not take it as far at this time. For yoga studies, you can choose between a 50 hour or 100 hour program, which will meet the first several weekends of the 200 hour program. These yoga studies programs were developed to immerse you in yoga philosophy, history, and traditional practices, and to strengthen your asana knowledge. Some homework and reading will be required, and some yoga classes will be included. All hours accrued in the Yoga Studies Program can be applied toward a future 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Pulsation Yoga.

We recommend that you have at least one year of a regular yoga practice before committing to the training. All levels are welcome, but a base knowledge and commitment will help you to have a foundation from which you can build during training. You don’t need a specific “level” or type of practice – we welcome all practices from Gentle to Advanced, as well as Restorative and Yin. Also, you don’t have to be a current student at Pulsation Yoga to apply. However, we do encourage you to take yoga classes at our yoga studios in Arlington Heights, Lake Zurich, or online with the YTT Lead Instructors, Sandy Smith and Susan Burns, prior to choosing our program.

How to choose a Yoga Teacher Training Program is very personal, and no two trainees experience it in the same way or for the same reasons. At Pulsation Yoga we have trained experienced yoga instructors looking to refresh their knowledge and experienced yogis looking to deepen theirs. We have trained young students and senior students, basics students and Level 2 students. The program has attracted physical therapists seeking new approaches, social workers looking for calming techniques, and students with disabilities who changed their lives with yoga and wanted to help change others’ lives as well. In other words, no two stories are ever the same, and no two outcomes are ever the same. Not every trainee seeks to become a yoga instructor.

We encourage you to attend classes at the studio and get to know the lead instructors, Sandy Smith and Susan Burns, to assess whether Pulsation Yoga is the right path for your journey. We are always happy to discuss the possibilities with you. We are also offering a live-streaming Q&A on Sunday, August 13, at 1:00, and all participants in that meeting will receive one free class pass.

Read what past trainees have to say about the program here.

Pulsation Yoga is rooted in the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga. The studios were founded by Kathy and Jim Simonik, both Anusara trained and certified teachers. Current co-owner and YTT instructor Sandy Smith is a registered Anusara Inspired Teacher. All current teachers at Pulsation Yoga have trained under one of these Anusara instructors. Classes are rooted in this knowledge, but all instructors at Pulsation Yoga teach their own personal style within that knowledge. We don’t use scripts and no two classes are ever the same. The Pulsation Yoga Teacher Training encompasses several yoga styles, continuing our focus on Anusara. For more information on the Anusara philosophy and style of Hatha Yoga, visit www.anusarayoga.com.

Yes, Pulsation Yoga is a Registered Yoga School through Yoga Alliance. Lead Instructors Sandy Smith and Susan Burns are both certified as experienced yoga instructors and YACEP through Yoga Alliance. We have a five-star rating through Yoga Alliance. You can click here to see what others have to say about their experience with our program.

Upon completion of the Pulsation Yoga Teacher Training program, you will be eligible to apply for your certification through Yoga Alliance. Once you successfully complete all training hours, observations, assisted teachings, independent studies and a practicum assignment, Pulsation Yoga will provide you with a certificate of completion. You are then responsible to register with Yoga Alliance, and Pulsation Yoga (as a Registered Yoga School) will approve that registration. You will then be certified to teach yoga classes.

We require a $300 deposit upon acceptance of your application to hold your spot and prepare your training material.

• Tuition for the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Pulsation Yoga is $3400
• We offer an Early Bird discount if you register before August 12, 2024, for the 200 Hour Training program, bringing the cost to $3000 if paid in full by that time
• We also offer a discount on the full price if you pay in full by cash/check/Zelle
• Your initial $300 deposit is applied toward your tuition
• If you would like to discuss additional payment plan options for the full amount, please call the studio at 847-989-7792
• The 1oo hour studies program is $1800 paid in full; 50 hour program is $900, paid in full

The tuition includes the in-person training, required yoga classes, and discounts on additional yoga classes while in training. In addition, it includes several workshops that take place during training.

Trainees will be provided with training materials for each session, but will be responsible for purchasing their own books for independent studies. You can find a complete list of the 2024-25 required books here.