FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

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General FAQs

Where will Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 be held?

The training will be held in Costa Rica at a yoga and wellness center. The resort is called Pura Vida Spa (in Ala Juela) and is located 15 minutes from San Jose International Airport. We have arranged for courtesy transportation to and from the airport at whatever time you need! http://www.puravidaspa.com. I have negotiated better prices (for our attendees) than those you’ll find on their website.

I don’t think I can come because I am not "flexible," or "athletically inclined." Should I wait until I can get into Standing Head to Knee?

How deeply you get into your poses is not important. What’s important is that you feel a calling to make a difference in people’s lives and further your own practice. It’s definitely a win-win!

What you should aim for is a consistent asana practice before arriving. During training you will be practising yoga asana for between 1.5 hours to 3.5 hours per day. You’ll get at least one day off for rest and recovery each week. What you want to demonstrate to yourself and others is a maturity to respond to your practice with mindfulness, attention to your body’s intuition, gentleness and a sense of patience and a humble willingness to learn.

If you have the fundamentals in your practice handled then the learning curve will be easier for you.

Do I have to be an experienced yogi?

Most people want to teach yoga because they acknowledge how much it has done for them in their own lives. For them it is the natural next step. There is no magic time that you should have practiced to qualify to become a teacher.

It will however be easier for you if you have a sound knowledge and understanding of the poses that you want to teach. Knowing a similar series of poses is sufficient for you to attend training.

Is 4 weeks enough be become a teacher?

Yes, of course. There are some courses where learning a script is what you do for most of that course. Hot Yoga Doctor Pro teacher graduates do NOT learn a script. Our graduates in the 2011 program were happy, excited and confident to go and teach classes at the end of the program. They were able to teach from the heart and from a solid base of enormous knowledge, without a script, with intelligence and great ability to teach many different students of different abilities and conditions.

So, depending on your level of skill you could become a damn fine teacher in 4 weeks.
* It does depend on your commitment to fully participate.
* It does depend on the amount of work you do before during and after your training. And
* It depends on your intentions to nurture and grow your teacher identity.

At the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 Teacher Training Program you provide the intention and we teach you the skills. With the right commitment you can hugely transform in 4 weeks. If you have never taught anything before then you will have the skills from which to springboard off on your way. The onsite coaching and experiential challenges will be the difference that creates the difference for you.

What’s the difference between hot yoga and hatha yoga?

Hatha yoga is the name of all the different styles of yoga asana or poses, all lumped together under one banner. So whatever training you do for yoga posture training will be a style of Hatha yoga. Hot Yoga is simply another style characterized by practice in a heated room.

What is yoga and what is yoga asana?

On the most basic of levels, yoga is a comprehensive system for personal development and personal enlightenment.

Traditionally there are 8 limbs or steps. They outline a code of conduct or morals by which to run one’s life. They also detail how to control the breath (Pranayama), move the body (Asana), control our own reality, develop self-consciousness, embrace meditation all in an effort to create a connectedness with ourselves and everything around us.

Each of us, no matter what we do or how we do it, is on our own path. Many people choose to meditate, others serve mankind in their own work. The most popular yoga styles are those that teach sets of asana or poses. There are many different ways to express one’s holistic practice of yoga and they are not all in performing or teaching yoga poses.

Yoga asana is the most accessible style of yoga to the everyday man, allowing some self-awareness through body movement that is a very effective way to find the benefits of meditation. Yoga classes will either be a predetermined set of poses or they will be a fluid ever-changing collection.

So in short, first exposure to yoga for western yogis is usually more about exercise or the process of learning and practicing and teaching asana.

My practice would probably be considered average. I am sure that other people’s practices are so much better than mine. Can I still come to your Teacher Training Program?

You know, so many people gauge their progress by how far they go in the poses and how good they think they look COMPARED TO OTHERS. What matters most is that you apply principles of awareness, try to remain present to the changes in your breath, to the sensations to your body and to the alignment of your poses. If your pose is less deep than your neighbor’s does that bother you? Why? What ‘baggage’ are you bringing with you that you judge yourself so harshly?

Ultimately you have to teach what you know with integrity. If your pose depth is not picture perfect it doesn’t matter. Are you able to do the poses with the physiological integrity and with the precision that enables you to instruct others to do the same so that they too can benefit greatly?

What you want is to access your humility to be able work out if you can teach yoga born out of an ability to respond to direction, a passion to learn and to explore …

Committing to a dedicated practice is essential to your own journey especially if you are wanting to facilitate the same thing for others. It’s your way of walking your talk.

Hot yoga has the power to create great personal transformations so that you in turn can help others.

We recommend that you have an established practice and a thorough knowledge of your current series. Ideally you will already practice hot yoga and be familiar with the challenges of this style. Having a prerequisite of knowledge will only help ease your way through the training.

A great part of the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training series is to familiarize yourself with the physiological principles of poses and finding common threads between them. Knowing what you need to know with precision helps create the space to be present with your students. And of course it helps you become a better and more humble student. Another crucial element is learning the HOW of teaching – because you know it’s not just about know a particular set of words.

What makes the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training programs different?

The Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Series is designed to help you facilitate the personal transformation that you are looking for by using meticulously designed adult teaching methods to effect change. Together Robert and I have had years of experience in the facilitation of adult learning.

Many teacher training programs rely on students learning word by word and line by line a particular script or set of instructions. One of the big problems with having a strict script is that it really only caters to students who already know what they’re doing to a large extent. This will not happen at our programs. You will have help by having a script of sorts (or more correctly, a framework) on which to rely on if you really need it – we wouldn’t leave you in the lurch(!), but our emphasis is arming you with the skills to:

>> recognize what MUST be said from a technical point of view

>> what could be said to help people who don’t have regular bodies or who are healing

>> and what can be added by you to demonstrate that you care and that you’re present in the room with the people who are there.

Once students feel that, they feel confident that they’re being taught by a Pro.

Our Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training programs, as in all Hot Yoga Doctor teacher resources start you off with the foundational aspects of poses, their anatomy, physiology, what to do with students who are less flexible, less agile, less well, recovering from illness, injury or operation, learning modifications.

My experience with students and trainees shows that my approach helps students let go of the struggle and as I like to say “find the sweet spot in every pose™”. As a student of teaching, you’ll find your sweet spot there too. It’s all about understanding the flow of energy in your teaching and being able to recognize it in your class too. We will have processes to help you learn how to do that.

Can’t I do yoga teacher training by correspondence?

That would be difficult I think, because yoga teaching is really a hands on experience. Ideally you want personal guidance not just to know the poses, how to instruct, direct the breath, and so on but to experience facilitating the meditation and holistic experience that students experience in good classes.

You want to have a forum of people on hand so that you can receive constant feedback and therefore constantly correct your behaviors.

In short, attending teacher training makes for a fast-track immersion experience. Watching what others are doing can help you hone your own skills recognizing what you are doing effectively and what you can improve upon.

In the future we will have modules which you can complete at home so that you can come to the practicum components well armed with the right stuff to make your training a breeze.

For your own unofficial pre-course correspondence program, we’ll be sending you out hints, tips and suggestions so that you can prepare yourself and hit the ground running.

The best place for you to start will be to read and digest the Hot Yoga MasterClass manual. It has meticulous detail which is a great starting point for understanding basic generalized yoga techniques. So come to the course with as much foundation as you can manage and we will build from there.

Can I come to training if I have NEVER done yoga before?

When I went to teacher licensing in LA there were 2 people who had never done yoga before. It was a very hard road for them. Their attention was so FULL the whole time because they were learning the poses from scratch.

For regularly practicing yogis they get the chance to deepen their already reasonable understanding of the asana while also learning how to teach them. If you have no experience it makes for a more challenging path.

While it is possible to attend teacher training as a yoga newbie, I would strongly suggest having at least 4-6 months of practice or perhaps about 100 classes under your belt. It’s a guide. Get in touch with me if you want to discuss your own unique situation. I can put you on the right track for you to come to training if we mutually agree the path will be sufficiently smooth for you to take on the rest of the learnings that will undoubtedly be involved.

I’m not sure if I am ready for the training. Can I talk with someone?

Yes of course. We would love to talk with you about your suitability and readiness. You can make an appointment with Robert or I to converse via email or we can have a conversation on the phone! Whatever works for you. Sometimes all you need is a little clarity and everything then falls into place.

Is it OK to come to your Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training without the aim of teaching? I just want to develop my practice. Can I still attend?

Again, the answer is yes. Your practice, your personal confidence and your own transformation have the potential to soar when you come to Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training. It will help you develop your teacher’s eye for detail, for precision and for improvement. Your ability to trouble shoot your own practice and perhaps be a mentor for others will dramatically improve.

I wrote a detailed post on this website concerning precisely this subject. So please click here for full details: http://hotyogadoctorpro.com/just-want-to-practice

Are all applicants accepted into the program?

All applicants will have to submit an Application Form which gets delivered to your inbox when your Application fee has been paid. Nothing fancy, just stuff to get to know you! After this point you will be contacted as to whether your Application has been accepted. Your Application fee of US $600 is fully refundable until you are accepted into the program.

Do you have a waiting list for the program?

Yes, once all the places are filled, you can secure a place on the waiting list by filling out the Application Forms and paying your Deposit. The waitlist will be constructed on a first come first serve basis. Naturally, if no room becomes available your money will be fully refunded.

What ages will the students be?

We will accept students of any age. There is no hard and fast rule as to the type of students that will attend. In my experience trainees tend to be somewhere from in their mid-20s to about 60 years old. There will be NO DISCRIMINATION based on age. Everyone will be considered as equally valuable contributors.

How do you suggest I work on my asana practice before the course starts?

It’s important to understand your own asana in order to teach it. You don’t need to have a deep practice but an accurate one because essentially, you won’t be able to teach with accuracy if you can’t recognize it in your own body and practice.

If you are fairly new to practice and maybe even practicing at home then you can use your Hot Yoga MasterClass manual and DVDs as learning tools.

Use the information in the 3 teacher training videos with respect to chunking, pose helpers and breathing cadence. The 3 videos become available to you after you’ve been accepted onto the program.

Start to notice how in the different styles of teacher led classes how you feel more centered or focused with different teaching styles and levels of teacher presence. Notice the way you feel, how teachers choose to interact with their students.

Make notes on what works for you and what doesn’t, what is allowing for you and what offends your sensibilities. Start to draw a line in the sand for you about what is acceptable within the precepts of yoga, about communicating with other human beings in a yoga class.

Whether or not you can change anything is NOT important at this stage. But what is important is that you start to recognize different styles and how they impact on you and everyone else. Ghandi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world”. So start to work out and qualify what that would mean for you in your circle of influence.

Practice as often as you can. Daily is better than 3 times per week. And please note that you are not obligated to do the same practice every day. Practice a pose or 3 or a whole series. Practice what works for you. Check into whether you feel as if you’re in exercise mode on a physical level, or whether your intention is to be present with your sensations. Check into your intention before class, and then how you managed to uphold those intentions and benefit wholly.

Start noticing what your internal and external conversations are around your practice. And then see how your asana practice benefits.

It may work for you to start your own personal ‘yoga journal’ to record your observations, thoughts and ‘aha’ moments.

How do I guarantee a place on the training?

The first step is to pay your Application fee (deposit) and fill out your Application Form. Then once you’re accepted your place is guaranteed.

I like the idea of having a professional support group. What will the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro programs be able to offer me?

We have a teacher forum. This will be the first source of contact. If you require personal and confidential attention you know that we are very approachable and always happy to help. You may be surprised at how your questions and your concerns are very similar to those of your fellow trainees and teachers. So that’s why teacher forums are an invaluable asset.

We will have lists of teachers and studios that are Hot Yoga Doctor Pro friendly. People who genuinely believe that Yoga is a practice accessible and available to all. We want to spearhead an END to discrimination and dogma in yoga. Yoga belongs to us all.

Certification as a Yoga Teacher

Is your training Yoga Alliance Accredited?

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

Although yoga is not a regulated industry the Yoga Alliance exists so that people can feel comfortable that the training they go to is accredited. Despite the drawbacks of trying to regulate any industry, for some they like the confidence that what they’re doing will be more accepted ‘out there’ when they are able to register with bodies like Yoga Alliance. When you graduate from the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 program you will receive Yoga Teacher Certification that will enable you to register as a Registered Yoga Teacher.

What does being a certified yoga teacher mean?

Upon graduating from the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 Teaching Training Program by satisfying all the attendance, practical and knowledge requirements of the course, you will receive your Yoga Teacher Certification.

This is usually all you need to be able to find employment as a yoga teacher. The next step (should you want to or find it necessary) is to apply for the Yoga Alliance Accreditation as a Certified Teacher. This will be easy for you because all Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

The Hot Yoga Doctor Pro program has been meticulously designed to give you real practical teaching outcomes and will more than measure up against any other yoga teacher training (certified or not).

Will I be able to register with Yoga Alliance?

Yes indeed! Once you receive your Hot Yoga Doctor Pro certificate of accomplishment, you will be able to submit it to Yoga Alliance with your application.

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training programs are registered with Yoga Alliance. We are a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs. Please contact us at help@hotyogadoctor.com for any help or enquiries.

Does graduating mean I can only teach hot yoga?

It’s important to acknowledge that teaching yoga is about integrity. If you know poses and you know how to teach, who am I to tell you that you can’t teach peacock pose in your class because it isn’t in ‘my’ series? When you graduate with a Teaching Certificate from Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Course you will have satisfied the right criteria to teach the poses that we explored together. Feel free to add in your own. Use the principles of teaching that we delve into and apply the solid physiological principles of asana to your own poses. And then come back and tell us what you did. Who knows? Your pose series could be the next big thing! Life is an evolution. Live on YOUR edge.

What styles of yoga will I be able to teach?

You will leave training knowing how to teach yoga. What you teach should be up to you, what you’re able to teach and whether you decide to teach in a heated room. Hot yoga comprises many poses practiced in a warmed room some of these were popularized Bikram Choudhury. Many hot yoga studios teach poses from the school of power yoga or those poses borrowed from Ashtanga yoga. Sun salutations are an essential part of your yoga knowledge whether or not you end up teaching them.

It is my personal wish that you find joy in teaching more than just a few poses, that you experience many styles and settle in to teach whatever brings you the most satisfaction.

You will leave training feeling confident that you can either teach a class of set poses that you teach every time as well as have the freedom to design your own. Yoga is not about script recital. It’s about responding to the needs of your class.

If you want to be a *certified* Bikram teacher then your only choice is to attend his teacher licensing program.

Should a yoga teacher be registered with a yoga organisation?

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are registered with Yoga Alliance. We are a Registered Yoga School.

The short answer is that you don’t need to be registered. In response to the demand of many would-be teachers I have created a program that satisfies the requirements for the largest certification body. We’ve all had certified teachers who were great and others not so great. So in effect, you can be a great teacher without registering. It does however seem to be something that employers MAY want to see!

When I employ someone it’s because they are a good teacher or I can sense a potential in them to be a great teacher.

A good reason to be registered is if you believe in covering yourself legally. These days many people like to cover their yoga butts with insurance – and I don’t blame them! It’s a personal choice. Certification and then registration may help you gain yoga insurance more easily.

Is having Yoga Alliance Registration essential?

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

But to answer the question, I’m going out on a limb here to tell you … No! It’s not. There I have said it. I don’t believe in telling you anything but the truth. Many yoga teacher trainings will say it’s essential.

Frankly it depends on your own beliefs, your own self confidence and your ability to sell yourself as a great teacher – and of course to be a great teacher. You will always find a place to teach and find joy in your teaching if you have sound and demonstrable teaching skills.

Depending on where you are and the studios around, it may be important to you to have the credentials if there is a an over-supply of teachers. Usually all you need is your CERTIFICATION (and you’ll get that through us, if you participate fully and satisfy the requirements in the Hot Yoga Doctor program). It is entirely your choice to apply to be Register with Yoga Alliance.

So to make it simple for you (if it’s important to you, wink wink), when you graduate from the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro program we’ll help you with your Yoga Alliance paperwork to make it EASY to apply. We’ll send you the paperwork filled in with your name ready for the YA seal of approval. We did it for those who wanted in 2011 and we’ll happily do it for you too. Just remember, the Certification from the Program itself is more important than you registering as a Yoga Alliance Teacher.

What is a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program?

A 200 hour program provides the basis for you to learn the essentials to become a yoga teacher. The Yoga Alliance has some guidelines for schools on which to base their training.

Thankfully there is quite a bit of latitude so that the schools can place their own emphasis on their program to add value. Each program has to provide a certain minimum amount of teaching experience, practical experience in the chosen style as well as some basics on history, philosophy and of course anatomy and physiology.

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

What’s the difference between certification and registration?

Great question. Probably the most important thing to demonstrate your ability to teach is … um, your ability to teach. And that’s what you’ll be able to do by the time you’re finished (even before you’re finished) training with us. Yoga Certification is what you’ll get from the school with which you study. Registration is when you pay membership fees to a ‘governing body’ like Yoga Alliance or British Wheel of Yoga.

Because all Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance and we are a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs, the choice to register will be ENTIRELY up to you. Just know that when you satisfy all the criteria at the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 Teacher Training Program you will have your Yoga Teacher Certification. That’s generally enough to get where you want to go.

I recommend only registering with such an organisation IF your employer requires it or if your insurer requires it. If you own your own studio, then you may not need to either. You may not need to register with any alliance at all and it could just constitute an unnecessary expense. Some people don’t believe in insurance (write to me if you would like references on how to avoid insurance by creating the correctly worded student forms).

Certified or Registered? Does it matter?

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

Currently yoga certification and registration with a third party body like Yoga Alliance or the British Wheel of Yoga is not required in the US or Canada. In fact at the time of writing this you don’t need certification or registration in most countries in the world. The decision is left entirely up to you! Hot Yoga Doctor Pro more than satisfies the curriculum and practical requirements of any yoga certification body.

Do I have to recertify with the Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs?

Actually there will be no formal requirement. Do you get your driver’s license renewed with a test every 3 -5 years? Some would argue you need it.

However it is always advisable to freshen up your knowledge and to keep an active participation in the community. It is my hope that we get together at planned events. It will NOT be a rubber stamping type of affair where you pay money and therefore get approval to teach. Our programs will always aim to offer high value and to help you expand and evolve personally and professionally.

For example Yoga Alliance require 30 hours of tuition of varying types to top up and stay current. We will make sure that there are ways to get this professional support in our programs in a way that is enjoyable and doesn’t involve unnecessary expense.

All Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training Programs are certified by Yoga Alliance. We are therefore a Registered Yoga School for 200 hour and 500 hour programs.

Do I have to take an examination to gain my certification?

We will have ways to determine your eligibility for certification. These will depend on your ability to instruct, manage a group of students, your peer evaluation and Hot Yoga Doctor evaluation.

Some adults really get freaked out by the idea of having to sit tests. Maybe it reflects the stress of our days in formal education systems. But realize that evaluating your knowledge and your skills is not just for the trainer or organizations. It’s essential for you, the learner. It gives you a yardstick to assess where your focus should go to improve your own skills.

Payments and Payment Plans (Installments)

How do I finalize my balance or payment plan for tuition?

When your Application is accepted, you will have 2 options to finalize your balance:

Option 1: PAY BALANCE IN ONE LUMP SUM
* Naturally you will deduct your Application fee from the tuition fee, so …
* Lump sum payments after the Application fee (deposit) will be $3,797

Option 2: PAY BY INSTALLMENTS
* We have created a personalized “set & forget” payment option for you! If you’re payments start before January 15, 2012, then you will be able to pay in 4 installments. If you apply after January 15 then simply contact us at help@hotyogadoctor.com and we will assist you in a plan for you.

Can I pay in a one lump sum?

Yes of course you can. If you would like to pay in one lump sum you will find a button to click on the order page.

If you would like to start an installment plan you will find details on the "Attendees" page. We will happily help you with any questions you have about installments at help@hotyogadoctor.com

*Accommodation is a separate payment to the resort. All participants stay at the resort. All meals (which are deliciously prepared, healthy and organic) are included.

Please tell me about your cancellation policy…

Sure! It’s very simple!

1. The US $600 deposit is refundable up until your application is accepted to join the 2012 Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 Teacher Training Program.

2. Prior to March 18, 2012 the balance of any tuition fees paid are totally non-refundable (that is tuition minus your $600 deposit). Fees become totally non-refundable from March 19, 2012.

3. As you pay the venue directly for your accommodation, refunds for the accommodation portion are handled by the venue itself. Upon being accepted into the program you will contact the venue directly. They will handle your accommodation requirements and payments. You may receive a full refund for accommodation up to 30 days before the program begins. Within 30 days of the program you will have the opportunity to receive the same value at any of their 3 resorts. Once again, that will be between you and the resort.

When is the last date that I can pay my tuition fees?

That could vary according to when you apply and any agreed arrangements made between us.
>> In general, tuition fees are to be paid in full before March 19 (2 months before the start of the program).
>> If you are a late applicant, applying with less than 60 days before the start, you will be asked to pay your Application fee (deposit) and then the Balance within 10 days and completed before the program commences with any terms agreed between both parties.
>> If you are a last minute applicant within 2 weeks of the commencement of the program, you will be required to settle your balance upon acceptance of your Application.

When in doubt, simply ask. We will always do whatever we can to help you.

When is the last date that I can pay my accommodation fees?

Your accommodation must be paid before April 19. Of course if you join the course after that time, you would have to pay all your fee components without the chance of installments. Your accommodation component will be paid directly to Pura Vida Spa. We will provide you with the details with which you will contact Pura Vida directly to arrange your room and finalize your accommodation payments. http://www.puravidaspa.com

How to Apply

How do I submit my application form?

* Your application form is an online form.
* Please fill out and complete your application form and submit, as soon as possible.
* We request that your application form is finished within 2 days of receipt with a maximum of 7 days. This will help us process your application in a timely manner.

How do I find the application form?

* You will find your application form in your inbox after your Application fee (deposit) is paid. This should happen almost immediately, however with the varying reliability of the internet, please allow up to 30 minutes.
* Paying your deposit of $600 will trigger an email to you that will provide you a link to your online application form.
* Please fill out and complete your application form and submit, as soon as possible. We request that your application form is finished within 2 days of receipt with a maximum of 7 days. This will help us process your application in a timely manner.
* Applications will be considered on a first come first served basis (priority triggered by submission of the completed form).

How do I apply?

When you click the "Apply Now" button, the wheels will be set in motion! So – in nutshell – here’s what will happen:

1. Pay your $600 Application fee (deposit).
2. Complete and submit your application form.
[3. See below about finalizing your tuition and paying for accommodation which will occur after your Application is accepted.]

After your Application is accepted you will have the choice of paying the balance in a lump sum or in installments. You will be asked to give an indication of your intentions to finalize your tuition amount when you apply. Any person who would like to start an automatic 4 payment installment plan may do so if the first payment is started before the end of January 15, 2012. If applying after that time, please contact us directly to arrange a non-automated system in order that your payments are completed before April 15.

An installment plan is a great way to commit to the program and manage your payments at the same time. Please contact us at help@hotyogadoctor.com if you need any clarification. You will also receive information as to how to pay your accommodation fees. Other FAQs have that information!

Accommodation and Venue Information

How much will I pay for the accommodation?

The short answer: Accommodation prices range from $2,299 to $3,109 for the most chosen options of Tentalow and Deluxe Rooms. Super deluxe and Suites start at $3,499. These prices are twin share.

You are also asked to pay the deposit for your accommodation within 4 weeks of your application being accepted. You will be asked for a 50% deposit.

What are the different room types available?

Most of the rooms available at the resort are either Tentalow or Deluxe rooms. These range in price from $2,299 to $3,109 for twin share. Most rooms on the entire property enjoy a beautiful regional view and some have garden settings.

Tentalows are private quaint bungalows with soft walls in a beautiful garden setting. These bungalows have the same beds and very comfortable mattresses as ALL the other rooms. They are a way to be a little closer to nature!

Guests in Tentalows use shared bathroom facilities but the ratio of toilets and showers to rooms is high.

Deluxe rooms all have district views. Some are standalone buildings and others are in blocks of 4. All rooms from Deluxe up have their own bathrooms.

More luxurious options include Super Deluxe Tri-Level rooms, Super Deluxe Villas and then there are 3 top end suites available. Want the most beautiful room with a jacuzzi bath? It’s called the Pagoda Suite (apparently popular with yogi honeymooners!)

Most people will choose the Tentalows and Deluxe rooms. You will be comfortable whatever choice you make. What differs is the size of room, bathroom facilities and the ‘level’ of luxury!

Do I have to stay on site?

There is no option to stay off site. For full participation, you must stay on site with the whole group. This allows for easy logistics. Everyone eats and stays together and the training schedule runs more smoothly. Oh, and the food is great and all the healthy, delicious and organic meals are included so it just makes it simple.

What is the temperature like in May and June?

Because of its location near the equator, the temperatures in Costa Rica tend to be quite steady throughout the year. And there tends to be a good 12 hours of sunlight day in day out. The range is from 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit or 21-27 degrees Celsius. For me that’s a very cool summer! And for others that’s hot! It all depends on where you come from.

In 2011 I wore mostly short-sleeved tops or singlets. I covered up (with long sleeves in cotton) if it was raining and sometimes in the evenings.

What should I pack for training?

You won’t need to bring towels for hot yoga unless you like your own towels! They will be provided. You will need several changes of yoga gear so that you can keep your clothes fresh. Clothes can be laundered by the hotel for an extra cost.

You will need the clothing for a warm (but not hot) summer. Make sure you have some long sleeve gear.

Closer to the time we will supply you with a more comprehensive list!

Where will Hot Yoga Doctor Pro 200 be held?

We’re holding the 2012 training at Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica, again, because it was just perfect there. Pura Vida Spa is a really lovely yoga and wellness center. It’s really convenient too situated only 15 minutes from San Jose International Airport in Alajuela.

You’ll be picked up from – and at the end of your stay, taken back to – the airport as part of the package. It doesn’t matter what time either. You’ll be personally greeted by someone from the hotel.

I have negotiated better prices (for our attendees) than those you’ll find on their website. http://www.puravidaspa.com. Flights into San Jose International are plentiful and arrive many times daily from the US. Flights from Los Angeles are only 5 and a half hours.

How do I make my accommodation booking?

Once your application is accepted we will issue you with a unique code and the contact details of the resort. We are making sure you benefit from a better rate than the public gets at this resort. The amount you pay to the resort is inclusive of every meal and other onsite facilities. There are paid extra-curricular leisure activities that you can choose to participate in on your days off. These are not included in the program. To take a look at the resort please visit: http://www.puravidaspa.com

What is there to do at the resort?

There is plenty to do on your time off. If you’re not studying or resting (or both!) then you could optionally participate in a number of activities. There is a full service beauty and massage spa on the premises (charging similar prices to mainland US). On your days off there are half and full day adventure activities (from short coffee plantation tours to full day canopy rainforest tours and white water rafting experiences). You can take a look at the resort website to explore this further: http://www.puravidaspa.com

Course Information, Structure and Requirements

What about free or unstructured time?

Most importantly there will be plenty of full days rest during the program. These are crucial to allow you to stay energised, happy and able to integrate the tremendous amount of learning that will happen in such a short time. In fact you’ll have every 5th day off (4 days on, 1 day off). On one occasion, you’ll have 3 days on and 1 day off. There will be some amount of time every day for you to rest and recover. You may also be studying, having informal practice with your peers and you could be having a massage or a facial!

The schedule is extremely well designed. You want to be awake and eager to learn. Just as past participants reported during and after the course, you won’t believe how much you get through; how much teaching you practise and that you will retain and have access to all your knowledge.

On your free days you will be able to stay on the resort (for that massage, a swim, a day in the sun or …). You could also choose one of the many wonderful half and full day activities that the resort organizes. You can go white water rafting, go on rainforest canopy tours, visit the local live volcano! and so on. See their site for some details: http://puravidaspa.com You don’t need to speak Spanish because all resort organized activities are in English. But, the better your Spanish, the more ‘off the beaten’ track you can venture, and break out on your own!

Will I only learn to teach the yoga asana?

Hot Yoga Doctor Pro is not just a teaching program of how to teach the poses.

I believe there’s a way to teach the poses that’s entirely consistent with creating the greatest transformations for you and your students.

It’s not about them blindly following a script. It’s about you having the knowledge of what you’re teaching, having the integrity to teach what you know WELL, and to have as your highest value, not just the asana themselves but the holistic benefits that the practice can bring to your students that allows them to be the designers of their own fabulous lives, and to create for themselves the ability and the resilience to cope with whatever life throws in their path and to be happy for no reason, most if not all the time! Teaching yoga is a tremendous responsibility.

Will you teach me how to run a studio?

We will run a module on the business of yoga. You can benefit from our experience as studio owners and also from our online expertise. It all contributes to a well rounded business. We will talk marketing, systems for dealing with newbies, paperwork, computer systems, welcoming and KEEPING new customers, heating systems, …. and a whole lot more.

I have heard that some yoga trainings are all about practicing yoga and learning a script to recite each and every class. Is that what I will do at your training?

Really KNOWING what and how to teach involves an intelligent and logical approach that goes way, way beyond just memorizing the words of a script. For example: Could you consider yourself a pediatric specialist just because you could recite a few chapters from a text book? No. What you need is to be taught a way to organize the information, the skills, the tips and techniques of the poses so that you can really teach any student.

Being ‘good’ at yoga poses doesn’t mean you can teach yoga. Practising a lot of yoga doesn’t mean you are practising the right way. Together we will learn how to be students of the best techniques so that you can pass them onto your students. If you do not have a solid technical practice how are you going to be able to teach and RECOGNIZE what’s working and what needs to improve in your student’s practices?

So while we will practice regularly it is NOT the main focus of the training. It can’t be. But you will be continually asked to focus on certain aspects of your own practice or notice aspects of what’s going on around you, in the way you relate and connect with others.

I have a solid understanding of anatomy and physiology and don’t think I need to study more. What will I do while everyone else is studying these subjects?

It is my belief that although you can know the name of every structure in the body, that is really the icing on the cake. What really counts in instructing yoga is how you can translate that knowledge into practical tips that help your students develop a deeper awareness of their practice, their bodies and in the process deepen their self-awareness.

So while you may know much of the subject there are things that may be new to you in a practical sense. My hope is that you will contribute your wealth of knowledge and become a mentor to the group. We each can learn from the others.

I devote a lot of time in the program to uncovering some amazing connections in the body as well as some aspects of anatomy and physiology that (in all likelihood) you have probably never been taught or been made aware of before. I want to teach them to you!

Does Hot Yoga Doctor Pro Teacher Training have a religious or defined spiritual stance?

No, your spiritual path is a personal choice. Depending on your own beliefs you could have your sense of spirituality strongly connected to your religion. Yoga – which fosters a deeper self-connection – is a way to feel more spiritually connected. So it really doesn’t matter what religion your practise or if you have no religion.

Are the reading materials part of the tuition fee?

As you can probably appreciate, the Hot Yoga MasterClass manual is required reading for the course and you MUST bring it to Costa Rica. It is part of your tuition fee and will help you enormously on your path to teaching any yoga like a pro.

If you already own the 304 page manual then you can either accept a second copy for marking or writing notes on in Costa Rica OR you will have the choice to accept 5 (minimum) highly detailed Pose Tutorial DVDs which will help you delve deeply into some fine details of many poses.

The tuition fee for the 2012 Hot Yoga Doctor Pro teaching program includes onsite course materials (the binder and all worksheets and handouts and information resources). It also includes a bonus gift of Yoga Anatomy DVDs (valued at $70) and a copy of the Hot Yoga MasterClass manual. Before the course we will send you small assignments so that you can ponder and explore your identity as a yoga teacher or life student! We will suggest certain titles of books that you may wish to reference. Borrow them or buy them (or choose not to read them). Suggested texts are generally very inexpensive at Amazon and other bookstores and easily found at your local library.

You will be required to watch the 2 set DVD course called Yoganatomy (given to you as a gift when you are accepted onto the course). You will receive your DVDs after course acceptance and the manual will be shipped to you once you have contacted Pura Vida Resort for your accommodation package.

I don’t speak English very well. Can I still attend?

This training will be conducted in English. As this training is NOT A DIALOG RECITAL training, you will get the most out of participation if you can both understand English and also be understood. If your English is of a reasonable level, you will find that your English improves over the time period. We will show you patience and we ask you to demonstrate commitment by immersing yourself in English all the time. It will make it easier for you.

As an aside: The only languages I am proficient at are English, American and Australian! Hahaha. Actually I speak French very well and would be able to help French students somewhat but the aim would be, at this training, to conduct it entirely in English.

What homework must I do before the training starts?

There is some reading and viewing that we would like you to undertake. Some of it will be essential and some of it is optional. Of course you must have your own copy of Hot Yoga MasterClass. And you MUST BRING IT WITH YOU to Costa Rica.

Your tuition fee will include a copy of the Hot Yoga MasterClass manual. If you already have a copy and don’t want a second copy for marking or writing notes in at Costa Rica, then you will receive several volumes of highly detailed Pose Tutorials.

There will be other small assignments for you to ponder on and submit in the months before training begins. You will be notified of these assignments via email. We will also give you a recommended reading list. Stay tuned for interesting ways to incorporate these texts or recordings into your pre-course education.

I’ve heard that some trainings have some specific behavioral guidelines. What is expected of me during this training course?

You know, that’s a question that can be answered by exploring what yoga’s all about. I’ve created a Hot Yoga Doctor Code Of Ethics that considered some basic yoga philosophy in their structure. So please take a look at them. They are in your Application Form along with other behavioral guidelines. And I have created a web page that you can look at here: http://hotyogadoctorpro.com/code-of-ethics "The Hot Yoga Doctor Code Of Ethics and Your assurances to me regarding your training commitment".

How strict are you concerning attendance? Must I make it to every class?

Yes. You must make it to every class. Unless there’s some urgent medical issue that precludes your participation, there will always be something you can learn or experience that will help you on your journey, every single class. There may be occasion that sitting to the side and observing the class response to instruction would be the perfect activity for you. You can put a different hat on and learn your teacher craft. This training is about learning the behaviors of an instructor, it’s not just about being a yoga student.

What happens if I miss a lesson, a yoga class or a module?

You will have to do the work to get the certification. Simple and very understandable. There will be a system of personal accountability for your learning and yoga practice schedule.

Do I have any ‘homework’ while I am on the course?

You may have to work outside of class hours. There are no ‘assignments’ to complete. Many people like to run little study groups and practice their instruction delivery to step into the shoes of an instructor by repeated experience.

The more seriously and diligently you explore your teaching persona the more easily your transition will be to instructing yoga when (if) you leave with your certification. It is our plan to have AT LEAST one hour per day (often much more) STARTING day 1 where you seriously practice instruction delivery WITH an experienced instructor observing. This is different to analyzing the poses themselves!

How will the day be divided?

We’ll start each day with a yoga class. You’ll have ample time to break for a shower and breakfast. Following that we’ll have the first of our workshop and learning sessions. These sessions last between 2.5 and 3 hours.

We’ll break for lunch for about an hour and a half and move into our second workshop and learning session for the day.

Our afternoon yoga session follows but will be of varying degrees of time and intensity (from 45 – 90 minutes) depending on our evening learning or social commitments.

Dinner break is an hour and a half. We have some great stuff planned in the evenings (social combined with learning or just plain old fun). One day every cycle we will work an hour longer in the second workshop session.

Most nights, after dinner will be completely free for you to do what you would like, including having a massage or therapy session.

Are we going to learn meditation?

Yes you will! You will have different meditation experiences. It is not the focus of our training, but you will have some experience. Of course the meditative aspects of our regular yoga classes will be constantly experienced!

How much free time will I have during training?

You will have one day off every 5 days. That means 4 days on, and 1 day off. (On one occasion there will be 3 days on followed by a day off.) There are breaks throughout each day where you may eat the gorgeous food, rest, recover and even study.

What opportunity will I have to teach on the course?

We want to give you as much opportunity to teach as possible. Clearly not everyone will get the chance to get up and teach an entire class to everyone. But several times a week and most likely every day you will get the chance to instruct either poses or entire segments of a class.

Do I have to know the Sanskrit names of all the poses?

On this training we will teach you Sanskrit names. And although you will learn them they are not an essential part of any yoga class. We will teach you the Sanskrit names terminology. It’s pretty simple so don’t worry!

Travel

How easy is it to get to Costa Rica?

Flights into San Jose International are plentiful and arrive many times daily from the US. And they are mostly full service flights on big planes (not those tiny aircraft!). Flights from Los Angeles are only 5 and a half hours. Here’s a handy link to explore: http://www.cheapflights.com/flight-guide-to-costa-rica/

How much are flights to Costa Rica?

From the US flights can cost from $300 to $600 return. You can find more helpful information right here: http://www.cheapflights.com/flight-guide-to-costa-rica/

Can I bring my family?

The resort is more geared towards relaxing yoga and wellness holidays. So somebody visiting for a week could easily find half day and full day activities out of the resort. They can avail themselves of the full service spa facilities, such as massage, treatments, facials, watsu, acupuncture. See www.puravidaspa.com for details of facilities and who’s available when! Guests can use the jacuzzi and pools and watsu tub. They may have an opportunity to practise yoga too!

It is not really geared towards children unless they’re very young and don’t need special entertainment.