Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast

By Mado HesselinkBusiness

Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast episodes

September 24 Beyond 500 Hours: Andrew Tanner on Competency-Based Standards and the American Yoga Council
Are 200 and 500 hour designations meaningful, or are they just gatekeeping? Andrew Tanner, CEO of American Yoga Council, is uniquely qualified to speak on the topic; his past includes owning multiple studios, leading Kripalu School of Yoga and Ayurveda, a stint as a Yoga Alliance board member, and later leading its Standards Review project. Andrew describes founding the American Yoga Council as a public benefit corporation to improve yoga education and help professionals earn a living through transparent, competency-based school standards with accountability, member benefits like insurance and continuing education, revenue sharing back to teachers and schools, and consumer tools to match people with the right yoga for their needs.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:43 Andrew’s Yoga Journey
04:39 Kripalu Lessons and Trust
09:53 How (& why) Yoga Alliance isn’t living up to its potential
13:57 Why AYC Exists
14:47 Competency Standards and Accountability
20:33 Specialist Badges and Niching
26:47 Marketing Yoga to the Public
31:17 How to Learn More & Final Thoughts

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
American Yoga Council (use code MADO30 for 30% off membership)

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
34 min
August 27 First Time Retreat Math: Pricing, Deposits, and Minimums with Monisha
Planning your first yoga retreat? Let’s make sure the math actually works! In this episode, you’ll hear a real-life retreat planning conversation about pricing, minimum enrollment, deposits, cancellation policies, and how to make sure you’re paying yourself for all the work that goes into creating a retreat. We also talk about how to communicate the value you bring when the retreat center already offers yoga, Ayurveda, food, and other experiences.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:54 Is it OK to Run a Retreat Over the Holidays?
02:48 Cancellation Terms with a Short Timeline
04:19 What’s the optimal length for a retreat?
05:13 Sustainable Approaches to Pricing
11:25 The reality of minimum numbers
16:40 How to communicate urgency without being salesy
20:46 Deposits and Refunds
25:38 Defining Your Value
29:51 Curating Guest Experts
34:19 Vetting Retreat Centers
38:24 Wrap Up and Next Steps

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Retreat Roadmap
Get on the priority registration list for Mado's Yoga + Hiking in the French Alps October 2027 (Registration opens September 2026)
Monisha's Website
Monisha's Instagram

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
40 min
August 13 Vetting Venues: Questions First-Time Retreat Leaders Forget to Ask
Dreaming of leading your first yoga retreat? Save yourself time and potential headaches by following this two-step retreat center vetting process that covers everything from communication red flags to the fine print on cancellations. In this episode, you’ll hear exactly how I narrow down my options for retreat venues, compare apples to apples, and read between the lines to find the best venue for your first yoga retreat. If you aren’t sure exactly what questions you need to ask a retreat center before booking with them, tune in for practical advice for choosing the venue for your first or next yoga retreat.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Why retreat leaders get stuck at step one
01:06 Start with the geographic region, but don’t get attached
02:30 Dedicated retreat centers vs hotels vs vacation rentals
06:07 Phase One: The non-negotiables
07:36 How to compare prices
08:59 Communication red flag
10:15 Phase Two: The fine print and extras
16:26 What to do when the choice isn’t clear
18:14 Contracts, deposits, & next steps

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Retreat Roadmap

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
20 min
July 30 12 Reasons Every Retreat Leader Needs to be a Guest Too
Many yoga retreat leaders have never attended a retreat as a guest. In this episode, I share 12 reasons why retreat leaders should prioritize experiencing a retreat from the other side. Some of these reasons are personal, such as forcing you to take a break, while others are more practical, like discovering your operational blind spots. Since finances are often a major hurdle, I also share three ways that retreat leaders can get discounts on other people’s retreats.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Why Leaders Skip Retreats
01:07 Leader vs Guest Reality
03:46 Reason 1: Self-Care Reset
04:08 Reason 2: Spot Blind Spots
05:20 Reason 3: Reinvigorate Your Practice
06:04 Reason 4: The Food
06:56 Reason 5: Stop Overstuffing Your Retreat Schedule
08:11 Reason 6: Retreat Yoga is Different From Home Yoga
09:09 Reason 7: Retreat Social Dynamics
10:02 Reason 8: Build Confidence & Calm
10:43 Reason 9: Market Research
12:45 Reason 10: Venue Research
13:06 Reason 11: Reduce Taxable Income
13:36 Reason 12: Force Yourself to Rest
14:42 Money Objections and Values
16:27 3 Ways to Get Discounted Retreats
21:09 Why Retreats Support a Sustainable Yoga Business

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Retreat Roadmap

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
25 min
July 16How to Sequence a 20 Minute Demo Class
Mado shares her top 5 tips for sequencing a 20 minute demo class to audition for a teaching position.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
Why yoga studios ask for a 20 minute audition.
How to do research for the teaching job you are hoping to get.
What to focus on when you don’t have enough time to sequence a full class experience.
Teaching techniques you can use in your demo and beyond.
How to have a plan for if you start running out of time and can’t teach everything you prepared.
How to show up as your best self - even when you’re nervous.

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Get a free downloadable cheat sheet based on this episode when you sign up for my email list.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
13 min
July 02 Breathing Myths and Misconceptions with Dr Crystal Frazee
Dr. Crystal Frazee unpacks common myths and misconceptions about the breath that are frequently shared in yoga classes. In this episode, she shares the basics of breathing physiology that every yoga teacher should know - and how to apply that knowledge in a yoga setting. She advises teachers to drop the cue “deep breath,” prioritize quiet, effortless nasal breathing with lower rib expansion, emphasize the full breath cycle and pauses, offer opt-outs in group classes, and use gentle strategies such as slowed exhalations and brief breath holds to support CO2 tolerance and student self-observation. Listen to this episode to understand why these are best practices for teaching and cueing the breath in a yoga setting.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:46 Meet Dr Crystal Frazee
08:27 The difference between breathing and respiration
12:25 What most people get wrong about oxygen and CO2
18:22 What we can learn from watching a baby breathe
23:58 Nose vs Mouth Breathing
31:35 Hyperventilation & Why it Matters
34:13 Pranayama and Dysregulation
37:26 Breathing deeply: The biggest breathing myth in yoga
49:31 Breathing and Yoga Therapeutics
56:41 How to teach breathing in general public classes
01:07:51 Key Takeaways & Recap

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Crystal Frazee Website
Follow Dr. Crystal Frazee on Instagram @drcrystalfrazee
Follow Dr. Crystal Frazee on Facebook
Graduate School of Behavioral Health Sciences (where Crystal studied breathing mechanics)
Breathing assessment worksheet
* Note: This worksheet is laid out as a diagnostic tool; however, yoga teachers are not qualified to make diagnoses. If you download this worksheet, you agree to use it for your own education and as a tool to evaluate whether to refer a client or student to a clinician for diagnosis.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
1 hr 15 min
June 18 Tips for Teaching Anatomy with Dr. Libby Hinsley
If you’re an anatomy nerd eager to share your enthusiasm for the human body with your students, you’ll love the insider tips and best practices we share in this conversation. Listen in to hear about the balance between clarity and accuracy, the importance of knowing your audience, and the potential pros and cons of incorporating anatomical concepts into asana classes. We also cover special considerations for teaching anatomy in yoga teacher training programs.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
02:51 Pros of including anatomy in yoga classes
04:36 Cons of including anatomy in yoga classes
05:47 Balancing anatomy in general classes
18:13 Considerations for teaching anatomy in teacher training
21:24 What it takes to be an excellent anatomy teacher
26:34 How to handle diagnostic questions
28:47 The most important aspects of anatomy for yoga teacher trainings
32:28 Dr. Libby Hinsley's anatomy training programs

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Libby Hinsley
Anatomy Bites
Anatomy Bites - Embodied Anatomy
Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
36 min
June 04 Tips for Learning Anatomy with Dr. Libby Hinsley
Why is learning anatomy so hard for yoga teachers? In this episode, we discuss the importance of becoming fluent in basic anatomy to accurately speak about the body in your yoga classes. We know anatomy can feel like a foreign language - that’s because it is! But fear not, we have the secret sauce to make it all stick. From our own adventures with anatomy to tips that'll make studying a breeze, this episode is the ultimate cheat sheet for all wannabe anatomy enthusiasts. Get ready to unleash your inner nerd and build a rock-solid anatomical foundation.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
01:09 Why yoga teachers need basic anatomy knowledge
02:02 Challenges and misconceptions in learning anatomy
03:32 The role of anatomy in your yoga classes
09:13 Our personal journeys in anatomy learning
13:10 Tips for yoga teachers to learn anatomy
18:36 The basics: bones, joints, and muscles
23:24 The importance of context and relevance
28:14 Advanced tips and continuous learning
35:52 Recommended anatomy education programs

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Libby Hinsley
Anatomy Bites
Anatomy Bites - Embodied Anatomy
Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
39 min
May 21Yoga’s PR Problem (and how you can help)
Learn to correct common misunderstandings about yoga. As teachers, we have an important role to play in improving the public perception of yoga. In this episode, you will learn the most common misconceptions that prevent people from trying yoga, why yoga is misunderstood in the wider culture, and what you can do about it as a yoga teacher.

Episode Highlights:
4 misunderstandings that make (some) people resistant to yoga
Tips for sharing what yoga is really about
How incorrect public perceptions of yoga spread and solidify
Why hearing an objection about yoga is an opportunity and a gift
Mini scripts to help you speak clearly about yoga

Episode Links & Resources
Thinking Fast & Slow - By Daniel Kahneman

Links & Resources
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Learn more about the Impact Club
Leave a review on iTunes
19 min
May 07 So You Want to Run a Teacher Training? with Angela Hammond
What does it actually take to run a yoga teacher training? In this episode with Angela Hammond, founder of Main Street Yoga, we talk about the real behind-the-scenes of leading a 200-hour yoga teacher training. From curriculum design and Yoga Alliance requirements to navigating group dynamics and burnout, Angela shares what she’s learned over years of trial and error. Teacher trainings are a lot of work, yes—but also the most rewarding format for teaching.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Angela’s story
03:09 Opening a studio in a small town
05:15 Why start a teacher training
10:07 Building the curriculum
12:01 Refining through feedback
15:24 Schedule and teaching load
16:33 Anatomy teaching breakthrough
22:39 Online vs. In-Person
24:30 Advice for new trainers
28:36 How to know if you are ready
31:55 Final tips

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
Main Street Yoga
Follow Main Street Yoga on Instagram @mainstreetyogafmt
Follow Main Street Yoga on Facebook
Follow Angela Hammond Yoga on YouTube @angelahammondyoga
Embodied Anatomy

LINKS AND RESOURCES:
Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource email list
Join the Yoga Teacher Resource Facebook Group
Leave a review on iTunes
Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe
34 min

About Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Information, support, and inspiration for yoga teachers. Topics include the business of yoga, teaching skills, philosophy, ethical and legal considerations, and more.