22-Day 200-Hour Hatha/Vinyasa & Yin Yoga Teacher Training in Valencia, Spain

The course covers the standard 200-hour syllabus but with a distinct therapeutic angle. While you'll learn and practice Vinyasa flow and Hatha postures, the teaching is rooted in a holistic understanding of the body. The asana practice includes exploration of the chakras, with an emphasis on their healing properties. This isn't just about getting poses right — the sequences are designed to improve strength and flexibility while bringing awareness to energy flow. You're explicitly told to respect your own limits and not push beyond your capacity.

The anatomy and physiology component looks at the spine, respiration, circulation, digestion, and elimination, and also covers the hormonal, nervous, urinary, and immune systems. You'll learn the physiological and energetic effects of asanas, pranayama, and meditation, and how to identify benefits and contraindications for every pose. This feeds directly into the teaching practicum, where you'll practice guiding, coaching, and using props and hands-on assisting. There are also sessions on finding your own teaching style, designing classes for mixed levels, and the business side of teaching yoga — self-employment, legal requirements, and marketing.

Philosophy and psychology are woven through the course: the five points of yoga, the four paths, the eight limbs, the gunas, the koshas, the four elements, prana and the nadis, the chakras, the bandhas, and the teacher-student relationship. There's an introduction to the Bhagavad Gita and discussion of karma and reincarnation. The non-contact hours include daily karma yoga of around 30 minutes and self-study.

The course takes place at Vinalux Resort in Vinaros, a medium-sized town on Spain's Mediterranean coast, north of Castellón. The resort has a yoga shala, a fitness room, and a sauna, and all rooms have en-suite bathrooms. The town itself is a few minutes' walk from the hotel — restaurants, bars, markets, and supermarkets are easy to reach. The beach is also close, with a long coastline walk that takes you out of town.

The training is led by Gerry Rixen, who began with Iyengar yoga in London and has been teaching for over 30 years. He's also a professional Shiatsu therapist and Chinese medicine practitioner, and holds a 4th Dan in the Japanese martial art Shorinji Kempo. He's joined by guest teachers Sabrina and Lil, who contributed to the course in the past with their own specialities — Lil has taught Kundalini yoga, for example.

What's included

- 21 nights accommodation at Vinalux Resort - Teacher training course and certification - Certificate upon successful completion - Registration with Yoga Alliance International (YAI) - Course manual - WiFi connection - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Pickup and drop-off from Vinaros train station - Final party

What's not included

- Airport transfers (available at extra cost) - Flights - Meals (self-catering) - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Additional treatments (e.g., Shiatsu with Gerry at 60 euros)