Yoga Teacher Training Northern Virginia Virginia

The Washington, DC metropolitan region has a thriving yoga scene, thanks to the abundance of cosmopolitan, open-minded and health-conscious professionals that populate the area. It may not have the “gurus-to-the-stars” of Los Angeles or the trend-setting influence of New York City, but it does have an international dimension. In the District, studios tend to cater to a younger crowd, recent college graduates who are just getting started in their careers and need a place de-stress. In the suburbs, a more mature following (soccer moms and even adults eligible to join the AARP, like me, may seem less trendy) will be found.

As this listing has grown over time, I based it on my personal experience in only a few studios within walking distance of the Metro, but now I see that I have to include other areas:

• District of Columbia
• Northern Virginia
• Prince George’s Country and east of the District
• Montgomery County

Other options

I should also mention other options for finding a yoga learning environment. For instance, hiring a yoga teacher for one-on-one or small group private classes. Many of these spring up in churches or schools. It would be hard to compile and update a list of these teachers so I suggest that you ask in yoga studios or community centers about private classes. Anyone who is considering yoga and has a special (extra weight, a disability. a body-image issue, lack of prior experience of any physical exercise, age, excessive modesty) should look into private classes or at least a series of classes designed for the beginner (sometimes called yoga fundamentals or rookie yoga).

There’ s always the option of taking classes in an area gym or fitness club (LA Fitness, Gold’s Gym, Washington etc.).

The yoga scene in the Washington, DC area is dynamic and maturing. Studios close because of rising rent or economic issues. Others open up. The quickest way is to search via Google using the term like “yoga” (with something more specific like “Hatha” or “Kundalini”) and your preferred neighborhood or town.

Therapeutic Yoga

For the time being, I have no where else to put this information. See this article from the George Washington University’s Center for Integrative Health.

Teacher Training

I have added links to those studios that offer yoga immersion or teacher training. This is a sign of the studio’s professionalism, commitment and scope of services, so it’s useful in picking a home studio. The training programs are all accredited with Yoga Alliance, usually 200 hours to start, and many have 300 hours of advanced courses, which brings the total to 500 hours.