The Yoga Teacher Podcast

What should a yoga teacher training (YTT) actually teach you? And how do you choose one that’s right for you?

Brea and Ula explore what “foundational” really means, why understanding movement matters more than memorising muscle names, and how learning yoga’s history helps us teach with respect.

Brea also shares her Movement ABCs: a way to understand movement beyond individual poses, so you can adapt your teaching to the people in front of you.

And if you’re wondering whether you’re experienced or flexible enough to take training, we talk about that too. You don’t need the splits.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Try our online studio for $1 for your first month using the code: PODCASTMONTH
https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Subscribe to our Yoga Teacher Tips Weekly Newsletter: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/

Are backbends in yoga actually doing what you think they are?

In this episode, Brea breaks down the functional anatomy of the spine in backbends and why traditional aesthetic cues might be doing more harm than good. Learn how to refine your cueing to create safer, stronger, and more empowering backbends for your students!

Prefer to watch this?
This episode was recorded as a video! Head over to YouTube to watch the full breakdown, visual demonstrations: https://youtu.be/Rfrm1oBTgAo?si=7a7IYsAs8OL5Dwzh

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Take yoga teacher training with Brea at Heart and Bones Yoga, learn more: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio: Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Are you micromanaging the knees in your yoga classes? So many traditional yoga cues tell us to keep the knee over the ankle or micro-bend the joint—but the truth is, the knees aren't as fragile as we often think! When we take a step back and look at global movement, building stability in the feet, ankles, and hips is what actually protects the knees and builds long-term strength.

In this episode, we’re unpacking a more functional, evidence-informed approach to knee alignment, handling knee pain in class, and helping your students move with confidence.

Connect with Heart Bones Yoga and sign up for the weekly Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter for practical tips, anatomy insights, and sequencing inspiration delivered straight to your inbox! 📬👇

🔗 SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER & RESOURCES: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/

Learn more about teacher trainings at with Brea at Heart and Bones: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

When students ask to "work on their hips" in class, default passive stretches like pigeon pose or static lunges aren't always the best answer. We go over the 4 essential shifts every yoga teacher can make to move beyond generic "hip openers".

Learn how applied movement variety, active mobility, and understanding individual bone diversity can help you teach safer, more inclusive, and more impactful classes!

Sign up for the Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/

In this episode I cover:
• Why applied hip movement matters for cueing and pose selection
• Moving beyond default passive stretching into functional mobility and strength
• Why "tight hips" are often a brain perception, and how movement variety helps
• Honouring individual skeletal differences and letting go of aesthetic alignment

Resources & Links:

Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH Start Here.

Is yoga teacher training actually hard? 👀 As always, we go into the nuance of it all, including imposter syndrome and perfectionism to physical worries and the inevitable "messy middle." This isn’t just about Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) because let’s be real, a lot of this is also life.

Whether you're researching your first 200-hour YTT, struggling halfway through a program, or already a teacher navigating self-doubt, this episode goes over why the hardest part of YTT is often getting out of our own way—and how the practice of yoga helps us work through it.

IN THIS EPISODE:
• The surprising mental and emotional challenges of YTT
• Why "imposter syndrome" and perfectionism spike during training
• How to handle the middle-of-the-training burn out or desire to quit
• Physical vs. mental demands: Do you need to do advanced poses to teach?
• Shifting from rigid "discipline" to genuine commitment

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LEARN MORE ABOUT HEART + BONES YOGA TEACHER TRAINING:https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH H+B (OR STEAL BREA’S SEQUENCE):

Use CODE for $1 for one month: PODCASTMONTH
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Are you spending hours planning your yoga classes only to feel overwhelmed when you actually start teaching?

In this short episode, I'm sharing 5 common reasons why yoga teachers overcomplicate their sequences and how you can simplify your process for a better experience for both you and your students.

We'll cover everything from finding a clear class focus to the power of the "pause" in transitions.

Teaching yoga doesn't have to be a stressful multitasking feat, you can learn how to read the room and adapt your sequence to the real people in front of you.

Free Resource: Join the Yoga Teacher Tips newsletter for one actionable teaching tip every week: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/

Become a yoga teacher with Heart and Bones online yoga 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

YTT Newsletter. One actionable theme. One email. Every week.https://heartandbonesyoga.com/yogateachertips/

Have a question about yoga teacher training? Leave it in the comments. We read them, and your question may inspire a future episode.

About this episode:

Is yoga teacher training worth it if you never plan to teach? And if you do want to teach, how long might it take to earn back what you spent?

Brea and Ula unpack what “worth it” actually means when you are considering yoga teacher training. We talk about the financial reality, the fear that can come with investing in yourself, and what a training may offer beyond a certificate or future income.

You’ll hear about taking YTT to deepen your own practice, the unexpected personal changes that can come from becoming a student again, realistic teaching income, and ways to make training more accessible through payment plans, scholarships or work exchanges.

And we explore a harder question: how can you tell the difference between a decision that feels scary because it really matters to us, and one that genuinely is not right for you now?

Learn more about the Heart + Bones 200 + 300-Hour Online Yoga Teacher Certification: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

New yoga teachers often copy their teachers at first. Their sequencing, their cues, their language, even the way they hold the room. But how do you move from repeating what worked for someone else to finding your own voice as a yoga teacher?

In this episode, Brea and Ula talk about copying, confidence, repetition, belonging, and what it really means to teach in a way that feels like you. We get into why copying can be a normal part of learning, how repetition helps you become more responsive in the room, and why the best yoga teachers are not trying to sound like everyone else.

We also talk about yoga teacher training, inclusive teaching, representation, and the pressure many teachers feel to fit into a certain image of what a “real” yoga teacher looks or sounds like.

If you’re a new yoga teacher, a yoga teacher in training, or someone who feels like you don’t quite fit the usual yoga mould, this conversation is for you.

Links mentioned this episode:

Learn more about Heart + Bones Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/ Explore Yoga Teacher Lab: Nervous System 101: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/ Try the Heart + Bones online yoga studio: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

$1 for 1 month use code: PODCASTMONTH

Why Student Love Boring Classes: https://youtu.be/TVAmLoAhSDY?si=aKCW7cNj8Jd5nedO

This audio was taken from our Yoga Teacher Tips Youtube Channel!

Watch the video HERE

Feeling like you lack "self-belief" as a yoga teacher? It might not be a lack of confidence at all. It might just be that you haven't discovered what kind of teacher you are yet.

In this episode, we’re moving beyond "being a good teacher" and diving into the self-awareness required to find your unique voice. We’ll explore the spectrum of teaching styles—from intuitive "wingers" to structured planners, poetic storytellers to precise communicators—to help you stop the comparison trap and start celebrating your natural gifts.

Take the Quiz! Ready to go deeper? I’ve created a playful quiz to help you further refine your teaching identity and voice. ✨ Take the Yoga Teacher Type Quiz here: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/quiz-what-type-modern-yoga-teacher-are-you/

What we cover in this episode:

• The secret to true teaching confidence.
• Intuitive vs. Planned sequencing: Which one is your "nervous system safety net"?
• Poetic vs. Precise: Finding your unique way of communicating cues.
• Tradition vs. Modern Movement: Where do you land on the lineage spectrum?
• Finding your "Sweet Spot": Balancing your schedule to avoid burnout.

Join the Yoga Teacher Tips Community: At Yoga Teacher Tips, we’re all about the nitty-gritty details of teaching and the big conversations that help us grow. Subscribe to join a community of teachers dedicated to teaching with heart and bones.

Let’s Chat! Once you take the quiz, come back and let me know your results in the comments! Are you more of a "Planner" or a "Winger"? Let’s build this amazing community together.

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio: Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

SAY HI ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga

Is "Listen to Your Body" actually helpful, or is it just confusing for your students?

In this episode, Brea, Founder of Heart and Bones Yoga, chats with Ula about the nuance of one of the most common cues in the yoga world. While we want to offer autonomous experiences, "listening to your body" can be tricky when our "normal" is actually a pattern of unconscious postural habits or even tension.

In this video, you’ll learn:

• Why "listen to your body" can backfire for students with deep-seated habits.
• The "Goldilocks" method: Using polarities to help students find their middle ground.
• How to support hypermobile students who might be "guarding" or tense without realizing it.
• Real-world examples of using props (like the "festival chair" moment!) to create ease.
• A sneak peek into our upcoming Lab Series on nervous system-supportive cueing.

Curious about the Lab?

Our first Lab is now live, Nervous System 101 for Yoga Teacher: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr

Online Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH US

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

SAY HI ON SOCIAL

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YogaTeacherTips

Is your yoga class actually "nervous system supportive," or is it just slow? In this episode, Brea and Ula chat about what it really means to support the nervous system when teaching actual humans in real classes. We move beyond the "everything should be chill" marketing myth and explore how proprioception, interoception, and even intensity play a role in building true resilience.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Nervous System" Zeitgeist: Why every yoga class is technically a nervous system class.
• Proprioception vs. Interoception: Understanding how we sense our bodies from the inside out.
• The Anxiety of "Calming" Cues: How rigid breathing counts can actually trigger a stress response.
• The Social Nervous System: Creating a safe container where students feel seen and supported.
• Building Capacity: Why challenging poses like balance and chair pose are vital for nervous system resilience.

NEW: The Yoga Teacher Lab

We’re launching a new series for teachers at Heart and Bones Online Studio! Our first deep dive is the Nervous System, featuring a "Director's Cut" breakdown of real classes with Brea Johnson.

Learn More https://heartandbonesyoga.com/nervoussystem101/

Did you know we have a yoga teacher dedicated youtube channel? Learn with Brea: https://www.youtube.com/@YogaTeacherTips

Learn More:

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES

200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training (anatomy-informed, accessible, and actually enjoyable): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH US

Try Heart + Bones Studio free for one month, use code: youtubelove https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

If you've been struggling to find yoga teaching work, whether you just finished your 200-hour, moved to a new city, or feel like there are more teachers than there are jobs—this one's for you.

Brea Johnson, founder of Heart + Bones and a yoga teacher with over two decades of experience, shares the honest, practical strategies she wishes more teachers knew about. From her years owning a brick-and-mortar studio (and being the one doing the hiring), she knows exactly what gets a teacher noticed, and what doesn't.

Found a creative way to build your teaching career that we didn't cover? Drop it in the comments—we'd love to hear it!

What we cover:

• Why the yoga studio isn't always the best place to start — and what to do instead
• How to rent your own space and actually fill it (even when nobody knows you yet)
• The power of finding a niche to grow your classes faster
• Working with gyms, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and corporate offices
• What Brea looked for as a studio owner — and the things that almost guaranteed someone wouldn't get hired
• How to build relationships that open doors, even if you're introverted
• Why subbing is one of the most underrated ways to get your foot in the door

BECOME A YOGA TEACHER WITH HEART + BONES 200hr & 300hr Online Yoga Teacher Training (anatomy-informed, accessible, and actually enjoyable): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH US

Try Heart + Bones Studio free for one month, use code: PODCASTMONTH https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

SAY HI ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandbonesyoga

You have classes to teach this week… and the inevitable happened. You’ve run out of ideas.

Or maybe you’re just bored with what you’ve been teaching and want something new and exciting to share in class.

If you’ve been teaching yoga for a while, this happens to all of us.

In this video, Brea Johnson (founder of Heart + Bones Yoga) shares 5 simple ways yoga teachers can find inspiration again when they feel stuck, bored, or out of ideas for what to teach.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to teach great classes. Sometimes a small shift in focus can make familiar poses feel completely new again for both you and your students.

In this video you’ll learn:

• What to remember when you feel bored teaching yoga
• How taking another teacher’s class can spark new inspiration
• Why continuing education helps refresh your teaching
• Simple ways to bring new life to familiar yoga sequences
• How a single movement focus can transform an entire class

If you’re a yoga teacher looking for yoga class ideas, sequencing inspiration, or ways to stay inspired teaching, this video will help you refresh your classes without overcomplicating things.

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio: Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

As yoga teachers, we all want to say the “right” thing in class. The perfect cue. The one that lands in every body.

But here’s the truth: there isn’t one cue that works for everyone.

In this episode, Brea shares 3 universal cues for yoga teachers that support every body, every style, and every level. These are not rigid anatomical commands.

They’re awareness-based cues that build autonomy, connection, and sustainable movement in your classes.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• How do I cue for all bodies?
• How do I make my classes more accessible?
• How do I teach with confidence without over-talking?

This is for you. With over two decades of teaching experience, Brea walks you through the shift from memorized, lineage-based scripting toward a more anatomy-informed, functional approach to yoga teaching.

You’ll learn:

• Why there is no “one cue to rule them all”
• How to invite autonomy into your classes
• How to reduce hierarchy in your teaching
• Why awareness is the heart of yoga practice
• Simple cues that deepen connection without overwhelming your students

These cues work in downward dog, trikonasana, warrior, standing poses, seated work, and beyond. They help you teach less and guide more.

Modern Yoga Teacher Training: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Explore Heart + Bones Yoga Online Studio: Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Why does teaching yoga start to feel harder, more exhausting, or full of self-doubt?

In this episode, Ula and Brea talk honestly about yoga teacher burnout, self-talk, and comparison. How pressure, perfectionism, and unrealistic expectations show up while teaching, not just online or off the mat.

They unpack why so many yoga teachers internalize mistakes as personal failure, how social media and studio culture add invisible pressure, and why “something is wrong with me” becomes the default inner narrative—even for experienced teachers.

This conversation covers:

– Yoga teacher burnout and emotional exhaustion

– Self-talk, comparison, and perfectionism

– Teaching mistakes and fear of doing it wrong

– Social media pressure in the yoga industry

– When a studio or style isn’t the right fit

– Learning to trust mistakes instead of fearing them

Whether you’re a yoga teacher, studio owner, or someone who leads others, this episode offers a grounded look at teaching as a human, not a performance.

Links:

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio:

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Modern Yoga Teacher Training : https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Ula’s Substack: https://avibrantmind.substack.com/

What does it actually mean to be a yoga teacher in 2026?

In this episode, we break down the five things we believe every yoga teacher needs to hear right now. Not more pressure. Not more perfection. Not another trend to keep up with.

We talk about nervous system literacy as the new alignment, why experience matters more than choreography, how teaching is shifting away from performance, and what sustainable teaching really looks like over the long term.

This conversation is for teachers who feel the tired of trying to do it all, teachers who care deeply about their students, and teachers who want to keep teaching without burning themselves out.

Inside this episode:

• Nervous system first teaching

• Invitational classrooms over top down authority

• Experience over choreography

• Why perfection is not the goal

• Longevity as a real teaching skill

Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Ula's Substack: https://avibrantmind.substack.com/

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio:

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Why the heck aren’t we feeling motivated, even when we want to change?

And why do we keep picking arbitrary dates to overhaul our lives, as if motivation is something we can schedule?

In this episode, Brea and Ula chat through why motivation is so often blamed when the real issue is friction. We explore how cultural conditioning, perfectionism, guilt, and unrealistic expectations quietly get in the way of change, and why “trying harder” rarely helps.

This is a conversation about small shifts, seasonal rhythms, honest self-inquiry, and building practices that actually fit real lives. It’s for anyone who’s felt stuck, behind, or convinced they’re doing something wrong—and for teachers who want to create spaces that feel supportive instead of pressurized.

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here

Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

January has a way of turning everything up to eleven: goals, pressure, expectations, and the belief that we’re supposed to become entirely new people overnight.

In this episode, Brea and Ula unpack why extreme challenges feel so seductive this time of year, and why so many of them leave us burned out, disconnected, or feeling like we’ve failed before we’ve even started. They talk about grind culture, wellness FOMO, and the noise of social media—and how all of it shows up not just in our minds, but in our bodies.

Rather than rejecting goals altogether, this conversation offers a different way in: one rooted in self-trust, nervous system awareness, and small, sustainable shifts. They explore why consistency beats intensity, why rest isn’t a reward you have to earn, and why real change doesn’t happen in isolation.

The episode closes with an invitation to approach January with more kindness, more curiosity, and a lot less pressure, plus a look at the Small Shifts Challenge as a way to practice this work together, in community.

Takeaways:

• January pressure isn’t personal, it’s cultural.
• Extreme challenges work for a few people, but often fail the rest of us.
• Grind culture has quietly shaped how we approach wellness and self-care.
• If it feels panicky or FOMO-driven, that’s information.
• Sustainable change comes from consistency, not intensity.
• Small habits build momentum without activating stress or shame.
• Rest isn’t laziness, it’s part of how we grow.
• We don’t change in isolation; community matters.
• Listening to your body is a skill you can practice.
• Kindness toward yourself makes habit-building possible.

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

If you’ve been doubting yourself as a yoga teacher, it might not be about confidence at all. More often, it’s simply that you haven’t discovered what kind of teacher you actually are yet.

So let’s explore that together.

Brea walks you through the patterns we all fall into as teachers—how we plan our classes, how we cue, the pace we love, the people we feel most at home teaching—and helps you notice the strengths you already have (even the ones you haven’t recognized as strengths).

This gentle self-study is where clarity comes from.

And clarity is what builds real confidence.

Take the free “What Kind of Teacher Are You?” quiz: https://heartandbonesyoga.typeform.com/to/GOQ4lYss

Come back and share your type in the comments, we love hearing them!

What you’ll reflect on:

• Are you more intuitive or more structured when you plan?

• Do you cue with precision, imagery, or a mix of both?

• How do you learn and integrate yoga in your own body?

• What formats feel good for your nervous system?

• Who do you actually want to teach?

• How much teaching is the right amount for your life right now?

Heart + Bones supports yoga teachers in finding their voice, honouring their strengths, and teaching in sustainable ways that feel like you.

Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Are yoga retreats really worth it, for teachers or students? brea and Ula share the truth about running yoga retreats: the money, the burnout, the logistics no one talks about, and what finally made us return after a six-year retreat break.

Whether you’re thinking about hosting your first yoga retreat or deciding if a Tuscany retreat is right for you, this conversation gives you an honest look behind the scenes.

We talk about why retreats aren’t vacations for teachers, how to structure a retreat people actually enjoy, and the hidden costs and “rigamarole” that often lead to burnout. We also share what made our recent Tuscany retreat so special—and why we decided to go back.

Have questions about running a yoga retreat? Drop them in the comments!

Heart and Bones Tuscany Yoga Retreat, April 2026: https://heartandbonesyoga.com/tuscany-yoga-retreat/

👉 Subscribe for more yoga teacher tips, anatomy-informed practices, and real conversations about the business of teaching yoga.

🔗 Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/