Yin Yoga, Myofascial Release and Energetic Anatomy Training

A 50-hour training exploring fascia, stillness and the experience of being in your body

Yoga is so much more than just the asanas, it affects all of our physiological systems, our state of mind, overall mental health, how we feel within ourselves… and so much more.

This 50-hour training brings together Yin yoga, myofascial release and energetic anatomy, exploring these practices through both contemporary anatomy and traditional yogic teachings.

We’ll explore fascia and its role in movement and sensation, alongside the nervous system’s contribution to our experience of stretch, tension and ease. Through practical exploration, we’ll consider what happens when we settle into a posture, how our experience can change over time, and why going deeper isn’t always more useful.

Stillness will be a central thread throughout the training. We’ll explore how pausing can create space to notice our habits, sensations and responses, while recognising that stillness feels different for everyone. You’ll learn how to offer choice, support and opportunities to move, helping students find an approach that works for them.

We’ll also explore interoception: our sense of the body’s internal state. By paying attention to experiences such as breathing, heartbeat and internal comfort or unease, we can practise responding to ourselves with greater curiosity and care.

Alongside this, we’ll introduce yoga’s subtle energy teachings: prana, nadis, chakras and the prana vayus. We’ll explore how these traditional frameworks can enrich practice and reflection, while distinguishing them from the structures and processes described by contemporary anatomy.

Expect to graduate with a broad range of practical tools to bring into your classes, greater confidence in guiding individual experiences, and inspiration for a personal practice for your own wellbeing.

Course objectives

• Understand the foundations of Yin yoga, including time, support, stillness and an individual approach to each posture

• Develop a practical understanding of fascial anatomy and its contribution to movement, load transfer and body awareness

• Explore the stretch response, including the stretch reflex, stretch tolerance and the influence of the nervous system on sensation

• Understand why more intense sensations and longer holds do not necessarily create a more beneficial practice

• Explore the relationship between the nervous system, attention, breathing and our experience of stillness

• Develop an understanding of interoception and learn ways to invite internal awareness without overwhelming students

• Practise myofascial release using balls, foam rollers and self-massage, adapting pressure and positioning to individual needs

• Develop clear, supportive teaching skills for Yin yoga and myofascial release, including the use of props, alternatives and appropriate boundaries

• Explore prana, nadis, chakras and the prana vayus within traditional yogic frameworks

• Create thoughtful classes that integrate Yin yoga, myofascial release, breath awareness and energetic themes

• Deepen your own practice through experiential learning, self-reflection and practical teaching experience

Course Content

The foundations of Yin yoga

• The principles and intentions of Yin yoga

• Exploring time, gravity, support and stillness

• A functional approach to postures - understanding their intention and adapting them to different bodies

• Using props, positioning and timing to support individual needs

• Moving into and out of postures with care, and allowing space and time to notice their effects

The nature of fascia

• What fascia is

• Fascia’s contribution to movement, support and the transmission of force

• The relationship between fascia, muscles, joints and the nervous system

• Fascia’s sensory role, including its contribution to proprioception - our sense of body position and movement

• An introduction to seven commonly taught myofascial lines as a model for exploring anatomical relationships

• Considering how movement, stretching and pressure load the body’s tissues

• Exploring current evidence alongside common claims about fascia and “release”.

Understanding the stretch response

• What we mean by the stretch response: tissue mechanics, sensory experience and nervous system responses

• An introduction to the stretch reflex and its role in responding to changes in muscle length

• Exploring how position, intensity, duration and previous experience can affect a stretch

• Recognising when to adjust, reduce intensity or leave a posture, including in response to pain, numbness or tingling

• Teaching students to explore a manageable level of sensation without making depth the goal

Stillness, the nervous system and interoception

• An accessible introduction to the autonomic nervous system and its role in responding to changing demands

• Exploring how breath, attention, support and surroundings can influence our experience of practice

• Interoception and its relationship to body awareness and emotional experience

• Inviting students to notice sensations without needing to change or interpret them immediately

• Offering alternatives to inward attention, including eyes-open practice, awareness of the room and gentle movement

Understanding, practising and teaching myofascial release

• The foundations of self-myofascial release using balls, foam rollers and self-massage

• Choosing useful tools and props

• Develop safe and effective teaching techniques for guiding students through myofascial release practices

• Integrating myofascial release into Yin yoga sequences and your existing yoga offerings

The anatomy of yoga’s subtle energy

• Understand the principles of energetic anatomy, including the subtle energy systems of Prana, Nadis, and Chakras, and their interconnectedness with the physical body

• Learn the five prana vayus and their associated qualities

• Exploring these teachings through asana, pranayama, meditation and reflection

• Using energetic themes in ways that are clear, accessible and respectful of their origins

Exploring the relationship between physical experience and energy

• Exploring how movement, pressure, breath and stillness affect our felt experience

• Using physical anatomy and subtle energy teachings as distinct perspectives for reflection

• Bringing anatomical knowledge and energetic themes into classes with clarity and confidence

Bringing the learning into your teaching and wellbeing

• Creating coherent classes with a clear intention and enough space for individual exploration

• Combining Yin yoga, myofascial release, breath awareness and meditation

• Practising concise cueing, purposeful silence and responsive teaching

• Adapting practices to different bodies, preferences and levels of experience

• Recognising the scope of your role as a yoga teacher

• Cultivating a sustainable sadhana: your personal practice that supports continued curiosity, reflection and wellbeing