ISSA Yoga Certification Review

Last updated on July 30, 2024

Renowned as a premier provider of accredited personal training courses, ISSA‘s reputation for delivering premium health and fitness education is unparalleled. Still, it may leave you wondering: how do their yoga certifications measure up? 

If you’re looking for ISSA yoga certification reviews, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll delve into their two yoga courses, the established Yoga Fundamentals and the newly introduced Yoga 200 certification. We assess their advantages, costs, duration, and reviews so that you can make an informed choice.

About ISSA Yoga Certifications

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) provides a wealth of health and exercise-related courses, including two yoga certifications. There are 2 available programs for aspiring and professional yoga coaches, teachers, and instructors:

• The Yoga Fundamentals
• Yoga 200

Yoga Fundamentals suits all yoga professionals (including coaches), while Yoga 200 provides a path to becoming an official Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher (RYT-200) with Yoga Alliance accreditation. There are no prerequisites for enrolling in these courses, and they are appropriate for yoga practitioners across all levels.

The fundamentals course also upholds reputable accreditations as it is approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFA).

Note: Neither of the two courses is recognized by the globally known International Coaching Federation (ICF). To gain this accreditation and hone coaching skills, we recommend Coach Training Alliance and their Yoga2Life Coaching program, which is personalized for yoga coaches. For a detailed review of CTA, head to this article. 

The Yoga Fundamentals 

The Yoga Fundamentals course earns you the ISSA Certified Yoga Instructor credential. It covers everything you need to grow your confidence as a yoga instructor, including topics like these:

• Yoga’s history and philosophy
• Yoga poses for every level
• Applying yoga for movement and structure
• Pranayama and breath techniques
• Designing classes and preparation for programs
• Inclusive communication, cueing, and instruction

Yoga 200

Yoga 200 is designed for those who want the prestigious Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher title in addition to ISSA Certified Yoga Instructor certification. The course dives deeper into the principles of teaching yoga, and addresses the following:

• Teaching, cueing, and sequencing principles
• Guided meditations
• In-depth posture sequencing
• Anatomy and physiology
• Meditation and Pranayama
• Yoga’s history and philosophy
• Ethics of teaching yoga
• Professional development

Pros and Cons of ISSA Yoga Certifications

Do you wonder what each course has to offer? We’ll now mention some key advantages of the fundamentals certification and Yoga 200 program. 

The Yoga Fundamentals 

This course combines educational support with guided, self-paced study through a comprehensive library of educational videos. You can learn in your own time, but if you face any roadblocks, you can get in touch with experts for guidance. 

Another advantage is that the curriculum is comprehensive and practical, teaching you about numerous yoga poses as well as how to communicate with your clients. 

Lastly, we’d like to point out that there is a module dedicated to the business side of yoga coaching. You’ll learn about legal considerations and protections, building a brand, continuing education, marketing, networking, and more. 

Yoga 200

In addition to self-study, Yoga 200 also includes live weekly virtual study studio sessions where you’ll receive instructions and feedback from expert yoga teachers. If you miss the sessions, you can access them later via recordings. You’ll also have the same unlimited support as in the Yoga Fundamentals course.

We love how Yoga 200 sessions start with guided meditations to prepare your mind for learning. What also stands out with this course is the Asana Guidebook, which comes with cueing, props, variations, and safety cautions for over 80 fundamental yoga postures.

How Long Are the ISSA Yoga Certification Courses?

Both the Yoga Fundamentals and Yoga 200 are self-directed courses without a deadline, so you can progress at your own pace. Even though Yoga 200 includes live sessions, you have no obligation to attend them at the set time since you can always watch the recordings later.

How Much Do the ISSA Yoga Certifications Cost?

ISSA’s yoga certification courses offer the convenience of a 12-month payment plan. Here is the pricing info for both courses:

• Yoga Fundamentals: $66.58/month for 12 months ($798.96 in total)
• Yoga 200packages:
  • Yoga 200 Teacher: $99/month for 12 months or $988 (one-time payment + bonus course Eight Limbs of Yoga)
  • Yoga 200 Teacher–Elite: $159/month for 12 months; includes:
    • Yoga 200
    • Nutritionist 
    • Online Coach 
    • Exercise Recovery 
  • Yoga 200 Teacher–Master: $199/month for 12 months; includes:
    • Yoga 200
    • Nutritionist 
    • Online Coach
    • Glute Specialist
    • Exercise Recovery Specialist
    • Transformation Specialist

Note: Are you in search of a more affordable certification? Be sure to check out Transformation Academy and their CPD-accredited Yoga Life Coach Certification. It costs only $197, and with our link, you’ll get an 50% discount. We have also reviewed TA in depth if you’d like to get to know this academy first. 

ISSA Yoga Certification Reviews

Now, let’s go through some informative reviews about these yoga certifications. Most reviewers mention the dedication of course instructors to present the information comprehensively and the support team. Yoga 200 is a newly released course, so it doesn’t have a lot of reviews, but given ISSA’s stellar reputation, it seems promising. 

The Yoga Fundamentals Reviews

I felt the company was very passionate about promoting new yoga instructors and how they delivered the material. You can tell how passionate they were during discussions and yoga demos. I really appreciate their commitment to ensuring that I receive the best fundamental aspects of yoga.

Kairis Bonella

So helpful and has a lot of useful information about yoga and the body. I’m happy I took this course and passing the exam was a great feeling.

Maya

A good overview of the thought, practice, how to perform in a class, and how to teach different types of students.

LaVon Calhoun

Yoga 200 Reviews

I enjoyed the in-depth knowledge of each of the instructors. I felt as if I was in a physical classroom learning one-on-one. The support team was available when I needed questions answered, and it was super easy to connect with a live person. The training is the most comprehensive online course I have taken to date.

Sarah Bukley

Are the ISSA Yoga Certification Programs For You?

If you want to learn more about yoga, acquire foundational knowledge in this field, and attain a reputable certification as a yoga instructor or teacher, ISSA yoga certifications are an excellent choice. 

What distinguishes the Yoga Fundamentals course is the inclusion of business insights, while Yoga 200 shines with its live sessions and practical instructions. We also love how both courses focus on working with clients, not just teaching you about yoga. 

Since both of these programs are priced around $1,000, you might want a more budget-friendly option. In that case, consider Yoga Life Coach Certification by Transformation Academy. Or, if you want ICF accreditation, CTA’s Yoga2Life Coaching program meets all the criteria. 

If you want to explore further, here are a few recommendations: 

• Download a chapter from both Yoga Fundamentals and Yoga 200 for free on their website to get a sense of the courses
• Take our quiz to find out which life coach certification program suits you best
• Review our list of the top life coaching certifications 
• Check out our top recommendations for health coach certifications

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