ISSA Yoga 200 study plan

Map the 20% weight of Domain 3 by listing every major pose family (standing, balancing, backbend, twist, forward fold, inversion, restorative) and writing the joint actions and primary muscle groups for each family from memory, then checking against a kinesiology reference

Define the six movement planes and the terms flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, external rotation, and circumduction, and label each on three poses of your choice

Explain the difference between joint compression and joint shear, and identify one pose in your own practice where each risk appears

Practice 45 minutes of asana daily, keeping a one-line log of what felt restricted and where you felt the restriction

Write alignment instructions for 12 foundational poses using the base-support-broaden-extend pattern, keeping each cue under 15 words

Identify three common misalignments per pose for six poses and write one corrective cue and one prop-based modification for each

Design and practice three regressions and two progressions for each of four peak poses, noting who each variation serves (tight hamstrings, low back sensitivity, wrist load, pregnancy)

Teach two poses aloud to a friend or camera and time your cueing so no instruction exceeds 20 seconds before a pause

Summarize the core arguments of the Yoga Sutras in your own words, covering the four padas at a high level and defining chitta vritti nirodha, abhyasa, and vairagya

Compare the yamas and niyamas by writing one modern, classroom-relevant example for each of the ten observances

Trace the historical development of hatha yoga through key periods and texts, noting what changed in each era without quoting long passages

Explain the ethical boundaries in the yamas that map onto teaching conduct: honesty in marketing, non-harm in adjustments, and non-stealing of others' intellectual property

Draft your own teaching philosophy statement of 150-200 words grounded in at least three philosophical concepts

Build a 60-minute vinyasa class using a peak-pose arc, writing the warm-up, sun salutation variations, standing sequence, peak, counterpose, and savasana with time stamps

Apply the principles of apex planning, counterposing, and energy management (warm-up, build, peak, integrate, cool down) and justify each transition in one sentence

Create two alternative sequences for the same peak pose: one for beginners and one for experienced students, keeping the same arc

Rehearse the full 60-minute sequence aloud twice and mark every point where you ran long or lost the thread

Review the sequencing plan against Domain 3 alignment standards and correct any pose that breaks the arc