An opportunity to study and grow with Laura & Zahir Akram - Om Yoga Magazine Yoga teacher of the year 2024 🏆 at the Om Yoga Studio of the Year 2024 🥇
Our Advanced 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training, combining in-person and online learning, launches in JUNE 2025! This transformative course spans 10 months, meeting one weekend per month at our award-winning yoga studio in Addlestone, Surrey.
Check out the full dates on our syllabus.
Muddy Stilettos Awards - Best Yoga Teacher in Surrey - Zahir Akram 2019
Muddy Stilettos Awards - Best Yoga Studio in Surrey 2023
Om Yoga Magazine Nomination - Favorite Yoga Teacher Training 2023
Om Yoga Magazine Winners - Favorite Yoga Studio 2024
Om Yoga Magazine Winner - Favorite Yoga Teacher, Zahir Akram 2024
COST: £3400.00
WHEN PAID IN FULL.
£4200.00 IF PAID VIA INSTALMENTS
T&C'S APPLY
YOGA ALLIANCE UK
FULLY ACCREDITED COURSE.
What makes our course truly unique is the combination of in-person and online learning. After each in-person module, you’ll have access to an online recap that you can view at your own pace. Even better, the online course is yours for life, allowing you to revisit any module whenever you need to stay on top of things. Paid-in-full students will find the accompanying online content available on our ONLINE COURSES page throughout the training, accessible both before and after each in-house session, giving you every opportunity to continue growing and learning.
Most courses out there offer either in-person or online training—but we provide both. Imagine attending a module day focused on, say, the physiology of breathing. If any of the material gets complex (though we pride ourselves on making things simple), you can head home and review the content through our online platform, ensuring you grasp every concept.
In essence, when you pay for our in-house yoga teacher training, you also receive free, unlimited access to the online version of the same course!
By the end of the training, you’ll graduate as an advanced yoga teacher with an additional 300 hours of yoga education, plus you'll be a certified Yin Yoga teacher—because our training also includes comprehensive Yin Yoga instruction.
You’ll delve into physiological concepts like the sensory-motor loop, gaining a deeper understanding of standing poses. You'll also cover specialized topics like the complexities of back pain, which are detailed in a dedicated CPD module (learn more about that here). And yes, it’s all included in your training!
Check out our blog page! My aim is to share this philosophy and knowledge in a way that feels natural and easy to grasp. Teacher training isn't about rigid rules or telling you what to do—it's about understanding the why, so you can make your own informed choices and decisions.
Read my Blog on our last Advanced Teacher Training.
“Proper teaching is recognised with ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is something you have always known.”
COURSE LEADER / ADVANCED YOGA TEACHER -
Zahir Akram
In October 2024, Zahir won the award for 'Favourite Yoga Teacher' by Om Yoga Magazine, primarily for his contributions to teacher training. Zahir has a knack for making complex scientific principles accessible, ensuring that all students feel empowered and informed.
Zahir also won the award for the best Yoga teacher in Surrey 2019 as well as being featured in Om Yoga Magazine as one of the top 10 Male Yoga teachers to know about.
Zahir doesn't share these accolades to brag about his achievements; rather, he hopes they show just how passionate he is about yoga and his love for sharing it with others. You can see this passion in his YouTube videos and feel it in his teaching. You really couldn't be in safer hands on this course.
Zahir is the course leader and will run through the entire course with you - with assistance from his comrades, Paul and his wife Laura.
Zahir is also the author of; 'Yoga - Madness or Meditation?' which is part of the reading list.
A devoted Husband to Laura and Dad to Zaccy, Zahir has spent nearly 25 years in the health and fitness world and brings years of know how and experience into this course.
Click here for a full Bio.
ADVANCED YOGA TEACHER / YOGA THERAPIST -
Laura Akram
As featured in Om Yoga Magazine
Laura is an advanced yoga teacher, both in practice and education, as well as a qualified Yoga Therapist, offering valuable insights into why and how yoga truly “works.”
Among her many passions within the physical practice, Laura is especially dedicated to sharing her deep understanding of the nervous system. She believes that even a basic grasp of what goes on behind the scenes can profoundly transform how we experience and appreciate the magic of yoga.
You can see from her Instagram profile (link above) just how much Laura loves the physical aspect of yoga. But don’t let that fool you into thinking she’s all about the poses. According to her husband, Zahir, Laura is “the Oracle” and one of the greatest influences on his philosophical outlook. She brings a rich tapestry of yoga wisdom to the course, making it an absolute pleasure to learn from her.
Many of the current trainees fondly refer to Laura as the “mother of the group,” known for her nurturing care, guidance, and unbridled passion for what she does.
In addition to her yoga expertise, Laura is also a practicing Chartered Accountant. This unique combination allows her to provide practical advice on the business of yoga and how to manage your financial responsibilities effectively.
SENIOR YOGA TEACHER
- Paul Allen
Paul Allen, a senior yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance UK, is known as the "wise owl" of the team and a true legend, as many of our current trainees affectionately call him.
With over 20 years of yoga experience, Paul began his journey with Ashtanga Vinyasa and later explored Iyengar Yoga, Shivananda Yoga, Baptiste Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga, and the restorative practice of Yin Yoga.
Paul’s practice has evolved over the years, blending elements from all these styles. He shares his extensive experience mainly during the afternoon practical sessions, where, alongside Laura, he guides students through the 84-pose manual. Not only does he offer expert guidance on physical postures, but he also brings depth to the theory and philosophy sections of the course.
Paul's yoga mantra is, "Listen to the body, practice accordingly, and then pass on the magic."
Course Structure:
Our training is conducted in person at our Addlestone studio, complemented by a comprehensive online curriculum. You can tailor your experience by taking individual modules or opting for the full program, ensuring a well-rounded and deep understanding of yoga.
What You Can Expect:
Our course combines immersive in-person sessions with a robust online component, featuring video lessons, downloadable resources, guided practices, and more. Each module merges hands-on experience with in-depth theoretical knowledge, weaving together ancient yoga philosophy and modern anatomical science.
Self-Study for Deeper Reflection:
You’ll have access to reflective exercises, essays, and personalized feedback to enhance your growth. The online resources allow for continuous review of key concepts, and a homework diary will help you track your progress, ensuring your journey is meaningful and comprehensive.
Becoming a yoga teacher is all about staying open—open to new ideas, different interpretations, and deeper self-understanding. This course doesn’t impose a rigid, one-size-fits-all way of doing things. After all, that would be the most un-yogic way to learn! The true Yogic path, if we trace it back to the wisdom of the first yogis, invites us to be willing: willing to explore, with a clear mind and an open heart.
I strive to guide you toward this path, helping you see that knowledge is borrowed—it flows from one teacher to another. But wisdom? Wisdom is different. Wisdom comes from within, from your organic understanding of a concept that aligns with who you are. My goal is to help you develop this kind of wisdom, so your teaching resonates deeply with your authentic self.
This training isn’t about what’s right or wrong—it’s about exploring what we know, interpreting that knowledge thoughtfully, and using it to keep our students safe and to continue growing, both as yoga teachers and human beings.
As Swami Vivekananda said, “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”
Yoga isn’t about searching for absolute truths or hard facts; it’s about finding what feels true and right for you.
I hope to share this journey with you, helping you explore and grow every step of the way.
I’ve dedicated half my life to understanding what makes us who and what we are. My studies have taken me from anatomy to philosophy—from the Greeks, who first dissected the human body, to the yogis who say we are not the body. This journey has led me from my parents' birthplace in Kashmir, to the bustling streets of Calcutta, and the serene landscapes of Nepal. I’ve broken down and dissected everything, from the mechanics of breathing to the intricacies of Bandhas.
I’ve had a complex relationship with yoga. I’ve loved it, critiqued it, fallen out of love with it, had enough of it—and yet, I keep coming back. My understanding of yoga isn’t just a collection of other people’s words or theories. It’s a tapestry woven from my own experiences, filled with moments of doubt, rediscovery, and personal growth.
Yoga has given me the strength to forge my own path, and that’s exactly what I hope to share with you. As the Sufis say, “In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart.” This course isn’t about rigid rules or seeking absolute truths. It’s about finding what feels true and right for you, with a heart-centered approach to learning.
By the end of this course, my mission is for you to have learned so much and gained such depth of understanding that you’ll come to see how everything always depends. You’ll realize that everyone we meet is fighting their own battles, and that understanding almost always leads to compassion.
What You’ll Take Away:
A deeper, personal understanding of yoga philosophy, blending ancient wisdom with your own lived experiences.
The ability to adapt teachings to meet individual student needs, making your classes more meaningful and accessible.
Practical tools and techniques to navigate your practice and teaching with a nuanced and compassionate approach.
A heart-centered perspective, rooted in the idea that true wisdom is felt and experienced, not just intellectually understood.
This journey isn’t just about becoming a yoga teacher—it’s about becoming more connected, more informed, and more attuned to the heart and soul of yoga.