Altitude Flying Yoga
Teacher Training
The Altitude “Flying” Yoga Teacher Training Program (@FYTT) is intended to give experienced, non-professional aerial enthusiasts introductory knowledge necessary to plan and lead a safe, fun and inspiring aerial yoga class. It is intended for those brand new to teaching fitness, students wishing to deepen their understanding of aerial yoga, as well as those currently teaching aerial arts or grounded yoga. This training will provide a solid foundation that can be applied to any studio anywhere.
Because the practice of aerial yoga is a relatively new fitness practice, the @FYTT is a 4 module training program, specifically designed to provide resources and support to trainees, while developing and growing our community with this continuously evolving and changing fitness modality.
Next Training:
Module 1
May 2 & 3, 2020
Dallas (Highland Village), TX
$700
25% off before 4.1.2020
Altitude Flying Yoga
Teacher Training Program
Module 1 : $700
Instructor Designation Course
Prerequisite: none (aerial or grounded yoga experience is encouraged)
16 hours live + 4 hours self paced & homework
@FYTT begins with a 2 day comprehensive onboarding intensive, during which students will learn:
Intelligent curriculum building
Use of class themes, including intentions, meditations & other techniques
Pedagogy: instruction theories, personality types & communication
Anatomy & physiology as it pertains to aerial yoga
Sequencing, cueing and flow
Posture benefits, modifications, progressions & regressions
Spotting techniques & safe practices
Rigging and safety
To complete Level 1 & receive your certificate of completion, students must pass a comprehensive written and practical exam on the last day of training, as well as submit a final project within 2 weeks of their onboarding intensive. For students just wishing to deepen their knowledge of their own practice, all exams and projects are optional but encouraged.
NOTE: Students that miss training hours, fail tests or turn in their project late will be required to pay additional, out-of-scope evaluation fees, in order to be considered for their intended designation.
Module 2 : $400
Lead Instructor Designation
Prerequisite: Completion of Level 1
Cost includes complimentary access to any Altitude Aerial Classes required to fulfill your requirements.
Level 2 of our program is an “apprenticeship” designed to develop confidence, gain practical experience, and receive mentoring/feedback that helps prepare trainees to instruct in a live classroom setting. The framework of this level can be applied to your home studio’s style and curriculum needs.
50 hour apprenticeship
5 hours attendance in a mentors class & submission of written post class observation.
5 hours assisting in an aerial yoga class & submission of written post class observation.
5 short (5 minutes or less) flows, submitted via video with oral feedback from a @FYTT Master Trainer.
5 hours observed teaching of your own class with written & oral feedback from a mentor.
5 hours documented attendance participating as a student in various grounded or aerial yoga classes outside your home studio, with written post class observation. (This module is intended to help students gain perspective and understanding of how this training program and aerial yoga is unique. It is an OBSERVATION, not a judgement.)
10 hours credit to complete reading of The Aerial Teachers Handbook, with submission of all assignments & quizzes.
10 hours credit for all written post-class observation
5 hours total (1 class each minimum) in another aerial apparatus class. Examples include Lyra, Silks, Sling, Rope, Cube, Trapeze with written post class observations.
This level is required for, but in no way guarantees, employment with Altitude.
Module 3 : $400
Master Instructor Designation
Prerequisite: Completion of Level 1 and enrolled in Level 2
Price includes access to 5 professional development sessions.
This designation is intended for those interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of the philosophy behind the @FYTT model specifically. This level has 2 parts and can be done in tandem with level 2 to accelerate the program, maintain focus and allow for an “immersion” experience.
Choose a topic relating to the practice or teaching of aerial or grounded yoga, as it applies to aerial yoga. This module is intended to communicate a deeper knowledge of the program, beyond what was taught.
Attend 3 or more professional development classes (live or via video conference) to learn new flows and how they fit into the @FYTT class structure, including an in-depth breakdown of new sequences with cueing & spotting techniques.
This level gives those currently teaching the opportunity to:
Bring something new and fresh to their classes while ensuring new material is “on brand”
Experiment with new flows and skill share to unify the @FYTT concept across all instructors.
Ensures any new postures or flows (new to you as an instructor) are fully broken down & discussed regarding safety, anatomy, spotting, modifications and cueing.
Addresses advanced teaching concepts
Module 4 : $0
Teacher Trainer Designation
Prerequisite: Completion of Levels 1-3
This designation will allow Master Trainers to assist with and conduct the @FYTT teacher training program. To receive your designation of Teacher Trainer, Master Instructors will:
Choose and submit a final project of their choice as it relates to aerial yoga
Consistently attend the professional development sessions
Develop and present 5 flows representing each of the 5 @FYTT specific class sections via video or at the professional development sessions
Maintain a regular teaching and training schedule
Attend and assist with 2 level 1 & 2 training programs
About the Instructor
Program Creator & Master Trainer: Tricia Lauerman
Tricia Lauerman has owned Altitude Pole Fitness & Aerial Arts in Frisco, TX since 2013.
In 1999, her fitness journey started with yoga, and she pursued a variety of grounded yoga styles. She transitioned to instructor after receiving a certification through AAAI. To deepen and expand her knowledge of her new passion, she took workshops and training in a variety of styles including Vinyasa and Iyengar styles. Her studies covered a broad array of subjects including an immersion course in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and a Rolfing certification course.
She continued teaching and practicing grounded yoga until 2009, when she found pole fitness. It married her two favorite passions from childhood; dance and gymnastics. In 2012, she entered the Miss Texas Pole Star competition and won her first division title. Shortly after her win, she became TGR Pole Instructor Certified and began teaching and training other students. She felt it was time to make her fitness training official and studied and received her Cooper Institute Certified Personal Trainer designation in 2012..
Shortly after earning her CI-CPT, she had the opportunity to open her own studio and Altitude Pole Fitness & Aerial Arts was born. She received her official Xpert Pole Fitness Instructor Certification in 2014, and with a need to hold her own pole fitness teacher training, she aligned with PoleAndAerial.com and received her designation as a teacher trainer. She began training teachers at her home studio based on the PoleandAerial.com handbook and materials.
Once Tricia introduced aerial arts to her studio, she began seeking workshops and training to deepen her aerial knowledge. She became a Spin City Beginner Lyra Certified Instructor in 2014. Her real passion was aerial yoga and sling, but both were such new practices, and there was very little information to provide eager students wishing to become instructors. Out of frustration for the lack of aerial certification programs, and the non-existence of any governing body regarding aerial teacher training programs to turn to, she created her own mini aerial hammock teacher training program in 2015, and personally presented the program in Texas and Oklahoma.
She began to develop a teacher training program for aerial yoga in 2016, but was forced to put the idea on hold to finish the plans for a new custom-built pole and aerial location a few miles away, scheduled to open in Dec 2017. She knew with the much larger space and the increased awareness of aerial yoga as a fitness discipline, she needed to possess a deeper understanding of the practice and ensure that her program had a solid foundation.
With a new aerial studio opening, knowledge regarding aerial safety and education was now paramount, so Tricia searched for “best aerial teacher training programs” online, and found the New England Center for Circus Arts Teacher Training, provided through Nimble Arts. Their Introduction to Teaching Aerials is the first step in their teacher training program and recognized worldwide by circus schools and insurance companies for their high level training and expertise. She received her Certificate of Completion in February 2017.
In 2017, Tricia received her Certified Yoga Instructor Certificate through the Jheni Solis Aerial Teacher Training program to ensure a solid background for teaching aerial yoga while she developed and honed her own Altitude specific aerial yoga training program.
Over the past 7 years, Tricia has also taught workshops for pole and aerial fitness in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois as well as internationally in Mexico and Jamaica. Because of her long-standing commitment to the community, Tricia was asked to become a judge for the US Pole Sport Federation, and later went on to become Vice President and Head Judge for the US Pole Sport Nationals held in Las Vegas in 2019.
In June, Tricia will attend the prestigious Aerial Physique Teacher Training Program, which is being hosted at her studio in Frisco, TX. Upon completion of the program, Tricia will earn her Level 1 Silks Instructor Certification.
Trainings Completed:
2001 AAAI Yoga Certification
2013 Cooper Institute Certified Personal Trainer
2014 X Pert Pole Fitness Instructor Certificate
2014 Spin City Beginner Lyra Instructor Certificate
2015 Altitude Aerial Hammock Curriculum Author & Teacher Trainer
2016 PoleAndAerial.com Teacher Trainer
2017 NECCA Teacher Training Certificate
2018 US Pole Sport Federation International Judges Certification
2020 Creator Altitude Flying Yoga Teacher Training Program
Awards & Titles:
2019 Head Judge & Vice President US Pole Sport National Competition
2017 NAPDCC International FabPole Silver Medalist
2016 NAPDCC International Masters Division Silver Medalist
2016 US Pole Sport Federation Silver Medalist
2016 International Exotic Pole Fight Second Place (repeat placement)
2015 International Exotic Pole Fight Second Place
2015 NAPDCC International Masters Division Bronze Medalist
2015 Capital of Texas Masters Division Champion & Miss Sexy
2015 Pole Championship Series Masters Division Silver Medalist
2014 North American Pole Dance Championship Semi Pro Division Silver Medalist
2014 Capital of Texas Masters Division Silver Medalist & Miss Flexy
2014 PSO Masters Division Championship Level 4 Silver Medalist
2014 PSO Masters Division Dramatic Level 4 Bronze Medalist
2012 Miss Texas Pole Star Masters Division Champion, Miss Flexy & Miss Sexy
Disclaimer
Note about aerial training programs & certifications:
“While the fitness industry has an organizing body to oversee the certification and renewal process for their instructors, the same is not yet true for aerial and circus arts. There are aerial teacher certification programs out there, but no national organization oversees these programs to ensure they adhere to industry standards.” -Julianna Hane The Aerial Teacher’s Handbook
@AFYTT certainly hopes this changes in the future, and we have designed this comprehensive program with the intention, should a ratifying body become recognized in the community, that our program will prove worthy of accreditation or certification. As a result, we feel it would be disingenuous to use the word “CERTIFIED or ACCREDITED” to denote any level of program completion. Rather, out of respect for those terms, we have chosen to use the term “DESIGNATION” and award Certificates of Completion and level designations.
Remember, no aerial program out there is “Certified” regardless of the terms they have chosen to use to describe their program.
The Altitude Flying Yoga Teacher Training Program is currently in the process of being reviewed by NASM, AFAA and American Circus Educators in order to provide interested fitness enthusiasts a way to gain continuing education credits through those organizations.
