KCFitnessLink one of two schools in Kansas City to receive recognition from the Yoga Alliance

Registered Yoga School

For immediate release: February 26, 2008

Contact: Darryl Olive, director of programs, KCFitnessLink: 816.256.4443, info@kcfitnesslink.com

More than 17 million people now practice yoga, and Kansas City residents are not behind the national trend. There are now more than 30 private yoga studios, schools, teachers and gyms in the area that are now offering the practice, ranging from meditative and relaxing styles of yoga to powerful physical forms.

Kansas City has blossomed into a small yoga Mecca for the mind-body conscious. However, the ancient Eastern approach to yoga as a preventive and therapeutic tool is still in its infancy in Kansas City. That is about to change though. KCFitnessLink is pioneering nationally recognized teaching programs in yoga and holistic health.

KCFitnessLink’s school of yoga and holistic health has received registration from the Yoga Alliance for its 200- and 500-hour yoga instructor training programs. The Yoga Alliance registers both individual yoga teachers and yoga teacher training programs (schools) at the 200- and 500-hour level that have complied with minimum educational standards established by the organization. Of the 30 plus facilities offering yoga in Kansas City, KCFitnessLink is one of only two to have received yoga school status with the Yoga Alliance.

Additionally, KCFitnessLink offers more than the typical yoga curriculum. Its programs at 1,000 and 2,000 hours emphasize wellness, holistic health and yoga therapy. Yoga therapy integrates the knowledge of modern day holistic health and evidence-based therapy techniques with the wisdom and tradition of yoga.

While a 60-minute power yoga class can burn nearly 250 calories, boost heart rates to 60 percent of their maximum and improve flexibility, muscular strength and endurance and balance, vigorous and athletic forms of yoga isn’t for everyone. In yoga magazines and in commercials, you often see only super flexible, young and strong people doing yoga. This gives the impression that yoga is not for those who are weak, old or those with health problems. However, yoga is for everyone. Yoga is helping cancer patients, those with heart disease and even helping to improve mental health and low back pain.

Yoga is also becoming more individualized. With higher demand for one-on-one sessions, there is also more need for experienced teachers who can personalize yoga, much like the way a physical therapist or rehabilitation specialist tailors exercises. This level of personalization requires that training for yoga teachers and yoga therapists must be beyond a two-day certification workshop for $99. It also means that individuals need to look beyond health clubs and facilities where instructors are minimally trained.

Training for yoga therapy professionals comes at the right time, considering the potential rise in healthcare spending that may double to $4 trillion per year over the next 10 years if left unchanged. And despite medical advances today, spending is attributed to costly chronic conditions that are highly preventable.

Considering yoga’s effectiveness, class-based yoga and yoga therapy are well worth the time and effort as complements to traditional medical care. Current licensed practitioners such as nurses, physical therapists, chiropractors and body workers are prime candidates for training because they already have backgrounds in the basic sciences, movement therapy and clinical care.

Individuals are not the only ones who will benefit. Employers also have a lot to gain. KCFitnessLink recently introduced its Yoga Corp yoga and meditation program for the workplace. Employees can benefit from yoga, meditation and holistic health coaching—techniques that are rarely included in traditional corporate wellness programs.

About KCFitnessLink
KCFitnessLink is Kansas City’s leading mind-body fitness studio and school, providing consumer and corporate holistic health programs and nationally recognized educational training for fitness professionals. www.kcfitnesslink.com

About Yoga Alliance
The Yoga Alliance is the leader is setting educational standards for yoga teachers and schools. They maintain a national Yoga Teachers' Registry to recognize and promote teachers with training that meets national standards. Teachers that are registered are authorized to use the initials "RYT®" (Registered Yoga Teacher) after their name, or the initials “E-RYTSM" (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) if they have significant teaching experience in addition to training.

The also maintain a Registry of Yoga Schools to recognize yoga teacher training programs of at least 200 or 500 hours. Registered schools are authorized to use the initials "RYS®" (Registered Yoga School) after their names, and receive certificates of registration as well as registry marks. Once a school is registered, all graduates of an RYS® are automatically eligible to register as a RYTs. www.yogaalliance.org