Hi, I’m Cindy! I manage One Down Dog’s yoga teacher training program and I’m also one of the trainers! The first thing to know about our training is that it is led by a very close group of friends who will welcome you with open arms.

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Yoga Teacher Training at One Down Dog in Los Angeles.

1. Is this training online or in-person?

The Fall 2025 200-hour training features the most in-person hours of any training program in Los Angeles. We’ll meet in person on Fridays from 6-9p and Saturdays and Sundays from 1p – 7p at our Echo Park studio with the occasional Friday hosted online on Zoom.

Join our info session on Friday >>

2. Do you offer payment plans?

Absolutely! Once you’ve placed your non-refundable deposit to secure your spot in the training, we can break up your remaining tuition into 3 or 4 monthly installments.

3. How long is the training?

We meet two to three long weekends per month over the course of four and a half months. See the dates >>

4. Is this training recognized by The Yoga Alliance? Will I qualify to be a Yoga Alliance certified teacher upon graduating?

It sure is! Once you’ve completed all required hours in the training, you can apply to be a 200-hour RYT (registered yoga teacher) through The Yoga Alliance.

5. Am I allowed to miss time in the teacher training and still graduate?

We allow our students to miss up to one full weekend (18 hours) before requiring any make-up time at an extra cost. Missed content can be acquired through your “yoga buddy" who we will pair you up with at the beginning of the training.

6. How can I make up hours if I plan to miss more than one weekend?

You can make up your hours either in the next round of teacher training (we host two per year), in a one-on-one session with a trainer, or in a small group session with one of the trainers if enough people in your group missed the same content. All options require an additional cost.

7. Do I need to purchase textbooks for the training?

We ask that you purchase books from our reading list to support your learning. Your tuition will cover the cost of your extensive training manual, and we will share the reading list upon registration. Know that you can purchase the books used or through a reader to save $$$.

8. Do you offer scholarships for yoga teacher training?

We currently offer a BIPOC scholarship that covers half of the tuition, the deadline to apply was July 18, but we will offer this again in the Spring training.

9. Do I need to have practiced for a certain amount of time to take this training?

No! This training is for anyone interested in diving deeper into the study of yoga. While we do focus on teaching principles for a portion of the training, these skills can be applied anywhere. In this training, you will learn about yoga philosophy, the history of yoga, the subtle body (including the chakra system), asana (pose) alignment, anatomy applied to yoga, and how to build and teach a class. What you’ll learn >>

10. Why should I choose your program over other teacher training programs in Los Angeles?

The One Down Dog program is full of heart, knowledgeable trainers from a wide variety of backgrounds (if I do say so myself), and it offers a path for connecting to a community. We are proud of the specialty days we’re able to offer throughout the training with guest teachers, topics include: social justice, Ayurveda, pre+post natal yoga, and trauma-informed yoga

Fall Yoga Teacher Training starts September 5th! (Early Bird pricing ends August 4th) LEARN MORE >>

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Chioma Nwosu is an incredible addition to our teaching team. We feel so lucky! This Nigerian-born Detroit native residing in Los Angeles immediately caught our attention. Chioma merges the gap between science and spirituality; empowering everyone to take control of our own wellbeing. She’s spent over 20 years working with patients in the hospital systems and her focus is on a tapping into ancestral knowledge to begin cultivating a personal practice that would provide healing in ways that our current healthcare system could not – energetically. 

Ms. Nwosu wears many hats professionally as a certified educator, health & wellness empowerment coach, certified & licensed massage therapist, yoga instructor, meditation facilitator, reiki master, sound healer and plant Spirit medicine facilitator after studying ceremonial rituals with Shipibo Shamans in Peru. 

Hi, hello, we are in love.

Pronouns: she/her

Hometown:  Detroit, MI

Favorite artist: Anyone who offers AfroBeat music

ODD Fact: I’m Vegan

My class style: Fun, energetic and well-rounded

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You might already know Lani! She has been part of the ODDfam since 2016 and we are SO excited to welcome this One Down Dog teacher training alumni to the teaching side of things.

Lani (like Annie with an L in front) found yoga in college in Iowa and followed her interest in this full mind/body practice to Los Angeles. She was one of the 5 to do our only 200-hr intensive teacher training at ODD! Sergio who is also on the schedule now was also part of that small group.

Lani lives her best LA life as an actor, sketch-comedian, and improvisor loving on energetic classes, Ru Paul’s Drag Race and the Dodgers. Come take her in-person classes and you’ll find a friend you have something in common with.

Pronouns: she/her

Hometown: Moline, IL (home of the John Deere Tractor!)

Favorite artist:

The Beatles, Lizzo, Courtney Barnett, Beyonce, and The Who to name a few!

ODD fact:

9-month old Lani thought it was a good idea to place her hand on the hot stove and now my hand a pretty strange scar.

Class style/vibe:

I love to flow through simple and accessible sequencing with breath. I will seek to help you find that balance of effort and ease while encouraging you to do what feels good in your body. I hope to help you find places to amp up energy, as well as places to let go of tension and stress. Things you can count are mess-ups from me, good tunes, a laugh, and of course, a twerk sesh. 

The post #ODDlight: Meet Our New Teacher, Lani Engstrom! appeared first on One Down Dog.

We met Grace online in 2020! Like many of the online romances in 2020, it’s proven to be solid stuff. Grace is a good listener, big dreamer, and we are LOVING gettin’ down in studio! Successfully turning an online love into an in-person relationship as she teaches in studio.

Grace loves lots of types of movement: dancing, jumping, stretching, swimming, walking, interval training, and barre. That’s why you’ll find her not only making the shapes but also shaking my booty and skipping around my mat. Think of her class as recess for adults!

Pronouns: she/her

Hometown: Rochester, NY 

Favorite Artist: I always try to come up with something more creative, but the answer is always Taylor Swift

ODD Fact: I sneeze every time I see the sun (lol that I live in California now) and sometimes, if my phone screen is too bright that makes me sneeze too. 

Class Style/Vibe: My classes are a balance of hard work and play. I will ask you to challenge yourself, dig deep, and bring a little bit of grit, but I will also ask you to honor and love yourself the whole entire time. (And I’ll probably make a joke or two that no one thinks is funny). I’m a little sassy and a little sweet. We will make weird shapes, move our bodies freely, listen to good music, and most importantly, have fun. No two classes are ever the same. 

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We love Dylan! Introduced to us through a fellow friend and student. While the physical practice he thrived at first drew Dylan to yoga it was the wholeness that yoga allows you to feel that kept him coming back. Dylan uses this practice to overcome daily insecurities, it replaced a destructive habit for alcohol and has allowed him to connect with a peaceful inner self. “It is my wish to help others find this same peace within themselves."

Pronouns: He/Him/They/Them

HOMETOWN: Rancho Cucamonga, CA

FAVORITE SONG/ARTIST: This is always changing but some I know will last with me forever are Björk, FKA Twigs, Robyn, and Janet Jackson.

ODD FACT: When I was 16 I competed solo as a clog dancer on PAX TV’s “America’s Most Talented Kids" and lost! But I used the participation money to buy a green iPod Mini and felt super cool. #winning

MY STEEZ: I want to make yoga as inviting for everyone as possible by creating a judgement-free space where you can find and feel your power. I believe that part of being strong means knowing when it’s time to be gentle. I’ll drop a little reminder here and there, and tell you to curl the corners of your mouth towards the outer corners of your eyes.

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Meet Jack Workman!

Jack makes us LAUGH, it’s the kind of humor that’s wickedly accurate and honest. That’s the kind of teacher we love at One Down Dog. The svadhyaya (self-study) paired with the YA YA’s!

This new ODD teacher had his first 200 hr teacher training by age 15, teaching for over 10 years now! It’s a dedication to a practice of teaching while having teachers that inspires us to learn what Jack has to offer.

Jack seeks to facilitate a community that honors and celebrates everyone’s unique flavors. He strives to make space for everyone to take something valuable back into their lives off the mat.

Pronouns: he/him

Hometown:

I was born in Fort Collins, Colorado – but I just recently moved from San Francisco.

ODD fact:

In college I studied German. I speak it fluently and I lived in Germany for about two years. 

I started practicing yoga when I was 12 and I received my first 200 hr yoga teacher certification when I was 15.

Favorite Artist:

As the child of hippie parents, I grew up listening to lots of folk music from the sixties and seventies. So I have a soft spot for anything from Cat Stevens to Joan Baez…

I also enjoy the music of Swedish pianist Henrik Lindstrand, and particularly love his album Nattresan. It’s a focused yet relaxed soundtrack that eases the mind and is great for yoga.

Class vibe/style:

I teach a playful, yet focused vinyasa yoga. In my class, we will stay true to the roots of yoga without taking ourselves too seriously. Skillful sequencing and alignment are important elements of my class, but so is curiosity and lightheartedness. Everyone will have the opportunity to feel growth in my classes, no matter where they might be on the spectrum of physical and mental ability.

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Name: Nicole

Hometown: Eustis, FL

Favorite Place:  Yosemite! We travel a lot and our family has fallen in love with National Parks and its really hard to choose.

Favorite color: Green

What’s your sign? Scorpio

When you aren’t at the studio where can you be found (favorite past time)?

In a library checking out more books than I have time to read.

I teach because I love the body. I love how it moves and how movement makes me feel. My movement practice inspires me to teach, to share what I learn about my own body with others. Also getting people into weird shapes is pretty fun!

What brought you to become an instructor?

I finally felt like I had something to say and wanted to share my love of yoga.

What is your favorite song to play in class? Breathe by Sia

What is your favorite pose or flow? Why?

My favorite pose is urdvha dhanurasana. I love backbends. They are so challenging but always make me feel so happy. They are also my favorite thing to teach.

Memorable yoga moment?

The first time I did a handsstand! I practiced kicking up at the wall every single day for 9 months. Then one at the end of a class I dragged my mat to the wall and starting kicking. My teacher at the time saw me and just yelled KICK and then I fnially yet up! It was so exhilarating.

How did you first hear about One Down Dog? Through fellow teacher Courtney Sauls

What is your favorite yogi prop or piece to wear or use?

My favorite prop is a block.

Would you more likely tell your boss they had food in their teeth or let it slide? Tell them!

If you could have any super power what would it be? I’d be invisible

What was the last book you read? Recursion by Blake Crouch (my 25th book of the year)

If YOU were a color what color would you be? Black

What special causes or non-profits do you hold dear to your heart?

Dog Rescues! Leo Love rescue, Deity Animal Rescue, Bullies & Buddies

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Joscelyne Castaneda

Shelly Price

Haikaz Vardavarian

The post #ODDLight: Yoga Teacher Training Alumns Edition 3 appeared first on One Down Dog.

Im in the purple.

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Nick Name: Jeff Van Ness

Hometown: Miami

Favorite Place: I can acclimate to most places so I have too many favorites ~ really, any place where I can sit and think without boundaries. I can be near an ocean, someplace exotic, near my family, anywhere ~ if there is space for my thoughts to move around I’m a happy guy.

Favorite color: Lets say gray. and if thats not good, how about blue? And why not a third? Green!

What’s your sign? Sagittarius

Most embarrassing moment? GEEZ! I’ll try to be brief, this took place when instant messaging was a thing. There was a girl from high school that I’d been after for a while and one night after some outing I took her home where we sat in my car listening to music ~ it was the kind of scene where If i’d had more courageous I would’ve tried to kiss her. I didn’t though, but I did notice that one of the buttons on her blouse was undone and I, foolishly, took it to be some strategy on her part to alert me that she was into me! It’s really stupid logic, but it seemed spot on at the time. Seeking encouragement from my friends when I got home, I wrote a long message retelling what happened in the car with the blouse, the whole thing. When I finished I quickly hit enter and it quickly appeared in the IM box. The conversation with my pals was pretty active so when I didn’t get a response I knew something was wrong and a second later I realized what had happened and proceeded to deal with that sinking feeling you feel when you’re embarrassed and stuck. I had sent HER the message with our story. Everything worked out alright, no real harm done ~ and the real plus is that THIS is my most embarrassing moment.

Most empowering moment? First thing that comes to mind: I used to give tours of the Universal backlot in spanish. It was a performers sort of job. Though I can do it fine, the performers hat isn’t a comfortable one for me ~ my first week giving tours was rough and on one tour I messed up a lot, but I realized that people got a kick out of it, and not in a “laughing at me” sort of way. People were supportive and they wanted me to do well they wanted me to be myself. A lot of the people on that tram were experiencing the attraction for the 100th time so when I’d lose the scripted stuff I’d get their attention. When I was up there just being me, thats what they wanted to see. That and Jaws and King Kong and the other stuff.

Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? I used to be a fat kid. For real, a pretty heavy kid, 220 lbs. And I had a diet that supported that sort of weight. Cheeses, pizzas, mayonnaise, ranch, french fries, fast food ~ I wasn’t shy about enjoying all that stuff ~

Jeff, this is what happens when you dont send us photos… we turn to facebook.

Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? I know a lot about cars. But not cool cars. I can’t tell you too much about an awesome BMW or a Tesla, but if you want to know the horsepower, or how many lbs of torque you’d get out of a sensible Honda Accord I’m your guy

Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? I think about music a lot, I’m constantly humming in my head or whistling or I’ll sing to my son (and he’ll sing back)

Share a story or anecdote with us – something magical, changing, funny, or adventurous. Something that you love to tell.

This anecdote is a fresh one that no one, but me, really cares about. My family is Cuban, I am of Cuban descent, first generation American. Growing up, I distinctly remember a black and white image of the home that my grandparents left behind in 1962, it was a two story kind of L shaped home that stood by itself on what appeared to be a hill. I could describe it perfectly. For the past couple of years. Since relations with Cuba have improved several of my friends and family have gone to Cuba, I am jealous every time I learn of someones trip. Not because I am into seeing the sights, I don’t care about that, I want to find this house. My cousin recently went, he tried to find the house but couldn’t. 

A few weeks ago a buddy of mine came back, I had known of his trip and encouraged him to look up a few AirBnB properties that I knew were well kept. Sometime between then and now I thought, why wouldn’t my families house be an AirBnB? I started my search, but couldn’t find anything ~ I searched google images of the town (an unincorporated area of east Havana), as many as I could find, but nothing. I scanned 3,000 hash tagged images, but couldn’t find anything that resembled the house. No two homes look alike. I was on Youtube watching videos from the town but couldn’t find it. A few days later I asked my Mom to send me a scanned image of the house; and I don’t know what it was about that image but my first search led me to the house immediately, which is in fact an AirBnB. 

So expect me to request a few sub dates as I will be staying there soon. 

When you aren’t at the studio where can you be found (favorite past time)?

Oh, Im really into my family, I love love love my wife, my kid, my brother who lives nearby ~ so day trips with one or all of those mentioned; we’ve got memberships at every museum in town, maybe there. I’ve lately been doing hikes from a book called Secret Stairs. Its cool enough, a USC professor mapped out hikes connecting stairs all over the city. Finding new stuff to eat. New stuff to cook. Lots of stuff with the baby. There’s NOTHING more inspiring/enlightening than experiencing the world with an infant. It brings out the best in people, in strangers, and in me. 

How do you define yoga? referring to a physical practice, its a tool that should help you develop awareness, encouragement, and compassion (in that order).

Why do you teach? Because its hard and because I can. I get anxious before I teach so its an obstacle that I enjoy overcoming. It doesn’t really get easier so I enjoy the spontaneity that comes from each group of students. Its also a great thing to share with people; I don’t actively give to charity and I don’t want to compare the two, they’re different. But I do hope that sharing things that I think are interesting or unique or hard will be valuable to people.

What brought you to become an instructor?

An ashtanga teacher who’s class I took a few times approached me and told me that I’d be a teacher. So a few years later I became a teacher. 

What is your favorite song to play in class?

At the moment theres a live version of Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on home to me” thats got the best intro, the best a lot of stuff that I can think of right now. I love playing that. 

What is your favorite pose or flow? Why?

1/2 moon. Its the sort of pose that feels stretchy and long even when all of your muscles are turned on. 

Memorable yoga moment?

Too many. I always get a kick out of being able to do stuff that I didn’t think possible ~ with the right instruction so much is possible. 

How did you first hear about One Down Dog?

I got a message on FB just before the SL location opened asking to connect. I wasn’t able to at the time but was excited to now 4 years later!

What is your favorite yogi prop or piece to wear or use? (favorite mala etc)

Nah, I haven’t got stuff like that. I do love a good foam roller and would love to lead a class wherein we use foam rollers before and or after strenuous sequences. hint hint. 

What special causes or non-profits do you hold dear to your heart?

Nothing specific. There are occasionally causes I send some money to, Standing Sioux for instance during the standing rock stand off ~ besides being vehemently opposed to inequality ~ I really want people to be informed. I spend a lot of time watching, what I think is, great reporting ~ there is a really great information out there, and not far either. The more you know the more informed your choices will be and the better those choices will be.

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