THE POWER OF TEACHING

200-HOUR MRY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

“Mimi’s program felt like a momentous accomplishment physically, mentally and spiritually and I would do it all over again if given the chance!”

A smiling middle-aged woman with blonde hair sitting on the floor with her knees up, next to a young man with dark hair and glasses, both sitting in front of a brick fireplace wall.

Yoga Alliance® Accredited Program

Led by Mimi Rieger, E-RYT-500 and George Fistonich, E-RYT-200

THE POWER OF TEACHING

200-HOUR MRY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

September 2026 - January 2027

In this program, Mimi and George — alongside a remarkable roster of gifted and expert teachers — share the development of the unique MRY teaching style, encouraging and empowering students to find their own unique voice while becoming their most authentic selves. Based on the traditional Ashtanga Yoga method, Power Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga, their distinctive teaching style guides students to learn powerful, intelligent, and mindful sequencing; a comprehensive understanding of the eight limbed path of yoga; and the various lineages that cultivate our blended style.

Students will be encouraged to tap into a greater sense of self, while being enriched and spiritually fed in a safe and supportive community. This training is a playground, opportunity, and community to take bold leaps, seek deep solace, and grow profoundly as a yoga practitioner and human being.

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  • Upon completion of the program, students will be proficient in teaching the unique, graceful and intelligent Power Yoga method, signature to Mimi Rieger. In addition, students will also explore a variety of other yoga lineages from guest teachers who have influenced Mimi throughout the years, including but not limited to: Ashtanga Yoga, Rocket Vinyasa Yoga®, Budokon®, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Yin, Restorative and many others. This training is designed to encourage students to discover the yoga lineages that personally resonate with them and craft a practice and style that expresses their authentic selves.

  • “The Power of Teaching” program is a 200-hour course designed for individuals seeking to teach yoga professionally or as a tool to deepen their individual practice. This ten-weekend curriculum is thoughtfully designed for working professionals, and is the perfect fit for those who have limited availability. Each weekend is designed to build confidence in teaching, while applying related information, including asana, anatomy, alignment, history, yogic philosophy, hands on assists, pranayama, and meditation. At the completion of this program, students will become fully certified yoga teachers with a comprehensive and invaluable collection of knowledge and the confidence to share their gifts, knowledge and love with with the world!

The Way You Do Anything, Is The Way You Do Everything.

Take the Leap!

Interested in our Fall 2026 cohort?

Join the mailing list to stay connected with Mimi and George. Get updates about upcoming training dates, meet & greet sessions, application deadlines, and more!

We can’t wait to see you!

“This program is for the dedicated and self-motivated yogi fueled by a desire to learn and grow. Are you interested in taking the leap? 10 Weekends of growth, transformation, community with continued opportunities to practice and participate in the MRY community, family every year.”

    • Attend all scheduled MRYTT weekends. Please note: Planned absences must be confirmed with MRYTT staff prior to the program start.

    • Complete all homework, readings, journal assignments, class observations, written midterm and final exams, and final teaching practicum.

    • Take and log at least 3 yoga classes per week at any studio, gym or virtual platform (48 classes total).

    • Early bird tuition (application submitted by June 30, 2026) is $3,400.

    • Full tuition (after July 1, 2026) is $3,500.

  • A group of 17 people gathered together smiling for a photo indoors against a brick wall with string lights hanging overhead. The group includes men and women of diverse backgrounds. In front of them is a table with flowers, candles, and small decorative items.
  • Two people practicing acro yoga indoors on yoga mats in a room with brick walls. One person is lying on their back holding another person lifted above them in a backbend pose.
  • People participating in a group yoga class, sitting on yoga mats with legs extended and holding hands.
  • Group of people smiling and posing indoors against a brick wall, some wearing matching skull t-shirts, with flowers and candles arranged on the floor in front.
  • Four people practicing yoga together indoors, standing on one leg with hands joined above their heads, smiling.
  • A group of eleven people, posing in a gym or dance studio, forming a human pyramid and performing a split on the floor, all smiling and looking happy.
  • A group of people practicing yoga in a studio, with some in Warrior Pose and others in different poses, on mats with shelves and a brick wall in the background.

What makes MRYTT different from other training programs?

By completing MRYTT, you will be fully ready to teach a full yoga class in any setting the day of your graduation.

MRYTT employs the leadership and vision of Mimi Rieger Yoga’s unique, blended interpretation of numerous yoga traditions, as well as other fitness and wellness techniques, to deliver a training program that allows YOU to find and share YOUR VOICE through teaching.

From Day 1, you will practice teaching in your cohort. Each weekend’s content builds on previous weekends, so the knowledge and skills you are developing and cultivating continuously improve over these four months. As the weeks go on, you will find your new knowledge integrating into your yoga practice, and the large emphasis on practice teaching means your teaching capacity and confidence is always growing.

10 Weeks of Growth, Transformation, Community

With a large roster of guest teachers who specialize in different yoga schools and traditions, MRYTT also presents and exposes you to a wide range of styles — many of which you may have not been aware. The MRYTT curriculum is well-rounded — balancing the knowledge, practice and teaching of numerous yoga traditions with additional topics on yoga history, philosophy and ethics, functional anatomy & hands-on assists, physical & psychological structure of a yoga class, various business aspects associated with yoga teaching, and much more.

With Mimi and George at the helm, you will have also a personalized relationship with them, who will be closely monitoring your progress, offering individualized improvement plans for your yoga practice and yoga teaching, as well as expert review of your written assignments (including half dozen different full class sequencing exercises).

  • Most MRYTT graduates begin teaching in the first few months after completing the program. Many start out by teaching in community settings, either through an organization or through self-promotion. Some begin auditioning for studios and gyms right away. Some continue to take time to figure out what they want to do with their new skills and certification. In the final weekends of MRYTT, we explore the business aspects of yoga teaching and tools to help you figure these pieces out.

    In the years since completing MRYTT, there are graduates who have built new yoga studios, who have moved their talents internationally, and who have furthered their yoga teaching and practice through advanced trainings across the wide breadth of yoga traditions around the world. The MRYTT 200-hour training is truly the ground floor to help you achieve your dreams.

  • Each of the 10 MRYTT weekends feels different, depending on the curriculum presented and the guest teachers scheduled for that weekend. Each weekend is usually structured around a common thematic element (i.e. yoga philosophy, anatomy, energetic body, hands-on assists, etc.)

    You can expect, generally, to do a full yoga practice at the start of each Saturday and Sunday. The remainder of each day is, generally, scheduled in 2-3 hour blocks that cover specific modules. Some modules are heavier on sitting, listening, discussing; some focus purely on asana; many feature both theoretical discussion mixed with physical exploration.

    Throughout most MRYTT weekends, you can expect to do a combination of movement, discussion, and practice teaching. Much of your time in MRYTT will be spent practicing in small groups within your cohort, in addition to full-cohort yoga practices, discussions and experiential learning.

  • At the start of the program, you will receive the full curriculum, which includes a binder divided into the 10 MRYTT weekends, each scheduled into a detailed agenda for each day.

    The program’s first half is heavier on reading, knowledge and discussion, culminating in a written midterm exam. The program’s second half is heavier on application, repeated practice, and teaching, culminating in a cumulative written exam and final teaching practicum. While each half and each individual weekend contains several of their own focus points, you can expect each weekend to include movement-based experiential learning, discussions based on the outlined readings, and opportunities to practice teaching in small and large groups.

    In between MRYTT weekends, you are completing some written homework assignments, the aforementioned readings, and journal exercises, in addition to maintaining a dedicated yoga and meditation practice. Later during the program, you will also be assigned opportunities to both observe and assist yoga classes in the real world. Finally, you will be practice teaching the MRYTT Signature Sequence in small groups in preparation for the final practicum.

    With the layering of new information and consistent opportunities to practice, this program structure allows all students’ knowledge, skills, and experiences to steadily integrate over time, allowing you to put your newly developed talents into use.

  • MRYTT is comparable to a graduate level course, with the course syllabus generally described above. The 200-hour denotation for this type of program refers to the total number of in-training hours. (RYT-200 refers to the primary level Yoga Alliance teacher designation.) But as noted above, there are earlier periods during the program where your outside-training time is being filled more with written assignments and readings, and laters periods where your outside-training time focuses more on refining and practicing your teaching styles and voice.

    This program is for the dedicated and self-motivated yogi fueled by a desire to learn and grow. It’s also designed to accommodate the working professional. The primary goal for MRYTT team is to help you thrive in this program and fly through the finish line. There are other supports built into the program as well, including the MRYTT alumni community in the DC area. Mimi and dedicated program staff reiterate throughout the program their availability and enthusiasm to meet students’ needs and mitigate roadblocks that inevitably arise.

  • Yes! Typically, only half or fewer students in a given MRYTT cohort say they definitely want to teach yoga after completing the program. Many still aren’t sure even as the final weekends approach. But we find that most MRYTT students — even those who initially say they probably don’t want to teach — end up wanting to teach after completing the program.

    No matter your intention going into the program, there are a number of guarantees we can make. By successfully completing the program:

    1. You will be fully capable and ready to teach a full yoga class.

    2. Your personal yoga knowledge and practice will be greatly enhanced and improved.

    3. You will be part of the special experience of your individual cohort, as well as the lifelong community of the extended MRYTT family.

  • The typical MRYTT cohort usually consists of 20-22 individuals from all walks of life. Ages can range from recent college graduates to retirees, and it probably averages in the mid-30s. The professional, personal, and family backgrounds also represent a diverse range of experiences.

    The yoga backgrounds also vary from student to student — MRYTT students typically have at least 2 years of dedicated yoga practice; some have a decade of on/off yoga practice; some are already yoga teachers of a different yoga tradition or method. Most MRYTT students come to teacher training looking for a new challenge, a new way to express themselves, an accelerated way to deepen their own practice, or to “find something” that feels missing in their lives.

“Mimi has a gift for sourcing courage and strength in her students.”

People participating in a yoga class in a studio, practicing tree pose on mats and blocks, with a mirrored wall and window blinds.
Group of smiling people in a yoga or fitness class studio, some sitting and others standing, with exercise straps hanging from the ceiling and a colorful abstract wall art in the background.

Fall 2026 Location

Fall 2026 training program will take place in-person; some modules and guest teachers, may be presented virtually.

The physical studio location for Fall 2026 will be the Studio Theatre at 1501 14th St NW.

Photo of a circular logo for RYS 200 Yoga Alliance, featuring black and gray text on a white background.
Group of six people hugging happily on the floor in a cozy room with brick wall, plants, and wooden floor.

2026-2027 PROGRAM DATES

MRYTT program curriculum takes place over 10 core weekends during Fall 2026 and Winter 2027, each Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 - 7:00pm.

5 Nov 7-8

6 Nov 21-22

7 Dec 5-6

8 Dec 19-20

1 Sept 12-13

2 Sept 19-20

3 Oct 3-4

4 Oct 24-25

9 Jan 9-10, 2027

10 Jan 16-17, 2027

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KIND WORDS FROM OUR GRADUATES

“Mimi’s 200-hour teacher training program brings unparalleled discipline and commitment to producing high-caliber yogis and teachers. Mimi draws on a deep network across many styles and disciplines of yoga to expose teachers to a variety of inspirations, then she pushes them to find their own voice and style. Mimi’s program felt like a momentous accomplishment physically, mentally and spiritually and I would do it all over again if given the chance!” —Elise F

“From the very beginning Mimi challenged us to move beyond our comfort zones and fulfill a potential we did not even know we had. Her curriculum featured a variety of perspectives from guest teachers supplemented by the history and philosophy behind yoga. One of the most valuable aspects of the training was that we were each given numerous opportunities to teach, thereby helping us find our own voice. This was one of the best experiences of my life!” —Jackie P.

“This training was fantastic. It combined so many of the key elements of yoga seamlessly – philosophy, asana, pranayama, anatomy, etc., all with top-notch instruction and the opportunity to practice teach every weekend. I would recommend this training enthusiastically to anyone interested in becoming a teacher or studying with Mimi to deepen their practice.” —Susan G

  • Group of people practicing partner yoga or stretching in a circle on a wooden floor indoors. They are closely intertwined, engaging in a shared stretch or pose.
  • Four people standing together in a room, smiling for a group photo. The room has a brick wall and wooden flooring, with shelves and various items in the background.
  • Two women practicing partner yoga indoors. One woman is standing on a yoga mat in a balanced pose with one leg bent and lifted, arms outstretched, and one hand touching her partner's hand. The other woman is in a lunge position, reaching her hand to meet her partner's in a high-five pose. The room has large windows, hardwood flooring, and some personal items on the floor and windowsill.
  • A group yoga class with an instructor demonstrating a pose to students in a studio, some students practicing and others observing.
  • Four women and a man in black workout clothes practicing yoga together in a studio with a brick wall background, holding a yoga pose.
  • Group of people participating in a yoga class in a brick-walled studio, practicing side stretches with yoga mats and blocks.
  • Yoga class with people standing on yoga mats in a studio, holding a tree pose, facing front with eyes closed, under string lights.
  • A group of 21 young adults posing for a photo indoors against a brick wall, some holding drinks and smiling.
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