Leading Through Quality Instruction
We were the very first hot yoga studio in West Michigan. Together with our students, we’ve been learning, refining, and innovating movement and mindfulness since 2010. And we’re so glad you’re here for it!
Because of our deep love of yoga and education – and our need for well-trained teachers, we developed an intimate and focused curriculum to train and support our teachers’ growth. We quickly became a Yoga Alliance certified training program, and opened up our programs to anyone who wants to take a deep dive into their practice.
Funky Buddha’s 200-Hr Teacher Training Program was created in 2013. And, now, this program is not just for yogis desiring to become teachers, but also for those who want to deepen their practice and learn from within. Working within the Yoga Alliance certification framework and adult learning theory, our team has built upon our shared experience practicing under world-renowned yogis to create beautifully crafted Teacher Training Programs all our own.
11 years later, we’ve trained hundreds of yogis and have grown to become the regional leader in yoga teacher training. Whether you feel called to teach or simply want a way to deepen your practice, there’s a place for you in the Funky Buddha Teacher Training Programs.
We love having a platform to share our growth, knowledge, and experiential wisdom with you. We know that you’ll see it, too, as our training programs teleports you into a new level within yourself.
Developed by Us, to Develop You
Personally developed by our long-time Yoga Director, Larissa Link, Funky Buddha’s Teacher Training Program is a carefully and obsessively designed yoga education, focused on deepening a teacher’s yoga practice first, and then giving them the tools to teach that practice effectively.
Even better, we’re proud our curriculum exceeds Yoga Alliance and industry standards. We include communication training that you can take with you into relationships, both personal and professional, as well as deep dives into yourself via the Yoga Sutras. Teachers – and all humans – need tools that work, and students deserve the best of what we can give them.
Our Offerings
200 Hour YA-Certified Yoga Teacher Training: A curated, 9-month foundational study designed to deepen your practice and prepare you for teaching yoga. Perfectly structured to earn a 200hr YA certification through both contact hours and supported, independent learning.
300 Hour YA-Certified Yoga Teacher Training: Broken into 3 major 8-Day Intensive modules, designed to be taken independently in any manner that suits your schedule. This program is rotated to earn your 300hr YA certification in 18 months!
Ready to Go?
Please reach out to larissa@yogahothouse.com if you have any questions about training, what to expect, or are ready to get started.
What We Believe
We value growth above all else. That’s why our guiding vision statement is “Cultivating Growth Through Practice.” This statement is a direct reflection of the environment we envision for ourselves and our students. It is an environment that prioritizes and normalizes the ebbs and flows, as well as the pains and gains inherent to practice. So, how does this manifest in our Teacher Trainings?
- Science-based: Our teaching is based on science, the wisdom of the yoga system and philosophy, and personal experience wherever possible.
- Free will: We will not recommend any religious, organizational, political, or nutritional affiliations, nor will we offer personal opinions unrelated to the 8 Limbs of yoga, Buddhist psychology, or the system of yoga in our teaching.
- Practice-focused: There is no “right” or “one” way to practice yoga. A student’s individual results are not up to us; we teach the practice, not the results.
- Growth mindset: We are committed to creating and growing our accessible and professional environment every single day. Growth through practice and Know better, do better.
- Clear boundaries: Clear and professional boundaries create optimal conditions for staff and student growth.
- Kind words: We believe in being impeccable with our words and encourage intentional and kind speech.
- Invested in feedback: Candid and constructive feedback are essential to overall growth, quality, and supporting our professional development.
- Balance: Striking the balance between process (clarity and consistency) and fun (novelty and play) will make our organization long-lasting and sustainable.
Finally, we believe that the benefits of a regular hot yoga practice sell themselves. We believe students who commit to regular Funky Buddha Yoga practice will experience transformative growth in body, mind, and spirit, whatever that means to each individual.
The Funky Buddha seeks to be an organization that supports this transformative process from the moment a student walks through our doors, to the moment they exit. We believe that being this kind of organization begins by delivering consistent, fun yet professional, friendly, accessible, high-quality programming, and classes that our community of student will want to experience over and over.
200hr Training:
What's Included?
- Tailored training: A high quality, Yoga Alliance certified training, tailored to you and your cohort.
- Communication skills: Tons of communication skills that will benefit you whether you choose to teach or are taking the training to enhance your practice.
- Yoga education: A rich understanding of the system, history, and philosophy of yoga along with a deep dive into the physical and mental practices of yoga.
- Practice teaching: Practical application of teaching skills and teaching practice.
- Support: Optional 1:1 and group practice and support available between training weekends and access to support community. (We see so many beautiful friendships flourish in our training groups.)
- Membership: An unlimited 9-month membership is included with your teacher training from October 25th thru June 22nd.
- Guided journal: A workbook written by our guiding teacher, Larissa Link, designed specifically for your optimal learning, as well as a journal and other fun swag surprises.
- Unlimited benefits: We’ve heard from many past trainees: as you awaken your own inner teacher, there are more benefits than what we could possibly list.
A Couple of Details
We take these classes to heart, and we expect you to, too. We require the following:
- Four books as pre-reading; find them at a local bookstore or online: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, Teaching Yoga by Donna Farhi, Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews, and The Yoga Sutras of Patajali of which there are many translations–we recommend the versions from Sri Swami Satchitananda (excellent story orientation) or Edwin Bryant, PhD (this one is great if you want to dive deep into the Sanskrit). You can also find free versions of the sutras here (by Swami Vivekananda) or here (by Chip Hartranft).
- Up to 20 hours of monthly homework during your six-month training period
- Participation in-person at our Grand Rapids’ locations
Schedule
Funky Buddha Yoga’s 2025-26 200hr Yoga Teacher Training schedule is as follows:
Friday: 6-9p | Saturday: 8a-6:30p | Sunday: 8a-4p
- Feb 27-March 1
- March 6-8
- March 20-22
- March 27-29
- April 24-26
- May 15-17
- March 28-30
- June 26-28
- July 17-18
- July 24-26 (26th, graduation!)
Each weekend consists of 21.5 hours for a total of 200.5 hours of training.
Cost
Full tuition for this course is $3,900. Look out for our Early Bird Special, running until December 31st, 2025, to receive $400 off your training. May not be combined with other offers.
This grants each student an unlimited membership for the duration of the program, access to all required workshops/events, and curriculum material (sans required reading).
Curious about scholarship opportunities? Check out our community offering!
300hr Training:
What's Included?
- Flexible Learning: Split into 3 Modules, these 8-Day intensive sessions offer you the opportunity to take them independently and in any order that fits your schedule.
- Module 1: Spines, Breath, Compassion, & Boundaries
- Module 2: Hips, Brains, Curiosity & Feedback
- Module 3: Shoulders, Systems, Creativity & Sequencing
- Tailored training: A high quality, Yoga Alliance certified training, tailored to you and your cohort. You are not required to register with YA, however it is the individuals responsibility to do so, should you want to complete a 300Hr Certification.
- Communication skills: Tons of communication skills that will benefit you whether you choose to teach or are taking the training to enhance your practice.
- Community Support: 1:1 coaching sessions, group practice, and teacher-led study groups to ensure your learning flourishes.
- Hybrid Study: Guided self-led learning and personal study allows each student to dive deeper surrounding each 8-day intensive.
- Mix, Match, and Master: These do not need to be taken in a specific order! We host the larger 80-hr modules twice per year, in August and February; these are rotated, so you may finish your 300hr training in 18 months or take one per year to integrate your learning.
- Membership & More: An unlimited 1-month membership & access to required events is included for each Intensive’s respective month.
A Couple of Details
We take these classes to heart, and we expect you to, too. The following are prerequisites to participation in our 300-hour program:
- Completion of any 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training (if desiring 300Hr Certification) or, at least, 1 year of consistent yoga practice.
- Participation in-person at our Grand Rapids’ locations
- Reading of Funky Buddha Yoga’s 200Hr workbook, to be shared after sign up.
- Four books as pre-reading; find them at a local bookstore or online: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, Teaching Yoga by Donna Farhi, Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff & Amy Matthews, and The Yoga Sutras of Patajali of which there are many translations–we recommend the versions from Sri Swami Satchitananda (excellent story orientation) or Edwin Bryant, PhD (this one is great if you want to dive deep into the Sanskrit). You can also find free versions of the sutras here (by Swami Vivekananda) or here (by Chip Hartranft.)
Schedule
Funky Buddha Yoga’s 2025-26 300hr Yoga Teacher Training schedule is as follows:
Held from 8:00am-6:30pm each day
- August 9-16, 2025 | Module 1: Spines, Breath, Compassion, & Boundaries
- February 14-21, 2026 | Module 2: Hips, Brains, Curiosity & Feedback
- August 1-8, 2026 | Module 3: Shoulders, Systems, Creativity & Sequencing
These modules do NOT have to be taken in order or altogether! Each Intensive consists of 84 contact hours, with 20 hours of personal study/required event attendance- for a total of 312 hours. Each Modules curriculum outline can be found here.
Additional Participation Requirements for Yoga Alliance 300Hr Certification:
- Attendance at 3 of the 4 teacher-led study groups
- Held once per quarter, via Zoom, on Wednesdays 3:00-6:30pm | Dates TBD
- Attendance at 1 Myofascial Release workshop
- Held twice yearly in May and October | Dates TBD
- Attendance at 2 Kirtan Sessions
- Held once per quarter | Dates TBD
- Participation in 1 3-hour session, per module, with one of our teacher coaches
- To be scheduled individually prior to graduation
- 20 Hours of personal study; including but not limited to required reading, sequencing, 1:1 coaching requirement, and optional 10 hours of prerecorded video learning.
Cost
Tuition per module is $1600, or join us for all 3 for $4500.
This grants each student an unlimited membership for the entirety of the month of any module you attend, access to all required workshops/events, and curriculum material (sans required reading).
If taking all 3 Modules with intent to complete Yoga Alliance 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification, this tuition cost includes the scheduled 1:1 with teacher coaches.
Your Teacher
Larissa Link,
Yoga Director
Larissa believes teaching well is all about communication. Studying mindfulness, personality, problem solving, and the science behind why we interact and communication the way we do gets her up in the morning. She thrives on teaching yoga because, to her, it is the intersection of all these interests.
Her Education
- Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT500)
- Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP)
- 1,000+ hours of training in yoga, mindfulness, meditation, anatomy, and body-movement mechanics
- 18+ years teaching and training in multiple fields
- 11+ years of teaching yoga and 10+ years of training yoga teachers
- Studied yoga with some of the greats, including Baron Baptiste, Stacy Dockins, Philip Urso, Kathryn Budig, and Jason Crandell
- Studied meditation and mindfulness with leaders like Sharon Sarlzberg, Rodney Smith, Mark Coleman, Christopher Germer, Kristen Neff, Dan Siegel, and Rick Hanson
