CA Yoga
The Critical Alignment Yoga training is intended for people who want to delve into this yoga form, where the “alignment” of the body is central. Good alignment means that the body can move freely without tension. From the perspective of movement, stuck body structures are broken.
During the training you will become acquainted with Critical Alignment Yoga and you will learn how to transfer the knowledge about Critical Alignment to others. After the training you can start working as a teacher.
Critical Alignment Yoga (CAY) was founded by Gert van Leeuwen. After the publication of the book Critical Alignment Yoga in 2009 (revised edition in 2012), it has become one of the fastest-growing yoga styles in the Netherlands.
In recent years, hundreds of teachers have been trained in the method and now offer it in existing yoga schools. CAY is also being integrated into various other yoga styles.
What is alignment?
A defining aspect of Gert van Leeuwen’s approach is his well-founded interpretation of the concept of alignment. Good alignment means that you can learn to move your body freely and without tension, in cooperation with gravity.
He breaks through rigid body structures in a passive way by using props (such as the strip, mat/roll, arch, and headstand bench), which make it possible to isolate small areas of the body. At the same time, gravity is also applied when the body is actively moving.
All movements you make are interconnected and are linked through movement chains.
The 11 Connections
The movement chains developed by Gert van Leeuwen are bone connections. At the back of the spine, body weight and the physical effort we exert are transferred downward—through gravity—to the pelvis and legs. This allows the strain of life to leave the body, rather than leaving traces behind.
Critical Alignment states that with these eleven connections, any posture can be built. However, disruptions often occur—something everyone recognizes from experience: tension and stress can round the upper back, stiffen the shoulders, tense the lower back, and make it prone to overload.
These disturbances restrict the free transmission of movement and can eventually lead to physical complaints.
The Method
Gert van Leeuwen has a precise ability to identify and dismantle problems within the movement chains and to restore them through targeted exercises. This can be done on a therapeutic level as well as within regular yoga classes.
The result of this unique approach is that the body, through relaxation, can once again access its reflexive strength (postural muscles). The body regains a power system that has often been suppressed for years by chronic tension.
When the skeletal structures begin to cooperate again, the front of the body—the chest and abdomen—can relax, and the breath can become so well-coordinated that emerging stress is recognized in time and can be prevented.
What is tension?
Tension in the body arises from social interaction and life experiences, including trauma. Unconscious tensions from early childhood have led to the formation of internalized images of insecurity stored in the brain. These are still used to scan our environment for potential threats.
When a situation is perceived as unsafe or threatening, the brain releases stress hormones that increase muscle tension, raise blood pressure, accelerate the heart rate, and alter breathing patterns. As a result, the breath often becomes chronically tense due to long-term stress, which can lead to a loss of sensitivity in the body.
However, the breath also carries positive internal sensations that can be experienced physically. Feelings such as spaciousness, calm, lightness, and strength originate from within the body. They form our inner world and are the foundation of our emotional regulation.
Instead of becoming a victim of the tension around you—or, for example, of the stiffness in your hamstrings during class—you can learn to observe it with calm awareness and remain grounded in your own strength.
Student Testimonial
A student from the Basic Training writes to Gert:
“Thank you for discovering a language that speaks directly to the BODY – this connecting language is exactly what the world needs!”
About Gert van Leeuwen
Gert van Leeuwen is the founder of the Critical Alignment method and the founder and director of the Critical Alignment Yoga & Therapy Institute in Amsterdam.
He has authored several books, including Yoga in Movement: Strength and Relaxation in Balance (2000), Stop RSI: A New Method You Can Work With (2001), and YOGA Critical Alignment, published in April 2009 (second revised edition in 2012).
The international teacher training consists of five blocks of five days and one weekend. Our training is open to everyone — both those with no prior yoga experience and yoga teachers from various styles who wish to integrate Critical Alignment Yoga into their teaching.
Training Content (subject to change)
Traning Content
Block 1: Introduction to CAY and Connections I & II
Block 2: Forward Bends, Backbends and Twists
Block 3: Standing Poses, Inversions, Philosophy
Block 4: Teaching methodology, Lesson structure, Teaching Practice I
Block 5: Series / Flow classes, Seniors and other target groups, Teaching Practice II
Weekend finalization: Presentations and Certificate Ceremony
Training Year 2026–2028
Upcoming English Teacher Training – October 2026
We’re very happy to announce our upcoming teacher training in English.
After receiving many requests from practitioners all over the world, we have decided to make this possible.
The Critical Alignment Yoga Teacher Training starts in October 2026. The training will take place only if we receive sufficient registrations. If you’re interested in joining, please let us know—early registration helps make this training possible.
Price
Training fee: €3.000
Early Bird: Register by July 7, 2026, and receive a €120 discount.
Registration fee: €250
Training dates
2026
7–11 October (Wednesday–Sunday)
2027
13–17 January (Wednesday–Sunday)
21–25 April (Wednesday–Sunday)
14–18 July (Wednesday–Sunday)
13–17 October (Wednesday–Sunday)
2028
19–20 February Graduation ceremony (Saturday–Sunday)
Organization, information, and registration
The training is open to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of yoga, movement, and awareness. No specific yoga experience is required.
The training is at HBO level (higher professional education level in the Netherlands).
After enrolling in the training, a 14-day cooling-off period applies.
Do you have questions about this training?
Please email info@criticalalignment.nl, Attn: Laetitia
VAT exemption
Because we are registered with the CRKBO (Central Register for Short Vocational Education), our teacher training programme is exempt from VAT.
Registration
Our teacher training is full.
Registration is closed!
STUDY LOAD
Study load
The Critical Alignment Yoga Teacher Training lasts the period mention above and consists of a combination of training days, practical experience, self-study and reflection assignments.
You will follow:
• 25 training days, spread over 5 blocks and two final days presentations and certificate ceremony
• At least two yoga classes per week with an experienced Critical Alignment Yoga teacher (in the studio or online).
• Recommended: home practice of about 20 minutes per day, aimed at deepening your own practice.
• Reading literature, including the book Critical Alignment Yoga by founder Gert van Leeuwen. You can purchase the book by founder Gert van Leeuwen in English prior to your arrival in Amsterdam or at the start of the training.
• Homework assignments: in preparation for each lesson, you read a section from the book “Critical Alignment Yoga” by founder Gert van Leeuwen. You also need time to prepare (teaching) assignments and to write reflection reports and an experience report at the end of the training.
• The total study load is estimated at an average of 4 to 8 hours per week, depending on
personal commitment and experience with yoga.
• At two different times during the training you write a report and read those of your classmates. You’ll teach 5 yoga classes to your own group of students and write a final report, including on your teaching and your development in it. You also give a short presentation based on your development.
• It is also recommended to attend workshops and at least one retreat with one of our Critical Alignment teachers (see our website). This is not required for certification.
Curriculum
Block 1: Introduction to CAY, Connections I & II
Block 2: Forward bends, Backbends, Twist
Block 3: Standing postures, Inversions, Philosophy
Block 4: Teaching methodology, Lesson structure, Teaching practice I
Block 5: Series / Flow classes, Seniors and other target groups, Teaching practice II
Weekend finalization: Presentations and Certificate Ceremony
Qualifications
The training consists with a practical and a theoretical component, reflection reports, and teaching classes to your own students. Upon completion of the training the student is able to teach students according to the CAY standard.
After completing the critical alignment teacher training :
• You know the connections and understand how to perform asanas through the connections.
• You can guide students in performing the asanas, and you can recognise compensatory movements in students and respond to them in your class (or individually).
• You can place the connections, the transmission of movement and compensation postures anatomically: what happens in the spine in the connections and in the transmission of movement, and what is the tangible effect/result at muscle level (pressure, stretch, relaxation, etc.).
•You know how the tools work, how to use them in a class, and how to guide students in using the tools.
• You can apply the CAY teaching methodology model to create a class.
• You understand how thinking, emotions and survival strategies influence the practice of yoga, and you can use this to help students feel safe in change and to guide change (releasing tension and regaining strength and energy in return).
• You know key concepts in CAY such as the 5 neutrals, reflex strength, gravity, universal feelings and needs, and comfort zone, and you can use these in your class structure and teaching.
• You have developed your own language with which you can make the CAY vision and the guidance of asanas understandable and easy for students to follow.
• You have developed in the use of your own voice, words and presence in guiding students during class.
• You develop empathy: you know and understand what students may go through in class and can put this into words so that students feel safe and dare to enter change.
• You can make adjustments or offer an alternative if a student cannot perform an asana (because of pain or limitation in movement).
• How do you approach students when you need to give a manual correction, and which forms of touch can you use to make students more aware of their habitual posture and to “break through” that habitual posture.
• You have become more aware of your own body and of how CAY works in your body: you feel (increasingly well) where tension is present in your body, what you can do break through it, and where and how this becomes tangible as space and lightness. You can use this development in your own practice in your lessons.
Certification
For certification, the following are considered: attendance, commitment, growth, and your written reports at the end of the training.
Attendance:
To qualify for certification, you must attend all classes. If, for any reason, you miss a training block or class, please contact us as soon as possible.
Commitment and growth:
This refers to your commitment during the classes and the progress we observe, particularly in your teaching. If we do not see sufficient commitment or progress, we will address this with you as soon as possible. If no improvement is shown thereafter, we may, in the most extreme case, decide not to grant certification.
Written reports:
At the end of the training, you teach five CA yoga classes to a small group of people you gather yourself. You write a report about these classes. In addition, you write a report about your personal development as a yogi and teacher, and about how you hope to continue developing in the future. Based on this report, you give a short presentation.
If all of this is deemed sufficient, you receive the diploma as well as advice. This advice concerns the areas in which we believe you can continue to develop in the future. You will then be a certified Critical Alignment Yoga teacher. By participating in our continuing education programme after the training, you may be listed as a CAY teacher on the website: www.criticalalignment.nl (.com)
STUDY GUIDE 2026/2028
Duration of the teacher training
The Critical Alignment Yoga Teacher Training runs from October 7, 2026 until
Februari 20, 2028.
Training dates
2026
7–11 October
2027
13–17 January
21–25 April
14–18 July
13–17 October
2028
19–20 February Graduation weekend
Location
The teacher training classes take place in Amsterdam: two days (Saturday-Sunday) are held in our studio at Blakenstraat 166, and three days at a second location (Amsterdam area), which will be announced soon.
Teachers
Our teachers in the training are:
Mariette Hermans, Eliza van der Kroon, Anne-Mart Prins, Laetitia Schulten,
Klaartje Pander and Zita van Wees
Who is it for?
The training is open to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of critical alignment yoga, movement and awareness. No specific starting level in yoga is required. The level of thinking in the training is comparable to higher professional education/ bachelor’s level.
Training content:
Five blocks of five days teaching and one weekend.
Class days are on from Wednesday until Friday from 09:00-17:00 and Saturday and Sunday, from 11:00-17:00. Coffee, tea and snacks are included.
Lunch and accommodation are not included in the fee.
Included in the training:
Individual coaching or in small group. We offer two meetings: the first meeting is the intake interview. The second meeting can be used freely by the student. The focus is on your development within the training. At a certain point, a small-group meeting is organised under the guidance of a teacher. During this meeting, students’ questions take centre stage; you may teach a short part of a class and/or bring forward any other wishes or needs you have as a student.
• Access to English online + on demand classes
• 15% discount on workshops
• 25% discount on the 10-class card
• CA Yoga strip (tool)
• 10% discount on all tools
If you miss a training block, do contact us as soon as possible.
You can contact Laetitia Schulten info@criticalalignment.nl
Group size
Minimum number of participants: 12.
Cost of the training
The teacher training fee is €3,000. You register for the whole period and sign a contract for this. As a CRKBO-registered institution (Central Register for Short Vocational Education), our teacher training is exempt from VAT.
Application procedure
- You can apply via the registration form on our website or by sending an email to
info@criticlalignment.nl for the attention of Laetitia. Within five working days you will
receive the registration form from her. - After admission to the training, you sign an enrollment contract and receive an invoice for the registration fee: €250. As soon as this payment has been processed by us, your place in the training is definitively reserved.
Payment
When you register for the training, you owe the full tuition fee – even if you decide to stop partway through. Payment must be received within 14 days of the invoice date. If you are unable to make a payment on time, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss possible payment arrangements.
Cancellation conditions
Cancellation by Critical Alignment:
If the training cannot proceed due to insufficient registrations, you will be notified no later than one month before the start date. We will then do our best to reschedule the training for a later date. You may then choose to cancel your registration free or transfer it to the new dates. If the training cannot continue in full (or in part) for another reason, the costs already paid by the participant for the class days that did not take place will be refunded.
Cancellation by the participant:
After signing the contract, a 14-day cooling-off period applies. If you cancel at least three months before the start of the training, the registration fee will be refunded in full. If you cancel later, the registration fee will no longer be refunded. If you cancel less than one month before the start of the training or withdraw during the training, you will remain liable for the full training fee.
Feedback
At the end of each year, you will receive a feedback form to share your feedback about the training and the teachers. We are also always open to feedback in between!
Speak to us or send an email to: info@criticalalignment.nl
Privacy and Confidentiality
All information shared with the teachers will not be shared outside of that context. We also ask you not to share personal information about your fellow students outside the group. At the start of the training, you will be asked whether we may share your email address and phone number with the other participants so that you can keep in touch with one another.
Complaints procedure
If you are dissatisfied with how things are handled during the training, you can report
this to one of our teachers or by email via info@criticalalignment.nl, for the attention
of Iris Reyes. A complaint is always treated confidentially. You will receive a response
within one week. Complaints are addressed within two weeks. If this is not
possible, we will let you know why it is taking longer and indicate within what timeframe
we will be able to handle the complaint.
If you are unable to resolve the matter with us, you may submit your complaint to Alma Netten via almanetten@gmail.com. She will further handle complaints about the training and issue advice on them. Her advice is binding for Critical Alignment.
Any consequences of this advice will be handled within two weeks.
All complaints are registered and kept for a period of two years.
© Critical Alignment Foundation
Amsterdam, March 2026