Studio founder encourages yoga lovers to turn their ‘passion into a profession’ with teacher training

A Northampton studio founder is encouraging yoga lovers to turn their “passion into a profession” with her teacher training course, which is accredited by a prestigious governing body.

Soo Yoga, in Sol Central, was set up by former Strictly Come Dancing professional Kristina Rihanoff and rugby star Ben Cohen in 2019.

Each year since then they have scooped the top spot in the ‘Best Yoga/Pilates Studio in Northants’ category at the Muddy Stilettos Awards.

Affordable and high quality yoga teacher training became available under Soo Yoga’s wellness academy last year.

Kristina, who is a senior yoga teacher under Yoga Alliance Professionals, has more than two decades of experience and she wanted to play a bigger role in other people’s yoga journeys.

She successfully trained 13 people last year who are now qualified yoga teachers and accredited with Yoga Alliance Professionals. Nine of them now teach their own classes and three work for Soo Yoga.

“I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve made it possible for the local yoga community to take training right here in Northampton, rather than going to London or other locations and paying an extortionate amount of money,” said Kristina.

As the studio has been open since June 2019, many members were keen to know if Soo Yoga would ever offer teacher training – as it proves more expensive and time-consuming travelling to bigger cities. The interest from her members encouraged Kristina to take the next step.

The training is set to run again from September to December and although it may appear intense to do it over a few months, well-deserved breaks are given between modules.

All of the half terms and holidays are factored into the scheduling, as Kristina says she knows what it is like to juggle everything as a parent.

“It’s a great way to lead up to the end of the year with a new qualification,” she said. “You have the ability to set up a new type of work in the new year. It’s really fantastic.”

Kristina also offers bonuses and extras included in the price, as she understands yoga teacher training is an investment of time and money during this “tough economy”. She remembers her own teacher training and the fact she paid extra for add-ons.

“It’s great to know I came full circle,” said Kristina. “I turned my passion into a profession. We survived the pandemic, which was extremely hard and challenging.”

Having contributed to making yoga teacher training accessible in Northampton is something Kristina is proud of.

She says the town may be small but big things happen here – particularly in the thriving wellbeing scene which adds “quality” to what is on offer and deserves recognition.

Kristina would not have believed anyone if she had been told what she has achieved since Soo Yoga was launched in June 2019, particularly with the pandemic to contend with.

Despite the hurdles along the way, it has remained just as important to her and Ben that everything offered is of the highest level.

More information on the yoga teacher training courses is available on Soo Yoga’s website.