Mindful Strength Teacher’s Program
6-month strength training mentorship for yoga teachers & fitness instructors
Cohort forming: January – June 2027
Progress your students to heavy lifting.
The Mindful Strength Teacher’s Program is a 6-month mentorship and personalized training immersion that takes the guesswork out of strength training and teaching.
Stop overthinking your workouts and build steady momentum in your own body with a clear, progressive lifting program tailored to your goals. You’ll walk away from the program comfortable and confident with gym equipment, knowing how to structure multi-month programs and adapt them when life happens.
Your teaching will feel completely re-energized and you’ll have the skills and confidence to guide your students into heavier lifting, making sure they feel safe and supported.
What changes over these 6 months.
🎯 Clear, customized training direction and steady momentum toward your strength goals
No more overthinking your workouts, constantly switching exercises, or wondering if what you’re doing is actually working.
📈 Understanding programming for strength
You understand how to structure a program and build it methodically over months using gradual, percentage-based progressions.
🏋️ Gym equipment confidence
Barbells, heavy kettlebells, adjustable dumbbells, racks, and plates no longer feel intimidating. You know how to set them up, use them safely, and select the right gear for your studio or home space.
🌱 Body trust & adaptability
You gain a practical, grounded understanding of your own body and load tolerance. When fatigue, aches and pains, or life disruptions happen, you know how to adjust without feeling completely derailed.
🔥 Re-energized, purposeful teaching
Teaching feels fresh and exciting again. You’re sharing something you deeply believe in, backed by evidence, an understanding of biomechanics, and coaching skills.
🤝 Clients who feel seen, capable, and strong
Your students (especially older adults and beginners) start lifting weights they never thought possible, guided by a teacher who meets them with patience and care.
What students are saying
I have students from 45 to 95 with whom I’ve added strength training to their private and group sessions for the past 3 years. If you are considering Kathryn’s teacher’s program, I can’t recommend it enough!
Antonia Small, Movement Teacher and Oyster Farmer
I have learned so much from Kathryn about consistency and progressing lifts over months and years. Kathryn’s coaching is clear and systematic, and I had so much fun learning in the Teacher’s Program. At the start of the course I ordered 145 lbs in weights wondering if I would ever be strong enough to lift them all, and in less than a year of consistent training I am! If you are considering diving in deeper to understand your own training, or to teach others, this is the program for you.
Jasmin Parkin, Musician
Kathryn’s teaching style made learning accessible and I’ve gained so much knowledge and confidence in my own strength training and in designing programs for my clients. I feel stronger myself and better equipped to help my clients build strength and function better in their everyday lives.
Natasha Whelan, Yoga Therapist and Therapeutic Arts Practitioner
Who this program is for
It’s a good fit if you…
Know the main lifts but get nervous when the weight gets heavier: you aren't sure how to structure your own workouts or help others
Value a mindful and patient approach to training, you don’t want to feel rushed or pushed beyond your limits
Want to have a coach who listens to you and adapts programming to match your unique circumstances
Are a yoga or pilates teacher who wants to start incorporating strength training into your classes and create strength programs for your studio
Have thought about doing a training certification but want more than a textbook and an exam
Already have a trainer certification but need more practical training and mentorship on how to apply strength & conditioning to your training goals and your clients
Have clients who won’t go to the gym (intimidated) and want to learn strength from you, the teacher who they already like
Want to make progress with your own lifts and be more confident about heavy lifting
Are craving mentorship - you want to deep dive into your own training & prioritize your training for a chunk of time, then take insights into your teaching
It’s NOT a good fit for you if…
You are a total beginner who has never lifted weights before
You are looking to coach elite competitive athletes, powerlifters, or sports-specific performance
You are unwilling or unable to dedicate 2+ days a week to your own progressive strength training
You already have an active 1-on-1 personal trainer you intend to keep using for the next 6 months
You're not able to attend and participate in the live calls
Why I created this program
Hi, I’m Kathryn Bruni-Young.
I created this program because yoga and pilates teachers kept reaching out to me asking how they could get their students lifting weights too.
They could feel the difference strength was making for them, but they needed help from someone who had stood exactly where they were. They were searching for practical guidance for their unique clients, something more than a textbook and test.
This program is equal parts:
- deep dive into your own training with 1-1 support/programming
- continuing education that will prepare you to teach heavy lifting
Developing your own strength and conditioning over many months teaches you how to structure, progress and adapt training. You already know how to teach and work with people, but you feel inspired to share strength training with clients and you aren’t sure how to bridge the gap. This is an area that neither a Yoga Teacher Training or a personal trainer certification really covers, and it’s precisely why I created this program.
Core Topics + Curriculum
What you’ll learn in this program
🏋️ Progress Your Own Lifting With 1:1 Support
Learn & experience percentage-based training, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), volume management, and how to peak your strength safely without burnout
🎯 From Light Bands to Barbells & Heavy Loads
Step-by-step methodology for gradually progressing clients from light weights into serious resistance training that builds muscle and bone density
📋 Logistics & Class Design
How to actually run an in-person lifting class: equipment sharing, layout, rest periods, pacing, tracking the numbers, and transitioning your space into a welcoming micro-gym
🧩 Foundational Compound Lifts & Adaptations
Mastering, adapting, and troubleshooting squats, deadlifts, hinges, presses, rows, lunges, push-ups, and pull-up progressions across varied body types
🫀 Incorporating Conditioning & Cardio
How to intelligently weave sustainable conditioning and basic power into programming
🌱 Pain Science Concepts Applied To Real Life
Learn how to navigate flare-ups, adjust load, modify range of motion, and keep clients (and yourself) moving confidently when pain shows up
🗓️ Long-Term Programming & Exercise Selection
Understanding how to write multi-week and multi-month programs, when to rotate exercises, and how to track progress so clients see measurable wins long term
🫶 Mindful, Compassionate Coaching
Teaching strength in a way that respects nervous system regulation, trauma-informed principles, and body autonomy, while leaving shame and fear-based cues behind
Program Format + What’s Included
A small-group, high-touch experience over 6 immersive months
Monthly 3-Hour Live Interactive Zoom Workshops
Held one Friday per month (12PM-3PM EST). Deep dives into biomechanics, program review, coaching roleplay, and live Q&A with Kathryn and guest speakers.
Small group format; live participation is an essential and required part of the cohort experience.
Monthly 1-on-1 Coaching & Mentorship Calls with Kathryn
6 private, hour-long mentorship sessions spread across your 6 months. Use this time to troubleshoot student cases, review your class programs, refine business logistics, or dive into questions about your own lifting.
6 Months of Customized Strength Programming
A custom-tailored strength and conditioning program written specifically for your goals, body, and available equipment. As you log your workouts, Kathryn checks in, reviews video form checks, and refines your plan week by week. Delivered in the Everfit app.
Tutorial & Demonstration Videos
Bite-sized, practical video lessons covering technical lift breakdowns, equipment setups, modifications, and programming nuances to watch between calls. Delivered every week or two in the Everfit app.
Intimate Peer Community (8-12 Participants)
Learn alongside a curious, thoughtful cohort of teachers navigating the same journey.
Cohort Dates & Schedule
Live Group Workshops are held on Fridays at 12PM-3 PM EST via Zoom video calls.
Session 1: January 15, 2027
Session 2: February 19, 2027
Session 3: March 19, 2027
Session 4: April 23, 2027
Session 5: May 28, 2027
Session 6: June 25, 2027
Note: Group workshops are interactive and collaborative. While calls are recorded for reference and unexpected emergencies, live attendance and active engagement are required.
About Kathryn
I’ve been coaching people in some form of movement for 20 years. From yoga classes in my 20’s, to hybrid style movement and mobility, and now to lifting and running.
I own a small countryside gym coaching people of all ages in heavy lifting, work with a roster of 1-1 clients from different backgrounds, and lead online group programs for all levels of fitness.
My classes and programs emphasize consistency, small progressions, and self kindness because I know it’s not just about adding more weight each week. I encourage people to tune into how they are feeling, notice fears coming up, cultural messages, and help folks untangle their relationship to exercise.
What students are saying
Since completing the course I have gone on to create my own small gym where folks come to progressively get stronger. It has been so rewarding. From helping one client with MS to enjoy hiking further and higher, to coaching another recovering from breast cancer who can now comfortably lift her grandchild. I highly recommend taking Kathryn’s course. It has opened up so many new opportunities for me to share knowledge, and to empower myself and others to live our best lives.
Jane Gallagher, Movement and Self-Care Coach
Kathryn is a gifted trainer and teacher and really listens to you which gave me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and go for it! The Teachers Program is a must to anyone looking to grow their offerings, whether it is for a pilates studio, yoga studio, personal trainer, etc. My students are loving and seeing results from adding specific strength portions into their Pilates sessions.
Bonnie Lafave, Pilates teacher
What made this training so valuable was how practical and accessible it was. Kathryn coached me through my own strength training alongside the coursework, allowing me to experience and apply what I was learning in real time. It gave me the knowledge, skills and confidence to begin coaching clients immediately. I started with one group of 6 women, and two years later, my strength program has grown to four sold out groups with a long waitlist.
Sharyl Paull, Studio Owner and Strength Coach
Apply For The 2027 Cohort
January-June 2027 Cohort Forming Now
Have questions? If you are considering applying but aren’t sure, or you have questions, book a 20-min call with us to discuss the program. Use this link to get in touch and we’ll get right back to you!
Requirements To Join
✅ Teaching and/or dedicated to your own strength training for a minimum of 3-years
✅ Available to attend the live calls and participate in discussion
✅ Dedicated time each week for your own training, which will be customized to your unique goals and equipment
Application Process
Applications are currently open, you will receive a response from Kathryn within 7 business days. If you aren’t sure if your application was received, email us.
Tuition
$2,500 CAD (+ applicable tax in Canada)
approx. $1,800 USD
Deposit
$500 CAD non-refundable deposit
due upon acceptance to secure your spot
Payment Plans
Monthly payment plans available after deposit
Cohort Size
Capped at 8-12 participants
FAQ
How this is different from personal trainer certifications?
I’m a yoga teacher, can I really teach lifting weights?
Will this course teach me how to work with individuals age 65+?
I don’t want to teach with a barbell, is this for me?
Am I a certified personal trainer after this?
Do I need to be teaching to apply?
I don’t have much equipment in my space yet, can I still do this?
Is this all about strength? What about cardio and other areas of training?
Will I be able to make my own strength program at the end?
I can’t lift a lot of weight right now, can I apply?
What if I can’t join the live calls?
I’m recovering from an injury, is this ok?
I already have a personal trainer and a strength program, should I still apply?
What apps or software do I need to use for this program?
Become the strongest teacher you can be.
Ready to take the next step in your lifting and your teaching? Let’s build your strength and your teaching skills with a patient, practical, and grounded approach.