Teacher demonstrating a wide-legged standing forward fold with his head supported on wooden blocks while students watch

5-day retreat

5 Day Alignment Yoga Course in Goa

Five days of precise, alignment-based practice with props, safe adjustments and mindful sequencing, in Goa.

Goa

Overview

What to expect

Quick answer

Our 5 Day Alignment Yoga Course runs at Arambol Beach, Goa only, from $150 for the course only (or $250 residential). Taught with full use of props — blocks, belts, bolsters, chairs and wall ropes — each day takes one region of the body: legs, spine, shoulders, supported inversions, then a full practice. It’s one of the best entry points to yoga if flexibility has held you back, and the same alignment method taught throughout our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Goa. Starts every Monday; reserve your week.

Master the fundamentals of alignment-based yoga through our focused 5-Day Alignment Course. Designed for students who want to improve posture, precision, stability, and body awareness, this program focuses on proper alignment, safe adjustments, and mindful movement. Classes cover the correct alignment of each pose, adjustments, safety considerations, and the art of using yoga props and sequencing — with the residential option including daily vegetarian meals, breakfast, coffee and tea. Each of the five days takes one region of the body and works it properly: the feet and legs, then the pelvis and spine, then the shoulders, then supported inversions, and finally a whole practice in which all of it has to hold together at once. Blocks, belts, bolsters, chairs and the shala’s wall ropes are in use from the first morning — not produced at the end for whoever cannot reach the floor. It is the most technique per day of anything we run, and it is taught at our Arambol campus, starting every Monday in season.

Proper Body Alignment

Understand correct posture and alignment for every yoga pose to build a safe and effective practice.

Use of Yoga Props

Learn how to use blocks, belts, bolsters, chairs, and other props to improve flexibility and support.

Safe Adjustments

Develop awareness of common mistakes, injury prevention, and correct adjustments for every posture.

Breath & Focus

Integrate breathing techniques with movement to improve concentration and body awareness.

Is This You?

Who this program is for

  • You have been going to flow classes for years and nobody has ever told you what your back leg is supposed to be doing.
  • You are stiff, and every class you attend seems designed for people who are not. Props are the answer to that, and here they are on the mat from the first morning.
  • You have a niggle — a shoulder, a lower back, a knee — that flares up in class, and you want to know which alignment habit is causing it.
  • You are about to start a teacher training and would rather arrive with clean fundamentals than spend your first week unlearning things.
  • You teach already, and your alignment eye is the part of your teaching you are least sure of.
  • You want a short course with a beach five minutes away — but you want the course to be the point of the week.

What you leave with

  • Stand, fold, twist and bend with the alignment principle behind each shape, so you can correct yourself instead of waiting to be corrected
  • Choose the right prop for the right reason — block, belt, bolster, chair or wall — rather than reaching for whatever is nearest
  • Adapt any foundation posture to your own proportions and limitations, on a good day and on a stiff one
  • Practise safely alone at home, including the postures most people quietly get wrong when nobody is watching
  • Take a supported inversion up and down without loading your neck, and know when not to go up at all
  • Sit in any class anywhere and notice what the teacher is not saying about alignment

The Journey

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Foundations: feet, ankles and legs

    Where alignment actually begins. Tadasana taken seriously, the arches and the ankles, then the standing poses that depend on them — triangle, warrior II, side angle — with a block and a belt so the shape is correct before it is deep.

  2. Day 2

    The pelvis and the spine

    Neutral pelvis, what tucking and tipping do to the lower back, and how that plays out in forward bends, lunges and twists. Bolster and chair support so the spine lengthens rather than rounds. This is the day most lower-back complaints get traced back to.

  3. Day 3

    Shoulders, arms and the upper back

    Shoulder mechanics in downward dog, plank, chaturanga and overhead work — the postures that quietly cause most shoulder trouble. Belt work across the upper arms, wall work, and the difference between opening a chest and jamming a lower back.

  4. Day 4

    Inversions and backbends with support

    Supported shoulderstand, halasana and legs up the wall using chairs and bolsters, plus bolstered backbends. Taught with the contraindications said out loud: neck injury, high blood pressure, pregnancy, menstruation.

  5. Day 5

    Putting it together: a full practice

    A complete sequenced practice using everything from the four days behind it, largely self-led with the teachers moving through the room correcting. Then a session on building a home practice you will actually do, and a closing circle.

Five days, five regions of the body, each with its own alignment principles, prop work and characteristic mistakes. It is the technique half of our teacher-training syllabus taught on its own — no anatomy examination, no teaching methodology and no assessment.

Daily Rhythm

A sample day

This is our standard day. Timings can shift with the weather, the season and what the group needs on a given day.

08:30 – 10:15Alignment-based asana practice with props
10:30 – 11:30Vegetarian brunch
12:00 – 13:00Alignment theory: adjustments, safety & sequencing
16:30 – 18:00Applied practice: corrections and prop work
18:15 – 19:15Breathwork & restorative practice

What's Included

Everything you need

What's included

  • Two daily alignment-focused practice sessions
  • Full use of props: blocks, belts, bolsters, chairs
  • Reference course guide with photos and diagrams for each pose
  • Residential option: vegetarian meals including daily breakfast, coffee & tea

Not included

  • Flights and travel to Goa
  • Indian visa fees
  • Travel insurance
  • Excursions, laundry and personal expenses
  • Accommodation and meals on the $150 course-only tier — those are what the $250 residential tier adds

Dates & Pricing

Reserve your place

$150 USD

$150 for the course only, or $250 with food & accommodation, for the full 5 days.

Starts every Monday through our Goa season, late October to April, at the Arambol campus. From May to September our teaching moves to Bhagsu, Dharamshala — so if you are travelling in those months, ask us about the 8 Day Retreat or the 5 Day Yoga & Meditation Immersion in the mountains instead.

Reserve with a $45 deposit fully transferable to any batch within 12 months. Refund policy

Why Alpesh Yoga

Discover the difference

Yoga Alliance Certified

Learn from a Yoga Alliance registered school — the same accredited teaching standard behind our internationally recognized teacher trainings.

Traditional Yogic Wisdom

Authentic Hatha Alignment, Hatha Vinyasa Flow, pranayama, meditation and philosophy, taught through traditional yogic teachings rather than a studio-fitness approach.

Experienced Teachers

Learn from experienced yoga teachers who give you personal, hands-on guidance throughout your retreat.

International Community

Join a diverse community of students from around the world, training together in a small, supportive group.

From 5 Days to 300 Hours

Start with a short retreat and continue into a full 100, 200 or 300 hour teacher training later, at either campus — the same teaching, different depths.

Beautiful Learning Destinations

Practice in the peaceful surroundings of Arambol Beach, Goa or Bhagsu, Dharamshala — settings designed for focus, healing and personal growth.

Alpesh Patwari, founder and lead teacher of Alpesh Yoga, seated in the shala

Alpesh Patwari

Founder & Lead Teacher · 22+ years

Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher

Founder of Alpesh Yoga. Introduced to yoga as a child, Alpesh managed epilepsy through breathing practices learned from Jain monks, and has taught traditional, alignment-based yoga to students from around the world for over two decades.

  • Alignment-based yoga
  • Hatha Yoga
  • Pranayama & breathwork
  • Meditation
Read more

Choosing Well

Which program is right for you?

Compared with our other short programs

The technical one, and the only program that gives a region of the body its own day. The 8 Day Retreat and the 50 Hour Intensive both fold alignment into a wider timetable of flow, philosophy and meditation; the 5 Day Yoga & Meditation Immersion goes the other way entirely, into breath and sitting. Come here if what you want fixed is how you stand, fold and bend — and note it is the only one of the four that runs at Goa alone.

See our other retreats

Ready for teacher training instead?

A 200 hour training spreads the same alignment principles across three weeks and surrounds them with anatomy, philosophy, teaching methodology, practice teaching and an assessment. This course extracts the technique and teaches it on its own for five days, which makes it two useful things at once: the sharpest short course we run for a practitioner with no plans to teach, and the best preparation available for someone about to start a training who does not want to spend week one unlearning habits.

See the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training

Accommodation & Food

Comfortable stay, surrounded by nature

Simple, comfortable rooms a short walk from the shala, with three home-style vegetarian meals a day. Twin-share and private options are available at both campuses.

See accommodation & food
Bright student room at Alpesh Yoga with a double bed, study desk and two curtained windows
Student room at Alpesh Yoga with a double bed, open wardrobe shelves and a study desk

Life Here

This program in photographs

Student supported by wall ropes, a bench and blocks in an alignment class at the Arambol shala
Student lying on his back extending one leg with a yoga belt while the teacher guides the alignment
Teacher explaining a supported bridge pose to a student resting on a wooden block
Teacher using a yoga belt to correct a student’s shoulder alignment during an alignment class
Student in a chair-supported inversion with bolsters under the shoulders, guided by the teacher

Reviews

What retreat guests say

The 5-day course gave me two different kinds of asana practice that complemented each other, plus pranayama.

Gemma Bru Ballarà

5-Day Course

5.0

via BookRetreats — verified

“Yoga from the heart.” Travelled from Denmark specifically for a 10-day retreat: “developed me more in 10 days than any other yoga teacher… definitely the best yoga instructor in Dharamsala.”

TripAdvisor reviewer (Denmark)

Yoga Retreat, Dharamshala

5.0

via TripAdvisor

Reviews from Google

What our students say on Google

Rated 4.9 across 156+ Google reviews

See all reviews on Google

Henry

April 2026

Came here as a complete beginner of yoga to do the 200h TTC. The amount of improvement I felt over this short time was really incredible to be honest. I learned a lot and the atmosphere here is just very welcoming and supportive, like a little family.
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Nadine Runggaldier

March 2026

Lovely space and teachers. We never got to take Alpesh‘s class (too lazy in the mornings) but he is a great personality and very warm and friendly.
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Cristina Comunian

January 2026

I’ve just completed my 200-hour TTC with Alpesh, and the experience was truly transformative. Alpesh’s teaching is one of a kind—deeply foundational and refreshingly authentic. The consistent emphasis on alignment and muscle activation, day in and day out, rather than rushing into Instagrammable poses, is nothing short of revolutionary. "Leave your shoes and ego outside the shala". Alpesh’s "serious" tone and almost obsessive cues during class hide a big-hearted human being who is deeply attentive to everyone’s individual needs. Weeks after the course, you’ll still hear his cues echoing in your mind—“kneecaps up” and “hip squeeze”—and that’s a very good sign 😊. The training is thoughtfully structured, and the two additional teachers Maithily and Rashmi are equally knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely wonderful human beings. I would recommend this course to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of yoga—not just asana practice, but yoga as a holistic system—using the body and breath as tools to explore far more than physical movement. BONUS point: the food. Fresh, made from scratch every day with so much love and care. I’m still dreaming about the coriander chutney, masala dosa, and endless rivers of masala chai. I have never felt so blessed.
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Madelaine Sirch

January 2026

Alpesh is simply the best! If you’re in India, he is the number one address for authentic and highly knowledgeable yoga classes. I miss this place and all the people so much and hope to come back asap. All the best, Alpesh 🫶🏽
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Josephine Frost

January 2026

I had the best time. The yoga was truly special, the philosophy classes were inspiring and thoughtfully led. There is much to learn. What made it truly unique was the atmosphere—it felt like being part of a family.
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Riccardo Merlano

December 2025

I recently completed my ttc and am so happy i chose Alpeshyoga school. I was welcomed like in a family. The teachers are fantastic, the morning classes with Alpesh are the best i've ever taken. He manages to convey his deep understanding of alignments with extreme precision and passion. Maithily, the theory teacher, with her incredible knowledge and culture, was able to explain her lessons with extreme clarity, always making the class enjoyable and engaging. And finally, Rashmi, with her empathy and depth of soul... Made the evening practices a unique experience that i recommend to everyone. And the food prepared with love by two very sweet ladies... Amazing! For me, they were not just teachers but also true friends... This experience has brought profound changes to me. I thank them all and hope to join them soon for another journey together🙏
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Teo Yes

November 2025

Alpesh thank you for sharing your knowledge! I have an amazing alignment course with this school! The other teachers and the food is incredible as well. I recommend this place for anyone who is searching to learn something and more about yoga ❤️
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Gemma Bru Ballarà

June 2025

It’s difficult to explain how I felt during the 5 day course I did in Alpesh Yoga. But in a few words, it was all what I need. Two different kind of asana practices which complemented each other, plus pranayama and yoga theory. All really well explained! Moreover I felt like home! All the teachers were welcoming, and all of the know what they were talking about. They were open-minded and they listenend to me when I had questions (I had a lot) even I considered them silly! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom!
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Ceylin Altunç

March 2025

Alpesh is a very good yoga teacher. Although I have been a yoga teacher who has been practicing yoga regularly for years, I have experienced great expansions both physically and spiritually. He holds space very well, knows the body very well and works it like an architect day by day, and he is also very cute. I want to attend his classes again next year for at least 2 months. Alpesh Yoga is the meeting point for yogis and yoginis of all ages from different cultures🪷 Thank you Alpesh
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Yaxi Wang

March 2025

I Took the 8 day alignment with Alpesh which was an amazing experience. As a beginner the course was challenging and I learned so much about the practice of yoga. I had been in a 30 day retreat prior to this course and I learned much more here in 8 days with Alpesh than in the entirety of the 30 days. Alpesh and the other students in the program were also a joy to be around and felt like family. Alpesh even helped me book my train ticket to Mumbai and make sure I got to my destination safely as a first time traveler in India. Would love to take future courses with Alpesh.
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בקי לשם

March 2025

I am happy that I chose to study with Alpesh. The teacher training course was professional and experiential. I am already looking forward to returning for further training. Becky
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Lara Laraz

March 2025

Beautiful place and beautiful people, teachers with great knowledge and passion, alpesh yoga is a great place to gain experience, practice under the supervision of great teachers and wonderful people, from all over the world. I recommend it with all my heart 🌼
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Tania

February 2025

I first met Alpesh in March last year while traveling through India. I attended a drop-in class and ended up staying for five days. Eventually, I continued my travels, attending yoga classes wherever I went—but none of them ever felt the same as with him. For months, our schedules didn’t align for a Yoga Teacher Training (YTT), but finally, in December, I had the opportunity to attend his course. It was one of the best decisions I made. Alpesh is an incredibly knowledgeable and experienced teacher who truly understands each student’s individual needs. He pushes you beyond what you think you’re capable of while always ensuring that your practice is safe and aligned. As someone with back issues I deeply appreciated his ability to modify asanas for me, making yoga more accessible while still challenging. If you’re looking for a teacher who will challenge you, support you, and help you grow—not just in asanas but in understanding yoga at a deeper level—I highly recommend learning from Alpesh and his team.
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Diana Brito

January 2025

This was the highlight if my year this year. At first i was kind of frustrated because it wasn’t like the studio we used to see in social media. But being here was a transformation i never expected, alpesh is a good teacher, he can be strict but for me its how it should be, a teacher should always push his students to their limits to learn. I enjoyed my time here and i wished i could’ve stayed longer❤️
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Ana Berta Arroyo

March 2026

Thank you, Alpesh, for your wonderful energy, your sense of humor, and your intense classes with excellent corrections. I've admired how you've worked with each of us, despite our different languages and levels. Excellent teacher! Thanks to you, I've returned to yoga and I hope to come back next year.
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Mags Grabowska

March 2026

I’m so happy I completed my TTC with Alpesh. He’s an amazing teacher and practitioner whose classes are simply the best I’ve ever attended, on any continent. During the course, I sometimes asked myself if it was easy or difficult, and while the difficult aspect was there, it was purely physical. Learning from Alpesh and Rashmi about yoga was a privilege, and every minute at the school was so precious. The truth is, once you’re there, you feel at home and simply don’t want to leave :) I miss the school so much already, and I feel so, so grateful for the time there! ❤️
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Lisa W

January 2026

I was incredibly lucky to be the only one in my 100-hour TTC course and received exceptional support. The yoga classes were excellent, and all the teachers were very friendly. Alpesh took me under his wing, and I experienced everything as relaxed and very welcoming. I'm grateful for this wonderful experience at Alpesh Yoga and would book there again in a heartbeat.
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yash gupta

January 2026

I recently completed my yoga training with Alpesh Yoga Goa and had a great experience. It really felt like home. Alpesh is a wonderful teacher — a perfect mix of strict and soft — and his teaching is clear, knowledgeable, and straight to the point. The food was also delicious and very nourishing. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic and well-structured yoga experience in Goa.
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Sean D

January 2026

Alpesh is a very experienced and talented yoga teacher. I have been visiting Arambol for many winter holidays and attend Alpesh classes to improve and strengthen my yoga practice. The classes are very focused, alignment is key to get flow. After three weeks I leave much stronger with much improved posture (sternum up, shoulders back, courage). In Alpesh classes I have become good at headstands and other yoga poses I thought were outside of my reach. Its important for me to Listen to learn and I make an effort. (Mostly;) Alpesh yoga studio attracts good interesting people who are fun and supportive. A great environment to learn, grow, connect and have fun. Thank you Alpesh yoga school. I love the studio and energy. Sean London
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Louisa Penrose

December 2025

I have gone to many of Alpesh’s drop in sessions, and decided to do the 5 day alignment course with him! I couldn’t recommend his yoga school enough - he is the best yoga teacher I found throughout India. He is so knowledgeable, firm but very kind and focuses on precise adjustments that change the whole pose. He has taught me so much about yoga, especially all the details you miss out on if you are just practicing in the West! I will be back whenever I am in Goa/Dharamshala - thank you Alpesh!
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Karen Pavey

November 2025

Fantastic teacher. Gave me (a novice) confidence to try all moves in the class. All yoga moves were carefully observed and adapted to the experience and ability of each participant. Will definitely be back next time I am in Arambol
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Liam Powell

May 2025

Completing the 200hr yoga teacher training course has been a dream of mine for quite a few years now and being able to come to India for this reason was so important. But just as important was finding the right school. I knew I wanted to find a place near the beach which led me onto searching around Goa. When I came across Alpesh Yoga I really felt like this was the place I was meant to complete the course. Their website/instagram and other social media have lots to explore and you can really get a feel for what Alpesh has created at his yoga school. I really appreciated the abundant information and prompt communication from Alpesh when inquiring into what course would be best for me. Once I arrived in Goa, all of the teachers welcomed the students with an opening ceremony in the morning before we started our first class. I felt at home right away. My days during the 200 hour teacher training course were really well structured with a good balance between time in the classroom and time on the mat and the food was absolutely delicious. All 3 of my teachers brought with them so much insight and knowledge and were able to deliver it to us effectively with clear communication. I really enjoyed Alpesh's style of teaching, where he is direct and clear with his instructions, involves everyone in the class and gives a profound insight into the benefits of each Asana. All 3 teachers brought their own unique perspectives and helped guide me deeper into my own practice whilst also learning how to guide students myself. I was also lucky enough to share this experience with the other students. Being a stones throw away from the beach allowed me to really enjoy my free/study time each week, with lots of little villages and towns around Arambol to explore too. I really felt like I found the most amazing place to complete my course and I am grateful to have been led to Alpesh yoga. Thank you for everything Alpesh, I hope to return next season 🙏🏻
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marta zabolewicz

March 2025

Best place to practise yoga - well structured classes with high experienced teacher; great atmosphere, I would definitely come back to Alpesh’s yoga place in Arambol
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Claudia Lowick-Russell

March 2025

I’ve been practicing yoga for five years and I improved more in one month here than in all my previous practice. Alpesh is a dedicated and truly excellent teacher. The Shala is welcoming and the people are serious practitioners. Loved practicing here for more than a month, and I’m coming back next season for the TTC for sure. 10/10 recommend 🙏🏼
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Zeren Kusku

March 2025

Attending Alpesh’s yoga classes is not only highly informative and inspiring but also a lot of fun! Practicing yoga with a true master is a great privilege! Do not miss this opportunity if you’re in Arambol.
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Maren Kellner

February 2025

I enjoyed my time at alpesh's school a lot and learned so much. As I came as a beginner I wouldn't feel comfortable teaching after the ytt but I have a learned a lot about my body and feel much better even weeks after coming home. Thanks alpesh- you are a hero!
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oran solomon

January 2025

I have been doing yoga in many places around the world and around india, and this one might be the best place I've tried. The teachers are very professional. Overall an amazing place if you look for a yoga place in Arambol definitely try this one
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Hear it from our students

A student from France

Teacher training graduate

Student review

Yoga Class Review

From our Instagram

See the school in motion

Short clips from our classes, ceremonies and graduations at the shala.

FAQ

Common questions

  • The course starts every Monday. Book with your preferred week and we confirm your spot within 24 hours.

  • A precise, therapeutic approach that emphasizes meticulous alignment, safety, and the use of props to find integrity in each posture. Founder Alpesh Patwari has trained in this tradition under Usha Devi in Rishikesh since 2006.

  • Absolutely — props exist precisely so every body can find safe, correct alignment. This course is one of the best entry points to yoga if flexibility has been holding you back.

  • It runs through our Goa season, late October to April, starting every Monday at the Arambol shala. From May to September our teaching moves to Bhagsu, Dharamshala. This particular course is Goa-only, so if you are travelling between May and September, ask us about the 8 Day Retreat or the 5 Day Yoga & Meditation Immersion in the mountains instead.

  • Around five guided hours across four blocks: the morning practice, a midday theory session on adjustments, safety and sequencing, applied prop work in the late afternoon, and a short breathing and restorative session before dinner. Early mornings and the middle of the afternoon are yours, and Arambol Beach is a few minutes away.

  • Anyone after a sweaty, flowing week: this is slow, precise work with a lot of stopping to look at what a joint is doing. Tell us about injuries, pregnancy, high blood pressure, neck problems or recent surgery in your booking — the inversion day in particular is modified or replaced in those cases, and we would rather plan that before you arrive than on the morning.

  • Just comfortable practice clothes, a water bottle and a notebook. All props — mats, blocks, belts, bolsters and chairs — are provided at the shala, along with a reference guide you keep.

  • It is one of the best ways to spend the week before one. Nothing is credited toward a 100 or 200 hour course, but you arrive with the fundamentals clean, which is the difference between spending your first training week learning and spending it unlearning. You can book the two back to back if the dates line up.

  • Unlikely. Most people on the short courses arrive alone, the group is small enough that everyone knows each other by Tuesday, and the residential option puts you a few doors from the rest of the course. Couples and friends can share a room on the residential tier — mention it when you book.

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