Tortuga Level Teacher Training

Established 2026

View program website

Tortuga Yoga School

Program Instances

In person

Dates: TBD

200 hours • TBD

Cincinnati, OH, US

Led by

Alyssa Hayes

CYT-L3

Inquire

See up-front pricing

Purpose

Over the course of the program, you will develop the ability to assist your students in finding strength, ease and vitality in every posture. You will cultivate an intelligence and understanding of the inherent benefits of asana, pranayama and presence. You will understand the fundamentals of this living science that is yoga and hold valuable and time tested tools for cultivating balance, vitality, wholeness and ease through breath. Breath=Life=Prana.

What to expect

Lead a vinyasa flow class which includes sun salutations, flowing movement, static holds, energetic alignment and energetic actions.

Design intelligently sequenced classes.
Analyze a pose and have the skill to break it down for students in order for it to be accessible to all.
Teach breath awareness.

Understand general principles of functional anatomy.
“Read” a student’s body to make proper adjustments

Understand and teach general yoga philosophy
See blockage and flow in any posture and maximize strength, ease and aliveness in your students through cueing, assists, and demonstration.

Style/Lineage

In our trainings, we will be offering an amazing, small group experience with a limited capacity of 20 students. During the 6-month interactive program, you will deepen your practice and expand your knowledge by living your yoga and honing your teaching skills with individual feedback and attention. With the help of your experienced guides, you will take the seat of the teacher with confidence and endless curiosity.

Additional Information

Become a competent guide. Be a part of a dynamic and luminous community at Embra.

Program Requirements:

Attend all teacher training sessions and follow make up requirements
Practice teach to develop your skills
Attend a minimum of 2 classes per week
Come with an open heart and open mind

Tuition Includes:

Mentoring with experienced teachers
An in-depth training manual
40% off Embra gear during training
30 class card to be used during the training

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Business Skills	Explain why liability insurance, accurate representation of qualifications, scope-of-practice, and realistic claims about benefits protect both teacher and student, with clear reasoning. Explain how authentic branding and consistent promotion attract and retain students, connecting each strategy to realistic outcomes. Explain how diversified income streams, community engagement, and ongoing professional growth support a sustainable teaching career, with clear reasoning.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Identify the ethical principles for yoga teachers, including professional boundaries, confidentiality, non-discrimination, and truthful representation, while applying the code of conduct and ethical principles in studio and community interactions, and maintaining professionalism and respect consistently. Explain how each yama and niyama applies to thought, speech, and action off the mat, using concrete daily-life examples and practice these two limbs intentionally in daily interactions, reflecting on its effects with honesty and consistency. Identify the principles of mindfulness, self-care, and seva, including present-moment awareness, stress management, and selfless service, and explain how these practices support the wellbeing and longevity of a yoga teacher, with clear reasoning.
Practice Skills	Explain how bandhas direct the flow of prana and how drishti and mudras support focus, with accurate energetic reasoning. Practice Sun Salutations and foundational standing, seated, twisting, and backbending poses, linking breath to movement aligning effort with the principle of steadiness and ease, and describe the entry, exit, quality, benefits, and cautions of foundational poses, with consistent anatomical accuracy. Compare and practice calming and energizing pranayama techniques, demonstrating proper technique and pacing, sustaining a steady rhythm throughout, distinguishing their effects on the nervous system with clear reasoning. Practice seated meditation in a stable posture with consistent breath awareness, sustaining attention throughout the session; identifying and comparing awareness, breath-focused, and movement meditations, distinguishing their methods and effects with clear examples.
Teaching Skills	Evaluate a set of verbal cues for a vinyasa flow segment, judging each for clarity, safety, and alignment with what students can actually see and feel. Evaluate a set of verbal cues for a vinyasa flow segment, judging each for clarity, safety, and alignment with what students can actually see and feel. Compare vinyasa, hatha, restorative, and yin sequences, distinguishing how pacing, hold times, and intention differ across each style with accuracy, and use standard class outlines to sequence a class with logical transitions, keeping breath and movement consistently coordinated throughout. Identify misalignments common poses, distinguishing structural causes from habits with clear observational evidence, evaluating when an adjustment, a modification, or a prop is the most appropriate response for a student, justifying the choice by safety and accessibility. Assess whether a class plan is suitable for a specific population, justifying each recommended change with accurate safety and accessibility reasoning.
Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Evaluate how a balanced practice affects bone, tendon, and ligament health, muscular strength, and joint mobility, and explain how they work together to create movement and stability, using correct anatomical terminology. Identify and describe the core functions of the primary systems of the body, including the circulatory, respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems, and formulate a short student-facing explanation of how breath regulates the nervous system, keeping it accurate, accessible, and free of overstated claims. List common yoga-related injuries, including strains to the hamstrings, lower back, shoulders, wrists, and knees, and explain the role of warm-up, hydration, body awareness, and appropriate effort in preventing injury, using sound physiological reasoning. Name the koshas, the forms of prana, and the prana vayus, and explain these models as a layered view of the self and describe how each vayu relates to breath and movement, using consistent terminology. Identify the principal nadis and each chakra, naming its location, element, and associated qualities accurately, explaining the relationship between ida, pingala, and sushumna and describe signs of balance and imbalance in each chakra. Identify the doshas, their governing elements, and the concept of ama, naming the characteristic qualities of each accurately and explain the relationship between Ayurveda and yoga, describing how diet, routine, and practice support balance for each constitution.
Yoga History & Theory	Use historical context to explain the origins of a modern yoga style or practice, and explain how yoga evolved from ancient Indian traditions into modern practice, including the often-overlooked contributions of women, with historical accuracy. Identify the classical paths of yoga, including jnana, bhakti, karma, raja, and hatha, and explain the core aim of each path, while defining the features of styles such as hatha, vinyasa, yin, and restorative, using consistent terminology. Apply the eight-limbed path to describe how asana, pranayama, and meditation fit within a larger philosophical framework, with clarity.

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Solo Project Or Presentation

Students will be expected to take a written test, and a teaching practicum at grraduation

Did you graduate from this program?

Verify your credential

Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Alyssa Hayes

Alyssa is a yoga teacher, nurse, and founder of Tortuga Yoga School. Her classes blend the strength and fluidity of vinyasa with the dynamic energy of Rocket Yoga, creating challenging, mindful practices that invite students to move, breathe, and grow.

Policies

AYC Policies

Progam Code of Conduct

Refund Policy