What is Yoga? Yoga is a healthy exercise that has very popular with men, women,
and even kids! It involves tough stretches and movements to help build muscle and
provide relaxation. What are some of the benefits of yoga? One is the balance of
body and mind, two concentration and focus, three breathing awareness, and
four self-confidence and happiness.
Now, let’s go through to of our breathing techniques.
Five County Breath. We are going to inhale and exhale five times and do this
one with your eyes closed. So, you’re going to breathe in through your nose
and out through your mouth.
The second one is a nice Deep Full Breath. I want you to put your hands on
your rib cage and feel the difference as you inhale and exhale. In through your
nose and out through your mouth.
[Breathes in through nose and out through mouth]
The third one is called Sunrise and Sunset. You’re going to stretch up as you
inhale and down as you exhale. So, you’re going to stretch up. [Breathes in
[Breathes in and out]
The Flower Breath. You’re going to go in through your nose and out through your
mouth.
The Hissing Breath. You’re going to breathe in through your nose, long and
deep, and out through your mouth with a hissing sound.
The Bear Breath. You’re going to breath in through your nose, pause for just a
second, and exhale through your nose.
Now, let’s go into our different poses. The first few are going to be from a sitting
position.
First will be Cat. From all fours with your hands under the shoulders and your
knees under the hips exhale and round your back up towards the sky, tuck your
chin, and look back at your belly button.
The second one is Cow. From all fours with hands under the shoulders and
knees under the hips inhale arch the back so that the chest is opening forward and
the tailbone and chin are turning upward into the Cow Pose.
Dog Pose or Downward Dog. From extended arms place your palms flat on
the floor shoulder with a part with the fingers fanned out, kind of like a starfish.
Lift the hips, tuck the toes under, and press your hips high and back away from
the hands. To modify this position you may go from a knees only position.
Camel. From a kneeling position place your fist on either side of the tailbone,
gently press your hips forward, and lift your chest to the sky. Keep lifting out of
the lower back and pushing the hips forward. Keep squeezing the muscles
around the tailbone to protect the back. Relax your head, neck and back, but keep
some space in the back of the neck. To modify this tuck your toes under, keep
lifting out to the chest as you slowly reach one hand at a time back to hold on
to your heels. Listen to your body and find which variation seems best for you.
The next pose is the Superman. Lie on your stomach, reach your arms forward
over your head, lift your head squeezing your shoulder blades together, palms
facing each other. Next squeeze the muscles around your tail and lift your
legs a few inches off the floor. The entire back is squeezing and strengthening.
Now, hold the pose, keep looking slightly forward and down. Lengthening forward
through the fingers, chest, top of the head and back, all the way through the
tail and toes.
Cobra is our next one. Lie on your stomach. On the next inhalation pull
forward on the mid section with the pelvis and legs still on the floor into Cobra.
Elbows will stay bent and close in. Shoulders roll back and down and
shoulder blades squeeze together.
Now, let’s try a Bow. Lying down reach back and grab one ankle. Then reach
back and grab the other ankle. Bringing the knees in to hip width apart. Lift and
extend the chest forward as you as you press your ankles back into your hands.
Don’t forget to breathe as you do all these exercises.
Plank. You’re going to lie on the floor on your stomach. Push back into the
downward dog. On the inhale bring the shoulders forward over the wrist into
Plank Pose. You can also do this on your elbows.
Next is the Rabbit. Come up on to your toes and reach your hands back to hold
on to your heels. Lift your back rounding it towards the sky. Tuck the chin bringing
the top of the head towards the floor. As you hold the pose, hang on to your heels
and contract your abdominals, or your tummy muscles, as you round the back
just until you feel a good stretch.
The Dead Bug Pose. On your back you’re going to bring your news to your chest,
grab your feet with your fingers, and pull your knees down to the sides of body.
Heels over knees. Holding on to the pose, push your hipbones down. Relax the
shoulders and head into the floor. Keep checking to make sure your heels are
over your knees.
Next is the Windshield Wipers. Lying on your back on the floor with your knees
bent and your arms out to the side like a “T” with palms up. Keeping the shoulders
on the floor , on your next exhale let the knees drop to one side. As you breathe in
return the knees to center and as you exhale allow the knees to sink to the
other side.
Now we’ll go into the Bridge. Lie down on your back and bring the soles of the feet
to the floor lifting your knees up. Then lift your hips up to the sky. Keep pushing the
hips up by pressing through your heels. Keep your feet parallel and keep the
knees over the ankles. This one takes some practice. Keep your chin tucked
and the back of the neck long.
The Half Shoulder Stand. Move slowly into this pose listening to your body.
Lying on your back, arms to your side, press your palms into the floor, and bring
your knees in towards the chest to lift the hips off the floor. Bend your elbows and
bring your hands onto the lower back for support. Straighten your legs up towards
the sky. Look only at your belly button.
From the Easy Seated Position, or as we like to say sometimes “sitting down
criss-cross applesauce, you want to sit and bring your right hand to your left
knee. Reach back with your left hand and place it behind your tailbone. Inhale and
sit up tall. On the exhale twist your body and look back over the left shoulder. On
every breath in keep lifting the chest and lengthening the spine by lifting through
the crown of your head and repeat to the other side.
Also, from the Seated Position we will go into the Butterfly. Bring the soles of your
feet together in front of you opening the knees towards the floor. Lift your chest
imagining you’re a puppet with a string tied to the top of your head lengthening
your spine up tall. Fold forward staying long through the spine and holding on to
the ankles. As you hold this pose visualize your knees sinking closer to the
floor as you use your elbows to gently press the knees open. Relax the
shoulders.
We can do the Turtle. From the seated position bend and open the knees out to
the side feet wide and flat on the floor. Lift the chest lengthening your spine. Hinge
forward from the hips, bringing your arms under your knees, reaching back behind
you palms down. As you breath out you want to exhale, relax the head down like a
turtle tucking his head into his shell. On the inhale lift the chest and look up
bringing your head out of your shell to great the world.
Next is the Flower Pose. Again from the seated position bring the soles of your
feet together opening the knees. Lift your chest imagining you’re a puppet on a
string, again, with a string tied to the top of your head lengthening your spine up
tall. Bring your arms under your knees and open the palms towards the sky.
Lift the toes off the floor and balance on your sitting bones. Continue balancing
with the spine long focusing on breathing and feeling.
Now, let’s do the Lion Pose. You want to sit up on the knees with hips resting on
the heels of the feet. Place your hands on your knees, straighten your arms, and
keep your back nice and straight, and your head straight.
Now, for the last few this will be our cool down. The first one is Knees to the Chest.
Lie down on your back on the floor bring your knees to your chest and hug the
arms under or around the knees. As you hold this pose keep pulling the knees
towards the chest and pushing your tail down toward the floor. For a gentle back
massage rock gently from side-to-side.
Next, is the Baby Pose. Lie on your side and curl up into a ball. Imagine you’re a
little baby curled up nice and warm.
Next, is Child’s Pose. From hands and knees push back so that hips lower down
to your heels. Keep your arms stretched out in front or bring your arms around to
the sides of the body. As you hold the pose rest relax and breathe. Feel your
breath travel all the way down to your belly feeling your belly expand against
your thighs. Check in with your body and notice how you’re feeling.
And finally, for final Relaxation, I want you lie down on your back let your arms
relax to your sides palms open. Let the feet just open naturally and close your
eyes. As you hold the pose relax and breathe comfortably.
Yoga can be a wonderful and creative tool to help kids improve their flexibility and
core strength. All positions and poses can be modified and adapted to the level
and ability of each child. If a pose is challenging allow the child to change to
the pose to what feels comfortable to them. Always praise their successes. We
want all kids to be successful so remember, just make it fun.