If you’re a young yogi (someone who loves practicing yoga) or just want a way to exercise your body and relax at the same time, certified yoga instructor Candace Morano has some tips for you!
Yoga For Youth
Today, kids and teens who have to deal with major issues, from obesity to everyday stresses such as homework, sports and after-school activities, need a way to de-stress, relax and stay fit. Yoga is a great way to do all three! That’s why Candace has been teaching yoga to kids and adults for the past 8 years. She says, "Children who practice yoga will find it easier to calm themselves in stressful situations by using controlled breathing exercises and simple poses and teens may find these techniques useful before academic exams, important social events or athletic competitions.”
You Can Do Yoga!
But you don’t need to take an expensive course or class to learn and do yoga. Check out Candace’s top yoga poses for kids and teens below!
Lotus Pose:
- Rest your palms on your thighs with thumb and first finger together.
- Close your eyes and begin to breathe deeply through your nose.
- With your eyes closed, picture any thoughts that arise as if they were like clouds passing in the sky.
- Now bring your attention back to your breath and imagine it moving throughout your body. Imagine it is your favorite color and watch the color spread to every part of your body as you breathe deeper each time.
- Benefits: Concentration, focus, empowerment, confidence and peace.
Cat's Stretch Pose:
- Start on hands and knees. Imagine you are a curious kitty.
- Round your spine, drawing chin into chest, and feel your back full of space as you reach it to the sky. Feel your chest widen as you breathe deeply.
- Arch your spine, letting your heart open as you bring your head and tail closer together. Feel your lower back sink toward the floor.
- Flow between rounding and arching with 10 in and out breaths.
- Benefits: Continues to develop spinal movements, improves flexibility of back, neck and shoulders strengthening wrists, arms, and abdominal muscles.
Tree Pose:
- Feel your feet and legs root into the earth. Feel your spine rise tall from your feet.
- Take one foot off the floor and make your tree branch as you place that foot onto your standing leg gazing ahead on one fixed point.
- Bring your hands into prayer position at the midline of your body and breathe from your center outward.
- Hold for 5-7 breaths and bring your foot down and prepare for the other side.
- Benefits: Balance, concentration, and strengthens legs.
Superman's Pose:
- Lie on your belly and breathe your belly into the floor.
- Draw your belly in and feel it become firm. As you breathe in, raise one leg and the opposite arm off the floor.
- Exhale and lower, switch sides.
- Now, after repeating on opposite side, lift both legs off the floor at the same time while keeping your belly firm and use your arms and chest as you press them into the floor to help lift your legs higher.
- As you continue breathing in and out, lift arms, head, chest and legs off floor as you feel your hip bones press down and keep belly firm.
- Benefits: Helps stimulate organs, strengthens abdomen, back, arms and legs, stretches chest, improves circulation, and connects to center.
Child's/Mouse Pose:
- Begin by kneeling with big toes touching, heels apart.
- Let your knees widen apart to create more space for your belly.
- As you breathe in stretch your hips to your heels and bring your hands to the floor.
- Exhale as you move your hands out away from your hips until you can rest your head down with your arms along side or stretched out in front of your body.
- Benefits: Improves fatigue, concentration, stretches lower back, and creates a sense of privacy and feeling safe within one's self.
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