School Yoga

Yoga is an ancient Indian body of knowledge that dates back more than 500 years. The word "Yoga" came from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate." Yoga then is about the union of a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness. Ancient Yogis had a belief that in order for man to be in harmony with himself and his environment, he has to integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit. For these three to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance. The Yogis formulated a way to achieve and maintain this balance and it is done through exercise, breathing, and meditation - the three main Yoga structures. In Yoga, the body is treated with care and respect for it is the primary instrument in man's work and growth. Yoga Exercises improve circulation, stimulate the abdominal organs, and put pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can generally result in better health. Breathing techniques were developed based on the concept that breath is the source of life. In Yoga, students gain breathing control as they slowly increase their breathing. By focusing on their breathing, they prepare their minds for the next step - meditation. There is a general misconception that in meditation, your mind has to go blank. It doesn't have to be so. In meditation, students bring the activities of the mind into focus resulting in a 'quiet' mind. By designing physical poses and breathing techniques that develop awareness of our body, Yoga helps us focus and relieves us from our everyday stress. 

A Basic Yoga Session A basic yoga session need not take too long. A basic session usually follows this order: 

▪ Warm-up Exercises - conditions your body for safe transition into poses. For beginners, you may just use the warm-up poses as your entire practice. Warm-up exercises open the shoulder muscles, the spine, the hips, the lower back, and the groin. 

▪ Standing Poses - for alignment of the feet and the body. Opens the hips, stretches the legs, adds strength to your back and increases your range of movement. Standing poses facilitate digestion, blood circulation and are good for those who want to lose weight. 

▪ Sitting Poses - sitting poses allow you to infuse with the breath, and to revitalize from a pose by giving you a calm and quiet feeling. These poses greatly contribute in shaping your buttocks and legs, and in adding vitality and suppleness to the spine. 

▪ Twists - twist exercises release the tension in your spine, relieve backaches and make your shoulders more flexible. They also facilitate in the circulation of blood and nutrients in the body making it necessary for the health of the inter-vertebral discs. 

▪ Supine and Prone Poses - these poses release tension in your abdomen and increase the mobility of your spine. They restore strength in your back, arms and legs, and release your hips and groin. 

▪ Inverted and Balance Poses - inverted and balance poses defy gravity and develop coordination, increase stamina and strength, and improve grace, agility and poise. They also improve your concentration and focus since being quiet is necessary to be able to do these poses.  

▪ Backbends - backbends are the poses that benefit the adrenal glands and the kidneys. They also release tension in the front body and in your shoulders and pelvic girdle, and improve the flexibility of your spine. Finishing Poses - these are the cooling-down exercises for Yoga. 

Benefits of Yoga 

Physiological 

▪ Balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems ▪ Pulse rate decreases ▪ Respiratory rate decreases ▪ Blood Pressure decreases ▪ Cardiovascular efficiency increases ▪ Respiratory efficiency increases ▪ Gastrointestinal function normalizes ▪ Endocrine function normalizes ▪ Excretory functions improve ▪ Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase ▪ Breath-holding time increases ▪ Joint range of motion increases ▪ Grip strength increases ▪ Eye-hand coordination improves ▪ Dexterity skills improve ▪ Reaction time improves ▪ Posture improves ▪ Strength and resiliency increase ▪ Endurance increases ▪ Energy level increases ▪ Weight normalizes ▪ Sleep improves ▪ Immunity increases ▪ Pain decreases ▪ Steadiness improves ▪ Depth perception improves ▪ Balance improves ▪ Integrated functioning of body parts improve

Psychological 

▪ Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase ▪ Mood improves and subjective well-being increases ▪ Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase ▪ Social adjustment increases ▪ Anxiety and Depression decrease ▪ Hostility decreases ▪ Concentration improves ▪ Memory improves ▪ Attention improves ▪ Learning efficiency improves ▪ Mood improves ▪ Self-actualization increases ▪ Social skills increase ▪ Well-being increases ▪ Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase ▪ Self-acceptance increases ▪ Attention improves ▪ Concentration improves ▪ Memory improves ▪ Learning efficiency improves ▪ Depth perception improves

Biochemical 

▪ Glucose decreases ▪ Sodium decreases ▪ Total cholesterol decreases ▪ Triglycerides decrease ▪ HDL cholesterol increases ▪ LDL cholesterol decreases ▪ Hemoglobin increases ▪ Total white blood cell count decreases ▪ Thyroxin increases ▪ Vitamin C increases ▪ Total serum protein increases


Yoga Health Benefits versus Exercise Benefits 

Yoga Benefits 

• Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates • Subcortical regions of brain dominate • Slow dynamic and static movements • Normalization of muscle tone • Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments • Low caloric consumption • Effort is minimized, relaxed • Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled) • Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups • Noncompetitive, process oriented • Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite) • Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness 

Exercise Benefits 

• Sympathetic Nervous System dominates • Cortical regions of brain dominate • Rapid forceful movements • Increased muscle tension • Higher risk of injury • Moderate to high caloric consumption • Effort is maximized • Fatiguing (breathing is taxed) • Competitive, goal-oriented • Awareness is external (focus is on reaching the toes, reaching the finish line, etc.) • Boredom factor 

Standards for Physical Education 


Standard 1: The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.

Standard 2: The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.

Standard 3: The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.

Standard 4: The physically literate individual exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.

Standard 5: The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.


YOGA Lesson 1 (Seated Poses) 

Objective: The students will be able to: • Understand and perform yoga exercises Standard: 10.4 - Physical Activity A/C/E A. Analyze and engage in appropriate physical activities that support achievement of personal fitness and activity goals C. Analyze the factors the affect the responses of body systems during moderate to vigorous physical activity E. Analyze factors that impact the relationship between regular physical activity and motor skill development Equipment/Set up: Medicine Balls, Music, Mats 

Breathing Techniques to Try 

MOVE THE BELLY WITH THE BREATH. When we are at ease, the diaphragm is the primary engine of the breath. As we inhale, this domelike muscle descends toward the abdomen, displacing the abdominal muscles and gently swelling the belly. As we exhale, the diaphragm releases back toward the heart, enabling the belly to release toward the spine.

 KEEP THE UPPER BODY QUIET. During high-stress times, it's common to heave the upper chest and grip the muscles in the shoulders and throat. When we're at rest, the muscles of the upper chest remain soft and relaxed as we breathe, and the real work occurs in the lower rib cage. To promote this type of breathing pattern, consciously relax the jaw, throat, neck, and shoulders, and envision the breath sweeping into the deepest parts of the lungs as you breathe in and out. 

BREATHE EASY. Although some breaths may be deeper or faster than others, when we're relaxed, the alternating rhythm of the inhalations and exhalations feel like a lullaby—smooth, soft, and uninterrupted by jerks and jags. Consciously relaxing into this wavelike, oceanic quality of the breath deepens our sense of peace and ease. 

LENGTHEN THE EXHALATIONS. When we feel stressed, our exhalations tend to grow short and choppy. When we're relaxed, the exhalations extend so completely that they are often longer than the inhalations. To facilitate this, try gently extending each exhalation by one or two seconds. 

PAUSE AFTER EACH EXHALATION. In our most relaxed state, the end of each exhalation is punctuated by a short pause. Lingering in this “sweet spot” can be deeply satisfying and can evoke feelings of profound quiet and stillness. 

LET THE WHOLE BODY BREATHE. When we are at ease, the whole body participates in the breathing process. Imagine a sleeping baby: When he/she breathes in and out, the belly swells and releases, the hips rock to and fro, the shoulders bob, and the spine gently undulates. This offers a mini-massage for the muscles and organs of the whole body, and turns each breath into a soothing melody that further calms and quiets every cell within. 

The Easy Pose is a relaxation pose intended for meditation. It promotes inner calm and straightens the spine, opens the hips, and relieves tiredness. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to do.  

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana)

STEP 1: Sit down with legs stretched. The legs lie side by side and the toes point upwards. Stretch the lower back and raise the arms. Look forward, lengthen the back, and keep the chest and breathing free. 

STEP 4: Stretch out the arms forward

STEP 2: Slowly bend forward, stretch the crown upward and try not to lose the supporting dynamism of the lower back. See to it that the legs do not move or tilt.

STEP 5: Slowly raise the upper body. Keep the legs lying side by side and the toes pointing upwards. 

STEP 3: The moment you notice that you can only bend further by bending the lower back, move the hands to the lower legs, ankles or feet. Lightly pull the legs, ankles or feet and continue stretching.  Keep the shoulders down. Breathe in and out across the entire length of the spinal column deeply and in a relaxed way. Every time you exhale, you should bend further towards the legs without losing the length in the back and the dynamism in the lower back. When dynamism is lost in the lower back a major part of the stretching is lost and breathing becomes difficult. 


STEP 6: Sit straight up again, just like the original position. 

Sage Twist (Marichyasana)

Step 1: Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. 

Step 2: Bend the left leg toward the chest. 

Step 3: Rotate the torso toward the left knee. Wrap the left arm around the left knee, positioning the knee in the crook of the left elbow. 

Step 4: Clasp the hands. Keep the back straight throughout the pose. 

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

STEP 1: Lie on the belly, while the head rests on the lower arms. 

STEP 2: Raise the forehead, place the hands under the shoulders, look upwards and stretch the hands backwards. Let the weight rest on the chest. 

STEP 3: The head falls a little backwards towards the back and the backward movement proceeds from the neck and the chin. Move the belly further backward as if someone is pulling on the shoulders. The weight is more and more shifted towards the belly and the lower back does the real work. 

STEP 4: If you cannot raise the chest any further, put the hands and arms next to the chest on the mat without losing the bend. Straighten the arms so that they stand perpendicular on the floor and at the same time turn the arms a little inward. Relax the lower back and bear the weight with the arms. 

STEP 5: The buttock muscles remain relaxed during the exercise. Move the chest further upwards with every breathing out. Do this in a relaxed way instead of using force. Tilt the head back. The shoulders are broad in front and the shoulder blades remain low. 



Cobbler's Pose

Sit up tall with a long spine as you draw your feet in as close to your body as is comfortable.

Wide Angle Straddle

As you move into the forward bend, make sure to keep your knee caps pointing toward the ceiling. 

Supine Spinal Twist

Keep both of your shoulders flat on the ground throughout the pose, even if your knee floats up a bit. 

Standing Forward Bend 

(Uttanasana)


To do Standing Forward Bend, exhale and fold over your legs. If the hamstrings feel a little tight at first, bend the knees so that you can release your spine. Let the head hang heavy. Keep the legs gently bent with feet hip-width apart for better stability (you can straighten the legs, but it is not necessary). You can clasp opposite elbows with opposite hands while swaying gently side to side.

Plank Pose

Make sure your hips aren't drooping toward the floor or hiked up toward the ceiling. Don't lock your elbows. 

Extended Side Angle


(Utthita Parvakonasana)


Garland Pose (Malasana)

 

Hands and Knees Balance


Step 1: Come on to all fours with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. Step 2: Extend the right leg to the back of the mat and flex the foot. Step 3: Lift the right leg up to hip-level, keeping the hips squared towards the floor and the foot flexed. Step 4: Lift the left arm up to shoulder level. Step 5: Balance on the left knee and right hand, keeping the spine neutral and the neck long. Step 6. Stay 5-10 breaths before lowering the lifted hand and knee and doing the other side. Beginners: Take care not to let the spine collapse while you are balancing. Advanced: Bend the knee of the lifted leg. Reach around with the lifted arm and hold on to the inside of the lifted foot.

Cat Pose (Bidalasana) 

The Cat Yoga Pose teaches you to initiate movement from the center and to coordinate the movement and breath. These are two of the most important themes in Asana practice. The alignment of the center depends on the positioning of the pelvis. Therefore, think of the hip positioning as the center of each pose. 

STEP 1: Start on the hands and knees. Position the hands directly beneath the shoulders and the knees directly beneath the hips. Have the fingers fully spread with the middle fingers pointing straight ahead. Make the back horizontal and flat. Gaze at the floor. This is the "neutral" positioning. When the pelvis is in neutral, the spine will be at full extension. 

STEP 2: Do not sag into the shoulders. Instead, create a line of energy through each arm by pressing downward into the hands and lifting upward out of the shoulders. Go back and forth like this several times to make sure you understand the movement. As you exhale, sag into the shoulders and do the incorrect action; as you inhale, lengthen the arms, lift out of the shoulders and do the correct action. 

STEP 3: When you are ready to begin, breathe in deeply. As you exhale, turn the hips into Cat Tilt. Do this by gently pulling the abdominal muscles backward toward the spine, tucking the tailbone (coccyx) down and under, and gently contracting the buttocks. Press firmly downward with the hands in order to stay lifted out of the shoulders, and press the middle of the back toward the ceiling, rounding the spine upward. Curl the head inward. Gaze at the floor between the knees.

Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Shvanasana) 

STEPS 1,2,3: Same as cat pose





STEP 4: As you inhale, turn the hips into Dog Tilt. Do this by releasing the grip of the buttocks, reversing the tilt of the pelvis, and curving the spine into a smoothly arched backbend. 

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) 

In the Downward Facing Dog Pose, you build up strength in the upper arms and you give space and opening in the back, neck, chest, hips and shoulders. If you let the ankles sink nicely to the floor in this pose, you stretch the calves at the same time. In Yoga, this pose is often used as an exercise in between other exercises, but it is in fact an exercise in itself.

STEP 1: Come onto the floor on the hands and knees. Stretch the elbows and relax the upper back between the shoulder blades, which gives you the feeling that the arms fall into the shoulder blades.

STEP 2: Exhale and lift the knees and draw the back backwards from the pelvis, so that the arms and back form one line. 

STEP 3: Stretch the legs in such a way that you get the feeling that someone behind you is pulling the legs and hips backwards from the top of the upper legs. Let the head hang down in a relaxed sort of way. 

Many people experience the Downward Facing Dog Pose as a moment of rest between difficult Yoga exercises. However, when you are doing this, try to remain focused, both physically and mentally, and continue working out the technique further to get the maximum benefit from this exercise and from Yoga in general.

STEP 4: When you have placed the back and the legs correctly, stretch out the arms. This results in a stretching from two sides of the back: a stretching from the pelvis and a stretching from the arms. When the back and the chest are placed correctly, you will notice that you can quietly breathe in and out through the belly. You should not let the chest hang downwards or make the back extremely sunken. In this Asana, the back should be lengthened along its entire length. Take the time to work out the stretching further and further. 

Child Pose

STEP 1: Kneel and sit on the feet with the heels pointing outward. The knees should be separated, about the width of the hips. 

STEP 2: Place the forehead on the floor, then swing the arms forward. 

STEP 3: Rest the forehead on the floor, then bring the arms around and to the sides, palms facing upward. 

Single Leg Raise

These simple Single Leg exercises prepare the body for yoga poses, strengthening in particular the abdominal and lower back muscles, and trimming the waist and thighs. If muscles are weak you may find yourself arching your lower back or using your shoulders to help lift your legs. To get the most benefit from the yoga exercises, make sure that the full length of the back is resting on the floor and keep the shoulders and neck relaxed. The posture begins with legs together and palms down at the side. In this series, one leg is raised while the other remains flat on the floor. At first you can push down with you hands to help lift your leg. Once your muscles are stronger, leave your hands palms up your sides. Keep both knees straight and press your lower back down to the floor to straighten the spine.

Low lunge

Worrior 2

While practicing the Wind Relieving Pose, resist the tendency to raise the lower back or buttocks off the ground and try to keep the leg that is on the mat as straight as possible. Aside from releasing unwanted gases from the intestines and stomach, the exercise will also massage the abdominal organs and the rocking motion will get rid of the stiffness in the spine. 

https://www.verywellfit.com/essential-yoga-poses-for-beginners-3566747