“Yoga means addition – addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.” — Amit Ray
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How yoga helps to enhance strength and flexibility
Yoga is a great way to enhance strength and flexibility in our kids for overall health and well-being. Engaging our children in Yoga not only helps in physical fitness but also helps them to improve balance, concentration and coordination.
What can kids get out of Yoga?
Nowadays childhood obesity, overweight, poor flexibility, coordination and muscle weakness are significant health concerns worldwide. We are suggesting 20 minutes of yoga that works wonders to reduce such problems. Yoga helps in increasing muscle strength, protects our child muscles and joints from any sports injuries. It helps them in strengthening their bones, maintaining healthy weight, increasing overall physical activity and most importantly our kids feel good about themselves.
Try the following yoga poses to increase strength and flexibility:
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Tree Pose helps our children to develop focus, concentration, and balance. This Pose strengthens the core muscles (hips, back, tummy and shoulder muscles) while stretching the legs and chest.
Steps for this pose
- Stand straight and balance firmly on your yoga mat.
- Inhale, lift your right leg,and place your right foot on the inner left thigh.
- Bring your palm in the prayer position and extend your arm overhead.
- Find a focus point to help with balance.
- Hold the pose for several breaths and relax.
Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana)
This is a strong standing pose that builds strength, stability, flexibility and enhances the confidence power in our kids. This pose helps kids to deal with strong emotions, remember their power and feel grounded.
Steps for this pose
- Stand on your mat with your feet parallel.
- Extend Both arms out from sides, keeping them straight. Shoulder away from ears.
- Turn left foot out about 90 degree and bend the left leg into lunge and keep your knee above your ankle pointing over your toes.
- Turn head to the left, gaze over your hand.
- Take a few deep breaths and repeat the process from the other side and then relax.
Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
This pose is beneficial for kids in improving their flexibility, strengthening their back muscles, and spine. It stretches the chest, shoulder, abdomen and buttocks.
Steps for this pose
- Lie on your stomach on your yoga mat, legs extended and top of feet on the floor.
- Place your palm facing down under your shoulder.
- Take a deep breath and lift your upper body slowly and keep your navel on the floor.
- Look up towards the ceiling, maintain the pose for a few breaths.
- Exhale and slowly bring down your abdomen, chest and back to the floor.
- Relax and repeat the steps 4-5 times.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is also one of the best yoga poses to increase flexibility and strength. This yoga pose helps in stretching the muscles of the chest, neck, back and the leg. It also helps our kids to reduce backaches, headaches, sleep disorders, and tiredness due to long sitting hours for studies.
Steps for this pose
Lie on your back and bend your knees.
Lift the pelvis and the chest.
Shoulder pressing down into the mat and tuck your chin to the collarbone.
Interlace your hand behind the back and Upper arm touches the ground for the deep stretch.
Hold the pose for a few breaths and slowly lower down your hips to back to the mat.
Cat cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana)
This is a simple and gentle pose that helps our kids in improving flexibility and strength. It stretches the back muscles and strengthens core muscles.
Steps for this pose
- Kneel down on your hand and knees, Press your hand firmly below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
- Inhale and arch your back, look up to the ceiling and sink belly towards the floor.
- Exhale and round the back towards ceiling and look at the belly
- Repart for a few breaths then release the pose.
How to playfully engage kids in yoga sessions
You can make yoga fun for kids with the following playful techniques:
- Start with easy and simple steps.
- Start with short sessions and gradually increase the time.
- Stay positive during parent child yoga practice.
- Establish a regular time to practice.
- Make yoga sessions as a game to entice your child to participate in Yoga. Try these techniques during your yoga:
- Play counting games: Body Numbers Yoga
- Use Stickers: Motivational Stickers for kids, Yoga Stickers
- Use Yoga Cards: The Yoga Garden Game, Educational Yoga Card, The Kid’s Yoga Deck
- Get appropriate yoga gear for your kids. For example: Fun Yoga Mat for Kids, Puzzle EVA Foam Mat for Kids
- Get kids friendly videos and books. There are many yoga videos which are specifically designed to engage kids for yoga sessions. For example:
- Yoga video for kids: Yoga for Kids, A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure
- Yoga books for kids: The ABC of Yoga for Kids, Yoga for Children, Yoga for Kids and Their Grown-Ups
Conclusion
Yoga teaches our children to coordinate their movement with breath, which helps in increasing flexibility and strength. From my personal experience, my son’s strength is increasing day to day by doing yoga, which is improving his muscle strength and flexibility. If you are looking towards the strength and flexibility of your child, encourage them to start practicing yoga with a positive mindset as yoga enhances eternal happiness, strength and improves overall fitness. For more yoga related posts, check out Benefits of practicing yoga with kids.
