Yoga In My School » corpse

Free Yoga exercises for dryland training for teen athletes

DonnaKFreeman — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:57:26 +0000

A friend recently asked:

I coach a girls Pee Wee Rep hockey team in Trail/Castlegar, BC. They are 12-13 year olds who play primarily against boys teams throughout the year until girls playdowns at the end of the year. We will be starting dryland training next month which will continue once a week throughout the season until Provincials in March. Currently our dryland program consists of a varying combination of long distance progression running, sprinting, stretching, agility/mobility/speed excercises, core work and finishing with some sort of team building game. Can you recommend any age-appropriate yoga excercises for these girls? It would have to be something that a novice like myself could employ. Thanks Donna!

So here are some free yoga exercises to meet these needs:

The best thing for all teen athletes is to learn Sun Salutation A – it is a full body workout that builds strength and flexibility and works as a wonderful warm-up for dryland/pre-season training. You’ll want to repeat Sun Salutations continuously, following the flow of your breath, for 10 mnutes, or longer if you have time. Here is a great video tutorial which includes clear technique pointers for beginners.

Other yoga poses for athletes to include would be:
Warrior pose

warrior pose

Dancer pose

dancer pose

Low lunge
Pigeon pose

pigeon pose

Boat pose

boat pose final position

Finishing by lying on the ground hugging your knees to your chest then bring them to one side while looking in the opposite directions (reclined twist) and finally corpse pose (savasana). Staying for 5-10 minutes following a guided relaxation to focus the mind and relax the body.

corpse pose

I hope this helps and give ‘em hell this season!

I’ll be updating this post over the next few weeks with complete yoga pose descriptions so follow along on Facebook or subscribe to my RSS Feed.

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Corspe pose – Savasana

DonnaKFreeman — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:24:16 +0000

Corpse pose (savasana) is the final relaxation pose used at the end of most yoga sessions. Its is one of the most difficult poses because you need to do nothing. It is also the pose that is most requested by kids and teens and once they have tried it will always ask if we are going to do it again. The answer is always “Yes, of course, but you have to work first.” It is always interesting to see which kids can do this pose right away and which kids really find it a challenge. Often in school settings the class will take a little extra time to settle down, stop the chatting, refrain from poking the person beside them, before they can really get into the pose. Don’t give up. The benefits from this pose are tremendous and its worth the effort to teach kids and teens how to relax, breath, visualize, and connect with who they really are inside.

Corpse Pose – Savasana

Lie down on your back
Place your hands by your hips, palms facing upward
Spread your feet a bit wider than hips distance apart
Close your eyes, relax and breathe deeply and evenly
Focus on relaxing your body, following the wave of breath as it enters, filling the lungs with health and vitality, and exits, removing toxins and negativity
As various thoughts drift through your consciousness, acknowledge them and then put then aside to pick up later, always returning to the breath
You can follow a guided visualization to help focus the mind if you desire
Continue for 5-10 minutes if possible
When finished come out of the pose slowly, returning your senses to the present then rolling onto your side (preferably the right) before sitting up

Benefits: calms the mind, relaxes the body, relieves headaches, fatigue and insomnia

In my mind corpse pose is why you do yoga and is always something to look forward to. Truly this is the best 5 minutes you’ll spend all day. Be sure to visit Relaxation Techniques for a more detailed explanation of relaxation techniques, their benefits and how they work.

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Relaxation Techniques

DonnaKFreeman — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:37:36 +0000

Learning how to relax is an essential skill in today’s fast paced world. Luckily there are numerous easy techniques that one can employ which are easy, free, and safe.

In general these techniques involve focusing your attention on something calming and increasing awareness in your body. As you learn to relax, you become more aware of the body’s stress response, and can make a conscious effort to use relaxation techniques to prevent stress from spiralling out of control.

Here are three major types of relaxation techniques:

Autogenic relaxation – autogenic meaning ‘self generating,’ this technique involves using visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestion in your mind to help your relax. You may imagine a peaceful place. You focus on your breath, slowing your heart rate. Or you may centre your attention on different body parts, relaxing each in turn.
Progressive muscle relaxation – this technique focuses on tensing momentarily, then thoroughly relaxing each muscle group. This teaches the body’s memory the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. Often you start at your toes and progressively work your way up to your neck and head.
Visualization – taking mental visual journeys to peaceful, calming places and situations is the key to this technique. During visualization use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch.

I’ve used all three of these during corpse pose (savasana) or final relaxation. Kids love them and always ask to do ‘that sleeping thing’ again. Often adults come to yoga class specifically for the last 10 minutes when they finally get to lie down and do nothing.

corpse pose

These are easy skills to teach and regular relaxation sessions will lead to slowing your heart rate, lowering blood pressure, reducing muscle tension and chronic pain, improving concentration, and boosting confidence to handle problems.

So sit quietly & put your head down or lie on the floor and take a mental and physical five minute vacation. It’s the best thing you’ll do all day!

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