Yoga has benefits, why not take them?

  

Boosting a child’s metabolism with yoga

By: - Jiya Bhaskar

We have seen that a young life is way energetic compared to the older ones. It is even wondered where the energy in toddlers and young children come from! Children are active and seek grounds to spend their pent-up energy. What better way to spend that energy in a calculated, disciplined manner? It’s a well-known fact that yoga asanas provide a well guided manner for a person to increase the metabolism as well as physical activity of their mind and body irrespective of their age.

Understanding a child’s body

It is very important for a body to develop in a proper way. There are many factors that contribute to the factor like diet, exercise, sleep, etc. Here we will focus on the exercise part. Sometimes, due to lack of body movement’s a child becomes obese, resulting in improper growth of body leading to insecurities later on. We need to know what is and what is not a proper exercise for a child to perform. Here, the child being talked about is from the age of 12-18 year. Usually, a child between the said age, or an adolescent, hits puberty resulting in major changes in his/her body. After the age of 18, a youth can quite perform any exercise with proper diet.

·         Yoga asanas that can be performed by adolescent’s and youth:

1.    Urdhva Dhanurasana (upward bow pose): -

Lie on your back with bent knees and hands on floor next to ears, elbows facing up with fingers pointing towards your toes. Now while exhaling, lift your buttocks, firm your shoulders and once having enough composure, lift yourself completely performing a backbend on your all fours. Stay in the position for 3-4 breaths and slowly lower yourself again.

This yoga asana increases confidence and teaches surrender during adolescent times.

2.    Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog Pose): -

Getting on all fours, put your knees below your hips and place your hands beneath your shoulders. While exhaling lift your knees off the floor and lift your tailbone towards the ceiling. Bring our head between your arms and roll your upper thighs slightly inwards. Stay for 2-5 breathes and come to your normal position.

This quiets an active mind and balances out mood swings which are quite common in puberty.

3.    High plank:

This is a simple exercise where instead of doing the lower plank, you need to straighten your arms and stay in the position for 3-4 breaths.

     This exercise helps strengthen the core which is essential in all the stages of life.

4.    Anulom-vilom (breath-in, breath out):

This is one of the greatest respiratory exercise known to us. Sitting straight, close your one nostril and inhale from the other. Take a pause keeping the oxygen inside your system for about 5 seconds, then using the thumb close that nostril and slowly exhale through the other nostril. Repeat the process simultaneously.

This exercise helps in calming the mind, building strong lungs.

5.   Stretching:

It is always appreciated to flex your muscles once-in-a-while by stretching via various pose like touching your toes while standing keeping the legs straight, while sitting, then alternating toe touches also helps, skipping the rope is also an excellent exercise among many others.

·         DOS in yoga asana: -

1.      Practice all sorts of exercises, the respiratory exercises, meditation, stretching, core exercises, etc.

2.      Practice on gaining equilibrium on your body.

3.      Take your time in performing the postures of the asana.

4.      Make sure that your lower back is stabilized while doing mat exercises.

5.      Have an empty stomach or light stomach before doing yoga.

 

·         DON’T’S in a yoga asana of an adolescent: -

1.      While performing any respiratory exercise, do not hold your breath for more then 10 seconds, it may be fatal.

2.      Always perform the exercise under some supervision.

3.      Before performing any exercise, make sure that you know the correct posture for the asana, wrong posture results in wrong results.

4.      Do not overdo any yoga or exercise. Know your capacity, gradually increase your stamina.

5.      A very important fact to consider in adolescents and youth is to not compare others stamina with themselves.

6.      Do not rush into doing the asanas, take time, engage your core.

Every change need time, give your body the time to adjust to the asanas rather than rushing into them. Don’t get shy into asking for any sort of assistance. Make it a routine. The results are not exclusively based on the exercises or yoga asanas you perform, it is, as previously said, a combined effort you need to make by taking a balanced diet and proper rest.