2023 Author: Jessica James | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 03:31
Supermodel Gisele Bündchen has been practicing yoga and meditation for a long time, and recently began to share photos during practice with her 7-year-old daughter Vivian. By the way, the trend for yoga kids is really gaining momentum: today, classes for children are held by almost all famous yoga centers. BeautyHack.ru talked about this with Elizaveta Kudryashova, a teacher at the Moscow studio Material. Read Elizabeth's answers to the main questions of parents: when and why to send a child to yoga, how to explain the philosophy of yoga to him, is it not harmful to perform twisting asanas for a growing body, and whether this type of load is generally suitable for all children.
Why give a child to yoga?
Elizaveta Kudryashova
certified teacher of vinyasa-flow yoga, hatha yoga, and yoga for children in the studio "Material"
- You can send your children to yoga at the age of four, but according to my observations, children show a special interest in practice at the age of six. Yoga for children is very useful, both physically and psychologically. During the practice, attention is paid to exercises to strengthen the back, the development of the musculoskeletal system and joints, and proper breathing. Also, children learn to feel their body, correctly express their emotions and direct attention inward. Sometimes in the classroom, we study anatomy in the form of a game - we find out where the shoulder is, where the joint is located. This is also very important for development. In some cases, children learn foreign languages during yoga.
If your child is involved in any kind of sports, then yoga can be a great additional exercise once a week. If there is no other type of physical activity, then yoga can be practiced more often - two or three times a week.
How are the lessons going?
Classes are usually held in an interactive format, the teacher talks with children and, using various games, adjusts to the practice and performance of asanas, pays attention to the rules of breathing, meditation. But, unlike adult yoga, everything is easy, there is no serious concentration and long-term retention of asanas. Also, the practice does not last very long - from 20 to 40 minutes, although some children can hold their attention for an hour. In my lessons, music plays in the background, I like to include something calm and relaxing, such as the mantra "Om".
How to explain the philosophy of yoga to children?
In the classroom, we also study the philosophy of yoga, most often during exercise. For example, in the form of a fairy tale, I tell children about the ancient Indian sages who invented asanas and determined at what point to inhale and at what point to exhale. Also, in the form of a game, the children and I talk about how we can control our emotions, that we do not need to keep bad thoughts in our head, but it is important to always be kind and positive. Usually children are very interested in such topics.
Will twisting asanas harm the still fragile children's spine?
In yoga there are many directions, in some twisting asanas are excluded, in others, on the contrary, they are important and even solve some health problems, including hernias. Whether to twist or not, an adult must decide individually, after consulting a specialist. As for yoga for children, we use twists, because in children the spine is mobile and needs to be developed. Moreover, all twists are done only on an elongated spine, not with a round back. When we twist with a round back, the intervertebral discs can be pinched by the vertebrae, this can really be harmful.
When twisting with correct posture, the spinal discs are far apart from each other, so injury or damage is excluded.
However, even if the child did the twisting incorrectly, nothing bad will happen. As I said earlier, in children's yoga, we do not use long asana retention, and besides, the teacher always monitors the technique of each student. Over time, children begin to do all the exercises correctly. This can be compared to how babies learn to walk: at first they do it very uncertainly, not quite smoothly, and then it turns out better and better. The same thing happens in yoga classes.
Can yoga not suit a child's temperament?
It seems to me that yoga cannot but suit in temperament or character, rather a style or teacher may not suit. Still, the energetic moment, even with children, has not been canceled. If the child does not want to go to class, I advise you to change the teacher or studio. By the way, I had a similar story with my daughter - she did not like yoga, but when we changed the teacher, she began to go to practice with pleasure. At the same time, it is important to understand that some boys, especially very active and mobile ones, are more comfortable working with a man, a mentor is important for them. Usually, not many men teach yoga, so in this case it is better to send the boy to martial arts. To force, of course, is not worth it.
