New Delhi: It's so natural for a parent to be constantly looking out for new activities for their children. And if you want to help your child develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime but aren’t sure how to get them on the right path, Yoga may be a great option. In fact, partner yoga can be a good recommendation if you’re looking for something fun to connect with your child.
Yoga poses that promote parent-child bonding
Below are five partner yoga poses listed by Sabrina Merchant, Founder of Li’l Yogis, a certified kids yoga expert and the author of ‘Ocean Yoga’, you can practice at home with your child. You could also have siblings partner up and enjoy these poses.
Back-to-Back Breathing
This is a partner breath exercise that offers an opportunity to connect with your child in a deep and meaningful way. You can use it as a transition to bedtime, sharing time, or anytime you need calm and connection.
Instructions:
- Sit back-to-back with your partner in easy pose (Sukhasana) and close your eyes, let the weight of your body push back against your partner
- Place your hands slowly on your lower belly
- Imagine your belly is blood. To inflate your balloon belly, breathe in slowly through your nose, filling up your balloon belly. Stick out your belly to fill it up all the way
- Slowly exhale through your nose and feel your ballon belly deflate
- Continue breathing together for one minute or more with your partner
Benefits
- It builds physical and mental balance
- It gradually strengthens muscles of the back and improves posture
Partner Boat Pose or Partner Naukasana
The boat pose (Navasana) is one of the most well-known yoga poses for core strength. The name of this yoga asana comes from the Sanskrit words ‘nava’ (meaning ‘boat’) and ‘asana’ (meaning ‘pose’).
Instructions:
- Sit on the floor facing your child, with bent knees and soles of the feet touching
- Hold hands with your child, arms on the outside
- Press your feet together and begin to lift your legs together, until both the partners’ legs are parallel to the floor. Hold here and breathe or slowly straighten your knees
- Try holding the pose for 10-20 seconds
Benefits:
- It is great for building abdominal strength and relieving stress
- It strengthens the spine and hip flexors
- As a partner pose, it promotes balance, teamwork and bonding
Seated Seesaw pose/Poshimottanasana (Partner modified)
A fun variation to the traditional forward bend that helps in opening up the tight hips and stretches the shoulders and spine.
Instructions:
- Sit on the floor face to face and have your child stretch his/her legs along the inside of yours, as shown (or sit touching feet)
- Join hands, keeping your back straight
- Move your upper bodies back and forth in a seesaw motion
- You should each feel a good stretch in the back of your legs
Benefits:
- It opens the shoulders, builds arm strength, and engages the core muscles
- It builds cooperations, trust and balance
Partner Warrior 1(Veerbhadrasana 1)
A beautiful blend of softness and strength, this pose is both energising and calming at the same time.
Instructions:
- Standing with feet together facing your partner, both take a big step back with the right foot
- Let the partners’ left foot touch each other - hips and toes pointing forward
- As you exhale, bend your left knee so that it comes directly over the top of your ankle
- Right heel grounded and sightly facing outward
- Now inhaling, sweep your arms up, partners palms touching each other
- Hold the pose for 8-10 breaths
Benefits
- It strengthens your legs and back
- It opens your hip flexor and chest muscles
Partner Tree Pose (Vrishasana)
A pose that builds trust in the opposite person, at the same time helps you focus on your own balance and strength.
Instructions:
- Stand next to each other, either holding hands or with your arms around each other’s waist
- Stand tall with your shoulders back, head up, spine straight, and legs firmly planted into the ground. Then shift to stand on your inner leg -you’ll be creating a mirror image with your partner
- Bend your other leg, place the sole of your foot on your inner thigh or calf (just not on your knee), and help each other to balance
- If you feel steady, take your outer arm and form a namaste
- Switch sides and repeat the steps
Benefits
- It strengthening the thighs, calves, ankles and spine
- It helps in stretching the inner groin and thighs
- It opens up the chest and shoulders
- It promotes a strong sense of balance
What did you notice? How do you feel? Share with your partner.
These poses are not only fun but will also help you introduce your child to yoga. Yoga can help improve their mind, body, flexibility and lead them towards a healthier lifestyle. Try to practice these poses on a regular basis to help strengthen your bond with your child.
Comments
Post a Comment