5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults
In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.
They don’t have time to be self aware!
Anxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.
Or it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.
We stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare?
Sports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.
Do we ever teach them how to just be?
This is why I offer a Kids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!
Here are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.
1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.
We all know that happier kids make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!
Kids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood.
Just like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better.
They do everything better. Just like adults do.
They’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.
Speaking of being themselves...
2. Yoga helps children self regulate
How can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives.
They’re told what to do and when and how.
A regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.
Kids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a two week free trial at myYogaTeacher.
3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.
Did you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night?
With parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.
They’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.
Practicing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.
The breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.
4. Yoga helps their brains work better.
Yep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.
Kids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.
Yoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.
The meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.
5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.
Adults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021.
Long gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.
Competition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.
Parents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.
Yoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.
So why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?
Do you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? Check out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class when you sign up for your free two-week trial at myYogaTeacher!
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{"slug":"yoga-for-kids","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\n\\nBeen sitting too long\\n? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\nA prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery. \n \\nTake a bath :\n\nTaking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \n\\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n\nThis week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized. If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\nPrefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n online group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckfqzbak8025a0178p0voa977","slug":"what-is-three-part-breath","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"What Is Three Part Breath?","createdAt":"2020-03-30T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"Social-post-10-1.png","content":{"text":"Yogis tend to view breath differently, and no story greater sums up this concept than hearing about the tests police offers have to take in the academy. In one of the tests, contenders are strapped in to a lie detector and asked several questions. They are also asked something every yogi hates to hear:\\n\\n“Just breathe normally.”\\n\\nI have taught yoga for four years, and any time someone tells me to focus on my breathing I snap into Three Part Breath. It is hardly conscious, but as the soon-to-be-frustrated LAPD testing assistant would attest to, it is far different from “breathing normally.”\\n\\nThree Part Breath stems from the Pranayama concept of \\nyoga\\n— the idea that through controlling our breath we can control our minds and, potentially, tap into a higher power. In Sanskrit, Prana means life force, or breath sustaining the body; Ayama translates as “to extend or draw out.” Extending and lengthening our breaths calms and quiets the mind, which is the goal of yoga as a whole. \\n\\nThrowing poses in the mix was designed for us to challenge that control— an expert yogi can control their breath even in handstand or with their feet behind their head. The struggle of that breath control, for most of us, is a reminder that we are human, and thus we are all works in progress. \\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\nWhere do we start with\\n Pranayama\\n? Three Part Breath. \\n\\nSenior yoga teacher Swami Karunananda states, “three-part deep breathing is the foundation of all the yogic breathing techniques. Studies have shown that you can take in and give out seven times as much air— that means seven times as much oxygen, seven times as much prana— in a three-part deep breath than in a shallow breath.” \\n\\nIn yoga, you are encouraged to flow through your practice maintaining this three-part breath to the best of your ability. It helps you focus your mind, relieve stress, and move inward, deepening your poses and strengthening your practice. Sounds amazing, right? It also sounds nearly impossible once you’ve held chair pose for a minute straight and the teacher is still going. Because truthfully, in challenging poses, three-part-breath is hard. And the best way to get better at it is to practice.\\n\\nHere’s a little Three Part Breath practice you can try right now:\\n\\nFind a comfortable spot, sitting or lying down. Sitting is a great choice if you’re looking for energy; lying, on the other hand, might help you feel your breath deeper and relax more. Without changing anything, notice how you’re breathing now. Let your thoughts pass you by— do not cling to them.Begin to deepen your inhales and exhales.Start imagining that your belly is a balloon, or a ball— something to be filled with air. Comfortably fill it on your inhale, and empty it on your exhale. Repeat this a few times, growing accustomed to it.On your next inhale, when your belly is full, take another sip of air, filling your rib cage. You may feel some expansion and opening in your upper back— this is great. On your exhale, let your chest empty of air first, then your stomach. Continue this for several more breaths.On your next inhale, fill your belly and your rib cage— then breathe just a little bit more into your upper chest. Feel your heart rise with your breath. This is the third part.On your exhale, empty your upper chest and throat, then your ribcage, then your belly. Continue this for 8 to 10 rounds, and start to feel your body relax. Note that this shouldn’t feel like you’re filling your lungs to burst, but rather that you are moving through levels as if your breath was an elevator. This should feel comfortable and deep. \\n\\nThe more you practice Three Part Breath, the more natural it will feel. It is a great way to get your breathing practice started, and a great way to move inward during your next \\nonline yoga class. \\n\\n"}},{"id":"cks7rb8y0066t0c80ah2xtwv8","slug":"yoga-for-diabetics","author":{"name":"Neelmani","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga For Diabetics: How Yoga Helps Cure and Prevent Type II Diabetes","createdAt":"2021-08-11T17:18:45.258817+00:00","coverUrl":"uwnz0l1sgdmmxmggwzjd.jpg","content":{"text":"While Type I diabetes is often not preventable (and mostly due to genetics or environmental factors), Type II diabetes is running rampant in America. \\nAs a matter of fact, 90-95% of people with diabetes have Type II.\\nType II diabetes is preventable and even curable! And yoga is a natural and holistic way to do just that. \\nBecause diabetes is the cause of secondary health issues like neuropathy, infections, immune problems, kidney issues, eye damage, and heart disease, I wanted to make sure all people had access to therapeutic yoga designed specifically for diabetics.\\nThat’s why I started teaching a \\nTherapeutic Yoga for Diabetes class\\n on MyYogaTeacher! If you haven’t become an MYT member yet, I encourage you to\\n take advantage of their 2-week free trial.\\n You’ll have access to my class and 35+ other classes, one of which will surely meet your needs!\\nIn the meantime, I felt it was important to discuss exactly how yoga helps cure and prevent this terrible disease.\\n1. Yoga encourages behavioral changes\\nEven though yoga is an ancient practice, it is just now starting to be recognized worldwide as a practical and applicable treatment for many types of illnesses, including Type II Diabetes.\\nWhile yoga is traditionally seen as a spiritual practice of enlightenment, it is, just as importantly, a practice of health management. Studies show that the mind-body connection that results from a regular yoga practice is directly linked to improved dietary lifestyles and medication compliance.\\nYoga provides plenty of opportunities for self-awareness, reflection, and behavioral changes.\\nAlso, the meditation aspect of therapeutic yoga for diabetics reduces mindless eating practices that occur when we’re stressed out, burnt out, or emotional. This is called mindful eating.\\nStopping the cycles of emotional and binge eating is a huge part of healthy lifestyle changes, but especially crucial for Type II diabetics!\\nMindful eating is proven to help people increase their intake of fruits and vegetables and take more notice of actual hunger cues versus eating out of boredom or stress. \\nA consistent yoga practice also improves discipline. Being more disciplined often carries over into other parts of life! Disciplined eaters focus more on food nutrition (eating to fuel your body) and less on random eating.\\nAnd because yoga meets you where you are, it’s an easy exercise for anyone to start at any age! Which means you are more likely to keep practicing it. Weight loss can be an effective treatment for Type II Diabetes. Yoga definitely helps with that!\\n2. Yoga creates positive psychological changes.\\nEarlier, I mentioned stress eating, boredom eating, and emotional eating. All of which are often harmful to your health.\\nIf you haven’t read some of our other articles about how yoga affects your mental health, you might want to check out \\n“Five Ways Meditation Can Start Improving Your Life Right Now”\\n or \\n“How Yoga Helps You Handle Trying Times in the New Year.”\\n\\nBoth of those are great!\\nBut for now, I can give you some ways yoga specifically helps Type II diabetics manage their mental health better, which helps prevent those harmful eating patterns while also benefiting your glucose levels!\\nYoga for diabetics includes meditation, which reduces stress, relaxes muscles, and relieves tension, several things that specifically help diabetics feel better.\\nHormones and chemicals such as serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin are released into the body during yoga, which alters your mood in a positive way, preventing emotional eating.\\nThe consistent practice of yoga is shown to cause physical changes to the brain, which have psychological side effects like more mental stability, the ability to handle stress better, and faster reactions to stimuli.\\nYoga \\nis\\n meditation. It’s not just a physical exercise. It’s a spiritual practice! But it doesn’t have to be related to religion. \\nMany people are hesitant to start a yoga practice because they’ve been led to believe it’s religion-based. I feel it’s important for everyone to understand that yoga \\nis\\n spiritual in the sense that it helps you become self-aware and more aware of the world around you. It teaches us how to bring harmony to our inner and outer world, how to be more compassionate, kind, and loving to ourselves \\nand\\n others.\\nAnd all of those things help us feel better mentally and physically! Which leads us to the last way that yoga helps diabetics.\\n3. Yoga promotes physiological changes.\\nWhat are physiological changes? Changes in the normal function of the human body. In this case, a regular therapeutic yoga practice for diabetics creates a whole multitude of positive changes in the body!\\nLet’s go over some of them:\\nYoga helps lower body weight and increases exercise tolerance (which means exercise gets easier faster and you can tolerate more sooner).\\nYoga literally reduces triglycerides and free fatty acids in your blood, which reduces your bad cholesterol and improves heart health.\\nA regular yoga practice improves immunity and reduces inflammation – two huge factors that diabetics struggle with.\\nTherapeutic yoga for diabetics (specifically) increases insulin secretion and decreases insulin resistance! This means fewer insulin shots and less money spent on insulin for diabetics.\\nYoga improves cardiac function and reduces the risk of cardiac events, one of the primary causes of sudden death in diabetic patients.\\nRegular yoga practice improves glycemic control without increasing your body weight. In fact, as discussed earlier, you’re likely to \\nlose\\n weight!\\nWithout going into all the technical, scientific jargon, suffice it to say that yoga changes your body at a cellular level. And because of that, the improvements listed above are, quite literally, \\ngood\\n side effects!\\nPlus, who \\ndoesn’t\\n want to lose weight, improve cholesterol levels, have better immunity, less inflammation, and a healthier heart?!\\nEveryone can benefit from yoga, but especially diabetics. Type II Diabetes is controllable, preventable, and curable. Without medication, even. But definitely consult your doctor before stopping any prescribed medications!\\nAre you diabetic? I’d love the opportunity to help you feel better, healthier, and more energetic! Check out my class, \\nTherapeutic Yoga for Diabetes\\n on myYogaTeacher. All are welcome there. \\nAnd if you haven’t grabbed your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher yet, you can do that here!\\n\\nI hope to see you there!"}},{"id":"ckfqxeta800xe0126qjfex3c8","slug":"the-wealth-of-contentment","author":{"name":"Sheetal","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"sheetal-pro.jpg"},"title":"The Wealth of Contentment","createdAt":"2019-01-10T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"health-is-the-greatest-gift-contentment-the-greatest-wealth-faithfulness-the-best-relationship._10.png","content":{"text":"This quote of the Buddha is carved in my mind and heart. I always wanted to be content and deeply satisfied in every task that I do. This quest for deep contentment began when I entered engineering college and continued through my tenure in the IT industry. \\n\\nThrough sincere hard work and dedication, I achieved so much during this time yet I hadn't achieved my own personal contentment. \\n\\nI was sitting in our quarterly meeting at my corporate job and I heard the words \"Star Performer Award goes to Sheetal for her outstanding performance!\" Senior management was announcing my name for a award at my company and I should have been happy and excited. But somewhere deep inside, I just was not satisfied.\\n\\nEventually, I decided to take a grand risk and commit myself to yoga, something I had practiced since I was a teenager. Applying the same hard work and dedication as I had to my engineering studies, I was ready to pursue higher education in yoga science.\\n\\nAfter thorough research and a visit, I joined the Kaivalyadhama Institute in Maharashtra for a post-graduate residential diploma in Yogic Science. \\n\\nOnce I started teaching Yoga, I realized that many people come to yoga based on doctor's advice or to help with mental stress. To enhance my skills as a teacher, I decided to continue my education and completed a diploma in Yoga Therapy from the SVYASA Institute in Bangalore followed by Panchagavya medicine course from Chennai .\\n\\nAs I started seeing the profound effect of yoga on me and my students, my faith to continue my journey on this path became more concrete. Yoga does wonders to everyone who practices.\\n\\nIt has been a challenging, satisfying and mysterious journey which connected my inner world to the outer world, allowing me to experience the best of both!I remain totally awestruck with the deep study and research done by our ancestors and contemporaries in the field of mind and matter. \\n\\nMy journey into \\nYoga\\n has provided me the gift of a lifetime - a balanced mind and contentment. \\n\\nNamaste,\\nSheetal\\n"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"ckfqz0aq801yj0136gps4jqeb","slug":"yoga-gave-me-everything","author":{"name":"Shivayogi","teacherMytSlug":"shivayogi-1","pictureUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg"},"title":"Yoga Gave Me Everything","createdAt":"2019-11-14T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg","content":{"text":"from Shivayogi \\n\\nMy name is Shivayogi, but I don't know why my parents named me that. When I decided to enter into the world of Yoga, my parents actually stood against me. They were not confident in my decision. I turned away from 16 years of education and came to an unfamiliar city to follow this passion. \\n\\nMy \\njourney\\n started as a fitness trainer, completing certificates in Pilates, strength and conditioning and Strong by Zumba. I worked in a well-established gym called Chisel in Bangalore. Finally, I entered into the beautiful ocean called YOGA by enrolling in a Hatha and \\nAshtanga\\n Vinyasa certificate program in the Yoga capital of the world: Rishikesh, India.\\n\\nI fell in love with \\nyoga\\n.\\n\\nYoga is so so beautiful, monumental and soul-bearing and I adore it. Since completing that certificate program, I have worked with more than 50 multigyms in Bangalore and conducted more than 1,000 group classes. Each week, I teach everything from workshops to personal one-on-one classes and styles including hatha, \\nvinyasa\\n, power and even \\nacroyoga\\n!\\n\\nMy experience, training and love for this practice enable me to teach confidently.\\n\\nYoga gave me \\nconfidence\\n. Yoga gave me health.Yoga gave me a sound mind in a sound body.\\n\\nIn short, \\nyoga\\n gave me everything.\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqxov60014x0178pen9w4xk","slug":"why-i-started-myyogateacher","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"Why we started myYogaTeacher","createdAt":"2020-01-18T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"image-1_37.png","content":{"text":"\\n\\n\\nHaving started 3 companies, I believe, there are two kinds of startup ideas.\\n\\nFirst, there are ideas that make intellectual sense – I mean ideas where you can think of a need, talk to customers and imagine a way to deliver a service in an economically viable fashion to address that need.\\n\\nBut myYogaTeacher is the second kind of idea. The ideas where you personally feel the need. These are ideas where you feel a sense of \\nmission\\n and you are compelled to pursue them because you feel that the universe and your entire life has been building up for you to bring the idea to reality.\\n\\nYou see – My name – Jitendra – is derived from Sanskrit and it means “one who has control of his senses.” For the most part, I felt I lived up to this but while running my previous startup I found myself miserable and losing control.\\n\\nOn the outside, I had it all together. I owned successful companies, had tons of friends and a great family. I had everything I wanted and worked so hard for … but despite all of that, I had thoughts running like trains in my head I could not control, I was not sleeping well, not exercising enough, counting the days to my next break and feeling like there was more to life. There was something that I was missing. You know what I mean?\\n\\nI felt sad and depressed pretty much every day. My eating habits were terrible and all my efforts to improve fell flat. My mind circled in unhealthy thought patterns that I just couldn’t stop.\\n\\nI didn’t feel good in my body, I didn’t feel good in my mind, and I didn’t feel good in my life.\\n\\nNow, I’m originally from India. Of course I had heard about Yoga since I was a child. Even here in America, Yoga is a big deal. A regular \\nYoga practice\\n creates peace, drastically increases health and well-being and can even help you to lose weight.\\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\n\\nThese were all the things I desperately needed.\\n\\nBut, despite knowing all that, I didn’t want to go to a yoga studio! I was out of shape, totally inflexible and just plain self-conscious.\\n\\nMy old friend, who lived in India and practiced Yoga everyday, said the best way to learn yoga was the classic Guru–shishya relationship that has been passed down for generations. To put this in modern terms (and to pass on the outdated “guru” idea), this meant having a connection with a teacher to learn from directly. A teacher who could get to know me and my unique struggles. My friend offered to find someone for me and I agreed.\\n\\nHe delivered!!!\\n\\nHe found me Pranjal, a yoga teacher with 8 years of teaching experience and 1,600 hours of certified teacher training! Yes, you read that correctly – a whopping 1,600 hours of training.\\n\\nBut, she lived in Pune, India and I was in California! So we decided to try practicing through video calls.\\n\\nI was skeptical – Yoga is a physical thing! Was she going to see me well? Would she be able to tell how I was doing and give me the guidance I needed? I was just starting out and was going to need A LOT of help.\\n\\nBut Pranjal was amazing!\\n\\nShe helped me build the strength and \\nflexibility\\n to perform the postures really well. She guided me towards realistic goals. I could feel and notice the improvement in each session.\\n\\nThe flexibility, strength and ability to meet challenging postures in my yoga practice was spilling into my mental health as well.\\n\\nI was happier, calmer and able to make healthier decisions (and stick to them). I was losing weight and the stress from building my businesses practically vanished. I still get stressed but I don’t take it home with me.\\n\\nAfter a few months, I felt ready to go practice in a yoga studio…\\n\\nWhat. A. Disappointment!!!\\n\\nAfter all the 1-on-1 personal attention I was getting from Pranjal, it was a bitter experience to finally feel ready to practice in public. The teacher had no time to focus on me.\\n\\nYeah, she would do (MAYBE) one correction during the class. But nothing more. She didn’t KNOW my body the way Pranjal did. She didn’t help me to set goals or work toward them. She didn’t change the pace of the class when I felt ready to\\n\\nIn the group classes, I was just another one of 30 people the teacher needed to keep track of.\\n\\nAfter a few classes of that, I sprinted back to Pranjal!\\n\\nBut something was off…with all my tech skills and entrepreneurial spirit, I needed to share this with other people. I knew there were tons of people too busy to go to a studio, too shy to practice in front of others. People who need and want the 1-on-1 personal attention that will help them to progress, heal, and grow fast!\\n\\nI knew there were so many people out there ready and waiting for yoga to transform their lives.\\n\\nWith a team of amazing people, I started myYogaTeacher to improve physical and mental well being of the entire planet. To help empower you to take positive steps forward in your life. And even to heal the symptoms of pain and illness that we’ve seen yoga heal.\\n\\nSound’s big, doesn’t it?\\n\\nIt’s a bold mission, but I also know that our teachers have the power to make it a reality for every one of our students. So I brought together a team of awesome engineers to start working on myYogaTeacher.\\n\\nBut, most importantly, I hired a group of scouts in India to find the best yoga teachers in the country.\\n\\nAfter 8 months of hard work, it’s time for the big test! We launched recently and I am so excited to see this venture grow. I value all of my businesses, but helping people improve their physical and mental health through a personal connection to one of the best \\nYoga teachers\\n of the East is close to my heart.\\n\\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\\n\\nI genuinely hope you try and enjoy your time with myYogaTeacher. We would sincerely love to hear from you. Email us, call us or chat with us through the app.\\n\\nYour friends in growth, health and wellbeing!\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqxn9ao013k0136vj4w0am0","slug":"teaching-as-a-learning-experience","author":{"name":"Pranjal","teacherMytSlug":"pranjal-1","pictureUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg"},"title":"Teaching as a Learning Experience","createdAt":"2019-04-17T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg","content":{"text":"Recently, one of my friends asked me “You \\npractice yoga\\n, how has it changed your life?” However, how could I know what changed when I can’t remember a time when I didn’t practice yoga? \\n\\nI was very hyperactive as a child so my parents encouraged me to play sports and other physical activities. It was my grandmother who got me to start practicing yoga. \\n\\nMy grandmother was my first guru. \\n\\nSince then I have fallen in love with practicing yoga. It makes my body feel alive and my mind refreshed. If some days I am not able to practice, it makes me restless. So, this is where my yoga journey started, almost 20 years ago, under the gentle and encouraging guidance of my grandmother. \\n\\nI loved yoga and playing all sorts of sports. So, in school I was always participating in competitions. My love for yoga kept increasing. When the time came to decide what I was going to do after I graduated high school, I had only one thing in mind: I wanted to be a yoga teacher. But back then, yoga was not booming as it is now. My parents encouraged me to look at other interests which could help me earn. I was (and still am) interested in wildlife so I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Biodiversity. I continued practicing yoga and I thought I could teach it as a hobby - if not take it up as a career. \\n\\nDuring the summer break, I attended a fitness instructor course which got me a part time job at a gym. During my final year of my Bachelor's, one of my clients at the gym asked if I practiced yoga as she thought I was very good at teaching her different stretches. She then asked me if I could start yoga classes at the gym. \\n\\nI was overwhelmed. \\n\\nI had never thought that I would get to live my dream of becoming a yoga teacher! I was extremely nervous and scared as I had never talked in front of so many people! Let alone teach them anything! Also, I was only 20 years old and all my students were above 40 years of age - which was intimidating. What if no one listened to me? What if no one liked how I was teaching? What if someone was injured because I gave the wrong instructions? These were the questions running through my mind. \\n\\nMy parents, the gym manager, and the clients each encouraged me to at least give it a try. So, I decided to teach a trial class. Only 5 people enrolled that day but even that was too much for me! On the day of the class, I was up early reading up about each asana and the sequence I had chosen. When I started teaching, even though I was nervous the entire time, I was surprisingly confident. I found out that I was learning quite a lot in the process of teaching! The people who came for the class were kind and encouraged me to keep teaching, saying they would attend my classes every week. \\n\\nAt first, teaching was terrifying.\\n\\nI painstakingly planned out entire classes, posture by posture. I practiced explaining how to get in and out of poses. I searched for hours on end until I came up with a theme or focus for my classes that I truly felt inspired by. I researched answers to potential questions from students. It was time consuming but the effort was rewarding. It never felt like work. Teaching yoga gave me a sense of satisfaction and happiness that I had never experienced before. To advance my knowledge in yoga and to get a formal certificate as a yoga teacher, I completed a Yoga Instructor Course from SVYASA University, Bangalore. This opened so many opportunities for me. \\n\\nI started conducting classes at the yoga center at a very reputable hospital in Pune. Here, I conducted sessions for doctors and hospital staff. Many of my students were doctors and knew much more about the human body than I did. They gave me feedback to improve my anatomical cues for my classes. \\n\\nI went back to my yoga school to teach yoga to kids. Teaching yoga and other sports to kids was a very rewarding experience. This made me realize the importance of yoga for improving overall health and sports performance. \\n\\nI got the opportunity to teach yoga and fitness to table tennis players who take part in competitions at state and national levels. My training has helped them improve their strength, flexibility and their game. \\n\\nI conducted two sessions on yoga for Workplace Stress Management at the Amazon office in Pune. Here I taught corporate employees how to manage and relieve stress with easy asanas, breathing and meditation which could be done at their desks. I taught two \\nonline yoga \\nsessions at the College of Charleston, USA as a part of the curriculum for Indian Culture. \\n\\nI now have 7 years of yoga teaching experience. \\n\\nI have experienced the benefits of yoga and I want to pass that on to as many people as I can. My classes have been a wonderful learning experience for me as a teacher and as an individual. They helped me to overcome my fear of public speaking, improve my communication skills and develop networking skills. I think these are essential for people in all walks of life. \\n\\nJust as my personal practice gave me the confidence to be who I am, teaching made me realize that confidence is very different from the confidence you need when teaching others. My experience has helped me gain that confidence over the years and I have reached a point where I can confidently teach a class of at least 30 students comfortably. I always want to keep learning and during my Master’s I found out that I like doing research. I have decided to pursue a degree in Exercise and Fitness research. I want to get into research about yoga so that what I teach will have scientific backing and not just ancient wisdom. \\n\\nYoga has opened up so many opportunities for me and I hope to keep on growing and learning. You too can take a similar journey and find out how yoga can change your life. By taking an online class at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n with a certified instructor, you can \\nstart your personal practice in your very own space\\n and experience all the wonderful benefits of yoga. "}}],"blogContent":{"id":"cklkxgum87xl509314u5faawv","slug":"yoga-for-kids","author":{"name":"Sujit Tiwari","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults","createdAt":"2021-02-25T13:54:08.269963+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-10-03T12:56:15.308224+00:00","coverUrl":"pexels-gabby-12-small.jpg","seoDescription":"Kids need yoga too! Discover why kids yoga is on the rise how kids benefit from yoga classes just as much as adults - maybe more!","content":{"text":"In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.\\n\\nThey don’t have time to be self aware!\\n\\nAnxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.\\n\\nOr it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.\\n\\nWe stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? \\n\\nSports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.\\n\\nDo we ever teach them how to just be? \\n\\nThis is why I offer a \\nKids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher\\n! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!\\n\\nHere are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.\\n\\n1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.\\n\\nWe all know that happier \\nkids\\n make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!\\n\\nKids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. \\n\\nJust like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. \\n\\nThey do everything better. Just like adults do.\\n\\nThey’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.\\n\\nSpeaking of being themselves...\\n\\n2. Yoga helps children self regulate\\n\\nHow can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. \\n\\nThey’re told what to do and when and how. \\n\\nA regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.\\n\\nKids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a \\ntwo week free trial at myYogaTeacher.\\n\\n\\n3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.\\n\\nDid you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? \\n\\nWith parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.\\n\\nThey’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.\\n\\nPracticing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.\\n\\nThe breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.\\n\\n4. Yoga helps their brains work better.\\n\\nYep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.\\n\\nKids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.\\n\\nYoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.\\n\\nThe meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.\\n\\n\\n5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.\\n\\nAdults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. \\n\\nLong gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.\\n\\nCompetition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.\\n\\nParents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.\\n\\nYoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.\\n\\nSo why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?\\n\\n\\nDo you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? \\nCheck out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class\\n when you sign up for your \\nfree two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! \\n\\n\\n","html":"<p>In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.</p><p></p><p>They don’t have time to be self aware!</p><p></p><p>Anxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.</p><p></p><p>Or it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.</p><p></p><p>We stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? </p><p></p><p>Sports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.</p><p></p><p>Do we ever teach them how to just be? </p><p></p><p>This is why I offer a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Kids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher</a>! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!</p><p></p><p>Here are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.</p><p></p><h2>1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.</h2><p></p><p>We all know that happier <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\">kids</a> make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!</p><p></p><p>Kids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. </p><p></p><p>Just like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. </p><p></p><p>They do everything better. Just like adults do.</p><p></p><p>They’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.</p><p></p><p>Speaking of being themselves...</p><p></p><h2>2. Yoga helps children self regulate</h2><p></p><p>How can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. </p><p></p><p>They’re told what to do and when and how. </p><p></p><p>A regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.</p><p></p><p>Kids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">two week free trial at myYogaTeacher.</a></p><p></p><h2>3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.</h2><p></p><p>Did you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? </p><p></p><p>With parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.</p><p></p><p>They’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.</p><p></p><p>Practicing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.</p><p></p><p>The breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.</p><p></p><h2>4. Yoga helps their brains work better.</h2><p></p><p>Yep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.</p><p></p><p>Kids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.</p><p></p><p>Yoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.</p><p></p><p>The meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.</p><p></p><p></p><h2>5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.</h2><p></p><p>Adults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. </p><p></p><p>Long gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.</p><p></p><p>Competition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.</p><p></p><p>Parents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.</p><p></p><p>Yoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.</p><p></p><p>So why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?</p><p></p><p></p><p>Do you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Check out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class</a> when you sign up for your <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">free two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! </a></p><p></p><p></p>"},"category":["yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.</p><p></p><p>They don’t have time to be self aware!</p><p></p><p>Anxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.</p><p></p><p>Or it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.</p><p></p><p>We stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? </p><p></p><p>Sports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.</p><p></p><p>Do we ever teach them how to just be? </p><p></p><p>This is why I offer a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Kids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher</a>! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!</p><p></p><p>Here are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.</p><p></p><h2>1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.</h2><p></p><p>We all know that happier <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\">kids</a> make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!</p><p></p><p>Kids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. </p><p></p><p>Just like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. </p><p></p><p>They do everything better. Just like adults do.</p><p></p><p>They’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.</p><p></p><p>Speaking of being themselves...</p><p></p><h2>2. Yoga helps children self regulate</h2><p></p><p>How can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. </p><p></p><p>They’re told what to do and when and how. </p><p></p><p>A regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.</p><p></p><p>Kids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">two week free trial at myYogaTeacher.</a></p><p></p><h2>3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.</h2><p></p><p>Did you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? </p><p></p><p>With parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.</p><p></p><p>They’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.</p><p></p><p>Practicing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.</p><p></p><p>The breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.</p><p></p><h2>4. Yoga helps their brains work better.</h2><p></p><p>Yep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.</p><p></p><p>Kids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.</p><p></p><p>Yoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.</p><p></p><p>The meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.</p><p></p><p></p><h2>5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.</h2><p></p><p>Adults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. </p><p></p><p>Long gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.</p><p></p><p>Competition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.</p><p></p><p>Parents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.</p><p></p><p>Yoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.</p><p></p><p>So why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?</p><p></p><p></p><p>Do you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Check out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class</a> when you sign up for your <a\n class=\"inline-cta\"\n id=e5c20e75-9417-4c31-a065-be3ab48bc41f\n href=\"/signup?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=cklkxgum87xl509314u5faawv&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults&entity_slug=yoga-for-kids&page_or_popup=/articles/yoga-for-kids&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"e5c20e75-9417-4c31-a065-be3ab48bc41f\")\n title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n data-title=\"5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults\"\n data-slug=\"yoga-for-kids\"\n <u>free two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! </a></u> \n </a></p><p></p><p></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"yoga-for-kids","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"signup","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz37hsu0cj0a76mgb4594m","name":"[CTA-FREECLASS]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz4d5stsye0b75dtlx1w0n","name":"[CTA-TRENDS]","description":{"html":"<p>Get ahead of the next trend and practice with authentic Indian yoga teachers! Sign up today and <strong>get 2 free private yoga sessions PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice with Authentic Indian Yoga Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz6nq0tqdr0c258titvagg","name":"[CTA-REVIEWS]","description":{"html":"<p>Find out what all the hype is about! <strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>103,478 Happy Students & 12,086 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz7nzktu400b752fym6wpw","name":"[CTA-HATHA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private hatha yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(including tons of daily Hatha yoga classes). No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Post Nasal Drip & Clear Your Sinus Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyirvl8g25ce0c70cldmca2g","name":"[CTA-TRATAKA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>with experienced Trataka teachers. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Candle Gazing Meditation) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely & Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation Today!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitxgyg2pot0b79lu1fcpp1","name":"[CTA-BREATH]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for yogic breathing techniques (pranayama) and <strong>2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>, like ‘Stretch and Breathe’, ‘Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation’, and many others. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage & immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage & Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"cklkxgum87xl509314u5faawv","slug":"yoga-for-kids","author":{"name":"Sujit Tiwari","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults","createdAt":"2021-02-25T13:54:08.269963+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-10-03T12:56:15.308224+00:00","coverUrl":"pexels-gabby-12-small.jpg","seoDescription":"Kids need yoga too! Discover why kids yoga is on the rise how kids benefit from yoga classes just as much as adults - maybe more!","content":{"text":"In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.\\n\\nThey don’t have time to be self aware!\\n\\nAnxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.\\n\\nOr it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.\\n\\nWe stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? \\n\\nSports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.\\n\\nDo we ever teach them how to just be? \\n\\nThis is why I offer a \\nKids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher\\n! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!\\n\\nHere are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.\\n\\n1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.\\n\\nWe all know that happier \\nkids\\n make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!\\n\\nKids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. \\n\\nJust like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. \\n\\nThey do everything better. Just like adults do.\\n\\nThey’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.\\n\\nSpeaking of being themselves...\\n\\n2. Yoga helps children self regulate\\n\\nHow can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. \\n\\nThey’re told what to do and when and how. \\n\\nA regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.\\n\\nKids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a \\ntwo week free trial at myYogaTeacher.\\n\\n\\n3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.\\n\\nDid you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? \\n\\nWith parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.\\n\\nThey’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.\\n\\nPracticing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.\\n\\nThe breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.\\n\\n4. Yoga helps their brains work better.\\n\\nYep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.\\n\\nKids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.\\n\\nYoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.\\n\\nThe meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.\\n\\n\\n5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.\\n\\nAdults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. \\n\\nLong gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.\\n\\nCompetition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.\\n\\nParents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.\\n\\nYoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.\\n\\nSo why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?\\n\\n\\nDo you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? \\nCheck out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class\\n when you sign up for your \\nfree two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! \\n\\n\\n","html":"<p>In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.</p><p></p><p>They don’t have time to be self aware!</p><p></p><p>Anxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.</p><p></p><p>Or it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.</p><p></p><p>We stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? </p><p></p><p>Sports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.</p><p></p><p>Do we ever teach them how to just be? </p><p></p><p>This is why I offer a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Kids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher</a>! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!</p><p></p><p>Here are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.</p><p></p><h2>1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.</h2><p></p><p>We all know that happier <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/yoga-poses-for-kids\">kids</a> make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!</p><p></p><p>Kids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. </p><p></p><p>Just like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. </p><p></p><p>They do everything better. Just like adults do.</p><p></p><p>They’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.</p><p></p><p>Speaking of being themselves...</p><p></p><h2>2. Yoga helps children self regulate</h2><p></p><p>How can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. </p><p></p><p>They’re told what to do and when and how. </p><p></p><p>A regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.</p><p></p><p>Kids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">two week free trial at myYogaTeacher.</a></p><p></p><h2>3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.</h2><p></p><p>Did you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? </p><p></p><p>With parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.</p><p></p><p>They’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.</p><p></p><p>Practicing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.</p><p></p><p>The breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.</p><p></p><h2>4. Yoga helps their brains work better.</h2><p></p><p>Yep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.</p><p></p><p>Kids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.</p><p></p><p>Yoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.</p><p></p><p>The meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.</p><p></p><p></p><h2>5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.</h2><p></p><p>Adults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. </p><p></p><p>Long gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.</p><p></p><p>Competition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.</p><p></p><p>Parents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.</p><p></p><p>Yoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.</p><p></p><p>So why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?</p><p></p><p></p><p>Do you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group-classes?action=filter&class=Kids+Yoga+%2810-+12+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+%287-9+years%29&class=Kids+Yoga+-+7-12+years\">Check out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class</a> when you sign up for your <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">free two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! </a></p><p></p><p></p>"},"category":["yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":null}© Copyright 2020 MyYogaTeacher Inc