Lesson Topic:

Beginning Yoga Series

Lesson Description:

A step by step guide for a beginning yoga instructor.  Includes basic movements and descriptions of the movements in an easy to follow progression.

Strongly recommended that you as the instructor practice and perform this workout before you lead your group of students in the activity.

Learning Goals/Outcomes:

Students will participate in movements that will provide improvement in flexibility and muscular strength through Yoga poses. 

Students will be able to perform a continuous Yoga workout that will be prepare the student to participate in a class at a professional Yoga studio.

Nebraska Standards:

PE.HS.1 Foundations For Physical Education and Fitness

PE.HS.1.1 Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.

PE.HS.1.1.b Demonstrates proficiency in multiple skills in a variety of health-related activities (e.g., running, core exercises, yoga, resistance training). 

PE.HS.1.3 Recognizes the benefits of physical activity and exhibits responsible personal and social behavior in a variety of physical activity settings.

PE.HS.1.3.a Exhibits etiquette, respect for others, and teamwork while engaging in physical activity. 

Teacher Planning:

Equipment/Materials Needed:

Yoga Mats or Soft floor surface, tennis shoes or bare feet, sound system/speakers/ability to play music

Time Required for Lesson:

20-30 minutes.

Diagram/Setup:

Appropriate Room Atmosphere: Dimmed lights preferred, quiet environment, relaxing music

Technology Use:

_____ YES               ___X__NO

Instructional Plan:

Benefits/Explanation/Real-World Connection:

Students are becoming familiar with the appropriate etiquette expected at a professional Yoga Studio.  Students will be more confident in terminology and body positions that they will experience throughout a Yoga class at a professional Yoga Studio.

Anticipatory Set/Pre-Activity:

Introduce class to the expectations of a Yoga class.  This would be their first Yoga experience so they need to understand that a quiet, relaxing environment is expected.  The workout will build on each previous step, so they will be repeating movements often. A misconception of Yoga is that it is an “easy” workout, but in fact it is a great recovery workout to do after an intense workout they did the day before.  Inform the students that tomorrow they may feel soreness in muscles that you didn’t realize you had.

Activities (i.e. instructions, warm-up, lesson, cool-down):

After discussing the info in the Pre-Activity above the teacher will lead the following for the class.

So let’s begin our workout:

1. Starting Position: Start standing with good posture.  Feet should be close together, core in tight, shoulders relaxed, arms at your side.

2. Begin raising arms up overhead with a three second inhale.  Lower arms back to side with the same three second count exhaling back to starting position. Repeat three times.

3. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands to your toes.

4. Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position. (Cue for students: Like unrolling a fruit by the foot)  Exhale at top.

5. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position.  Exhale at top.

6. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Walk your hands back to your toes. Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position.  Exhale at top.

7. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Perform one perfect yoga push-up (Cue students: elbows stay tight to body, 90 degree bend at elbow) Return to Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Walk your hands back to your toes.  Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position. Exhale at top.

8. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Perform one perfect yoga push-up. Chaturanga (Cue for students to help remember the term/incorporate humor: Chimichanga) into Upward Dog position. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Walk your hands back to your toes.  Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position. Exhale at top.

9. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank Position. Hold for 3 seconds. Perform one perfect yoga push-up. Chaturanga into Upward Dog. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Move into Downward Dog position. From Downward Dog position lift the right leg straight up in the air. Hold for 5 seconds.  Swing right foot through so right foot is between your hands into Runners Pose position. Hold for 5 seconds.(Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, knee in armpit) Keep left hand flat on ground by the instep of right foot and slowly raise right arm straight up in the air. (Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, body is perpendicular to the floor, chest touching thigh, keep breathing) Slowly replace left hand with right hand so right hand is now flat on the floor and slowly raise the left hand straight up in the air. (Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, body is perpendicular to the floor, back touching thigh, keep breathing) Return to Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Walk your hands back to your toes.  Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position. Exhale at top.

10. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank Position. Hold for 3 seconds. Perform one perfect yoga push-up. Chaturanga into Upward Dog. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Move into Downward Dog position. From Downward Dog position lift the left leg straight up in the air. Hold for 5 seconds.  Swing left foot through so right foot is between your hands into Runners Pose position. Hold for 5 seconds.(Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, knee in armpit) Keep right hand flat on ground by the instep of right foot and slowly raise left arm straight up in the air. (Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, body is perpendicular to the floor, chest touching thigh, keep breathing) Slowly replace right hand with left hand so left hand is now flat on the floor and slowly raise the right hand straight up in the air. (Cue students: knee over ankle, 90 degrees at the knee, body is perpendicular to the floor, back touching thigh, keep breathing) Return to Perfect Plank position. Hold for 3 seconds. Walk your hands back to your toes.  Roll up slowly with a three second inhale back to standing starting position. Exhale at top.

11. Three second inhale arms raise overhead.  Three second exhale while bending slowly at the hips keeping a straight flat back all the way down bringing your hands behind your lower leg bringing your nose to your knees/shins.  Walk your hands out on the floor to a Perfect Plank Position. Hold for 3 seconds. Perform one perfect yoga push-up. Chaturanga into Upward Dog. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Move into Downward Dog position. Hold for 3-5 seconds.  Slowly drop your knees to the floor. Move into Child’s Pose position. (Cue students: hips back to ankles, reach forward with hands to stretch your shoulders, nose to knees) Slowly come out of the pose.

Closure:

Congratulate your students on completing their first Yoga workout.  Remind them of opportunities in your community for the student to be able to continue this type of workout as a part of lifelong fitness.  

Assessment :

Class participation in the activity.

Supplemental Information:

Modifications:

You can shorten/lengthen the time that you hold the poses depending on your student’s ability level.

Safety Precautions:

Before you start the actual workout make sure students are at least 3 feet apart in each direction from other students.

If students don't want to be bare feet, they should wear shoes.  Socks can make traction difficult and they can injure themselves by slipping while moving through the poses.

Comments (adaptations for various grades/ages, teaching styles, etc.)

Maturity of class affects the age group.  I usually teach this to my 9-12 grade students, but I have had success with 7/8 grade students.  It was helpful to have multiple teachers while teaching the 7/8 group because their focus was challenged while holding some of the poses longer.  The other teachers were able to redirect students to stay on task while I was leading the workout.