These Expert-Suggested Ocean Yoga Postures Are Highly Beneficial For Kids

To be able to understand the importance of health and fitness at a young age can turn out to be fruitful. Parents have a huge role to play in this. They can figure out a couple of fun and simple exercises or yoga that can garner the interest of the younger ones. Keeping the same in mind, Hz exclusively spoke to Mrs Sabrina Merchant, a passionate Mompreneur, who gave up a successful career as a Chartered Accountant to follow her passion for yoga.

She suggested a couple of yoga asanas called ocean yoga. Describing the same she said, “Inspired from incredible creatures that inhabit our oceans, these asanas are a great way to introduce children to yoga. There is something about the calm blue waters of the ocean and the wonderful animals living in it that just fascinates children. Practicing yoga helps children stay calm and fit, it reduces stress and helps them grow mentally and physically stronger.” 

Here are some of the poses she recommended to teach children to learn more about ocean animals and help them connect with nature, alongside doing these fun ocean yoga poses:

Shark Pose 

Shark pose isn't so much of a back bend as it is an exercise to lengthen the spine. It will also open the chest and lungs while stretching the shoulders and strengthening the arms, back and core muscles. 

How To Do

• Begin by lying down on your belly.
• Clasp your hands behind your back to make a shark fin. 
• Breathe in and lift your arms, leg and chest all at the same time. Keep your neck long and eyes on a focus point in front of you. 
• Slowly bring your chest, legs and arms back down to the floor and relax.

Benefits  

• Strengthens the body
• Increases flexibility

Crab Pose

Time to get some movement with the most famous pinchers of the land and sea- crabs!

How To Do

• Start by sitting on your bottom with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
• Place your hands behind you on the floor, palms flat and fingers pointing towards your body.
• Lift your belly to the sky. Try crab walking forward, backward and side to side.

Benefits

• Builds coordination and balance 
• Strengthens the core
• Gross motor development

Turtle Pose

Pretend to be a sea turtle swimming in the cool blue ocean. 

How To Do

• Sit up tall and with your bottoms on the floor, legs stretched out wide.
• Breathing in lift your knees and raise your arms and join your palms above your head.
• Breathing out thread your hands down under your leg palms facing down. Bring your knees down and slowly fold forward to
• touch your forehead to your floor.
• Hold for 3-4 breaths.
• When you are ready to release the pose, slowly first unthread the hands and then sit up to come to start position.

Benefits

• Deep Stretch

Dolphin Pose

Let's go flipping with dolphins with this amazing semi inversion pose.

How To Do

• Start by getting onto your fours, with palms under your shoulder and knees under your hips.
• Lower your forearms on the floor, spread your fingers wide apart with the middle finger facing forward, and palms shoulder width
• apart.
• Tuck your toes under and lift the hips up towards the ceiling.
• Let the head and neck hang freely from the shoulders, the forehead can rest on the floor.
• Slowly bring your knees (foods to strengthen knees) back to the floor, sit back and relax with your bottoms on your heals and arms stretched out in front.

Benefits

• Strengthens the arms and shoulders.
• Stretches the chest, mid and lower back, hips (how to treat bum acne) and hamstrings.
• Energises the body

Whale Pose

A beautiful blend of softness and strength, this pose is both energising and calming, at the same time.

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How To Do

• Stand straight with your legs wide apart by a distance of at least 3-4 feet.
• Turn your right foot out by 90 degree
• Lift both arms sideways to shoulder height, parallel to the ground with your palms facing downwards.
• Bend your right knee. Ensure that your knee does not overshoot the ankle.
• Turn your head and look to your right.
• As you settle down in the yoga posture stretch your arms further. Hold the yoga posture with the determination of a warrior.
• Slowly straighten your right leg and turn your toes in to the come to the start position.
• Bring your hands down from the sides.
• Repeat the yoga posture for the left side.

Benefits

• Energises the body
• Strengthens the body
• Increases focus

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