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Cobra pose - Extra activities - Educatall

Cobra pose

Cobra pose is a very simple pose that can be integrated in your very first yoga sessions. It is great for relaxing the lower back and reinforcing the spine. Cobra pose can be used as part of a sequence of yoga poses to work on “flow”. Children enjoy this pose and because they can quickly master it, this pose fosters their self-esteem.

 

Basic instructions for cobra pose:

  • Lie down on the floor on your stomach and set you chin on the ground.
  • Slide your hands under your shoulders. Your heels and toes should be touching.
  • As you breathe in, use your hands to raise your upper body. Keep your elbows close to your body.
  • As you breathe out, lower your chin to the floor once again.

How to teach children to do cobra pose:Cobra pose

  • Open, print, and laminate the following document: (Open cobra pose).
  • Show children the picture and let them see you doing cobra pose.
  • Give them the basic instructions listed above.
  • Do the pose with them.

When should you use cobra pose?

  • Cobra pose can easily be included in the active portion of any yoga session.
  • To help children slowly wake up their body, have them do a baby cobra (barely lifting their upper body off the floor) at first and slowly increase the amplitude of their movement to execute the complete pose.
  • Use this pose to lengthen children’s lower back.
  • Use it to help children learn to coordinate their breathing and movement.

A few variations:

  • Create a dynamic sequence with your group by having them perform cobra pose and downward facing dog. As they breathe in, they raise their upper body in cobra pose and when they breathe out, their toes press into the floor for downward facing dog.
  • Encourage children to vary the height of their upper body when they lift up into cobra pose. A baby cobra will lift its upper body just barely off the floor whereas a big cobra will lift its upper body completely off the floor as it breathes in.
  • Divide your group into pairs. Children lie down, facing their partner. When they lift their upper body, encourage them to look into each other’s eyes.
  • Use cobra pose to work on controlled breathing. Set a cotton ball in front of each child. To coordinate their breathing and their movement, children gently blow on their cotton ball as they breathe out and lower their cobra to the ground.

Maude Dubé, Specialized educator

 

 

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