Warming up and performing preparatory stretches is an important part of a yoga practice. It involves focusing on specific areas of the body to increase the range of motion in that area which will then be incorporated into the postures.

We can either perform a general warm up stretch of the entire body in preparation for our practice or focus on one specific area to be ready to work on one particular pose. A sun salutation sequence is an excellent warm up as it includes all the muscle groups and raises the heart rate.

Sun Salutation

A great song you can use for warm up is Sun Salutation to Dance for the Sun. This works best with children younger than 8/9 depending on maturity. For older children you could use calming or uplifting music, or even a soundscape track. Time should be taken at the beginning of a term to show the children each of the poses and check they are doing them correctly. A Sun Salutation can then be incorporated into each following class and gives the children a good base to explore more poses.

All the muscle groups are used during the sequence of postures in the Sun Salutation, but it particularly stretches the hamstrings and opens the muscles of the shoulders and chest, whilst also relieving tension on the spine. The sequence alternately contracts and relaxes different groups of muscles to improve blood flow to the vital organs and increases heat in the body which results in sweating away toxins. The lungs, digestive system, the muscles and joints all benefit from this sequence. The increased blood flow to muscles makes the tendons and ligaments more pliable making the Sun Salutation an excellent warm up sequence and if we combine the movements with the breath it can become a moving meditation to find a calmness of mind.

Butterflies (smelly feet)

Sitting with the soles of the feet together, let the knees fall down towards the floor as far as is comfortable. Make a basket with hands (fingers interlocked) and cup underneath the feet. Lift chest up and out to straighten the back, and move knees up and down like butterfly wings. This can be done faster and slower, changing the pace helping to engage children.

Benefits: Opens the hips, strengthens the abdominal muscles.

Lotus Legs

Stretch one leg out in front of you, bring the other foot in towards the thigh. Stretch both arms up above the head, then bending from the hips reach down to hook the hands around the sole of the foot, or as close to the foot as possible. Make sure to repeat on both sides.

Benefits: Stretches muscles in the back of the legs.

Pop pop corn

Stretch both legs out in front. Point the toes up to the ceiling. Bending the knees to bring legs up and down as you repeat ‘pop pop pop pop pop popcorn’

Benefit: Engages both leg and core muscles, energising stretch to start a session.

The muscles in our bodies are used for everyday activities such as walking and sitting. Our body does not need to think about how to do these movements we perform them subconsciously. Muscle awakening is when we begin to use these muscles for new activities and positions. Yoga can reawaken these muscles by placing new demands of the body and train us to reactivate them and use them consciously to deepen our practice.

Body clairvoyance is when these awakened muscles ‘anticipate an action and use the most efficient muscles to accomplish it’ (Long (2008) p. 51)

Regular yoga practice can increase the feeling of body clairvoyance as the body starts to recognise the sequence of actions.