Materials:
- One yoga mat per student.
- Enough floor space that students can spread out.
Set Up:
- Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that students have enough space to move without bumping into one another.
- If you have enough space, consider arranging the yoga mats in a circle so that you can see each student from your own mat.
Begin on your hands and knees.
Step your feet back into a push-up position.
As you breathe in, move your body into a straight line from your head to your toes.
As you breathe out, squeeze your stomach muscles.
Excellent. This is plank pose.
Let’s hold this pose for two more breaths.
As you breathe in, press down into the mat through your hands.
As you breathe out, tighten your stomach muscles. Are they getting warmer?
As you breathe in, feel your back and make sure your body is in a straight line.
As you breathe out, notice how strong your body is.
Great job! Now slowly lower your right knee down to the mat. And now lower your left knee.
Return to hands and knees.
You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.
It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.
It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.
Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”
When students practice this pose, invite them to bend their elbows just a tiny bit. This will help to protect their joints.
If students are struggling with this pose, invite them to place their knees on the mat while still maintaining a long, straight line from their knees to the tops of their heads.
If students are feeling comfortable with this pose, invite them to try side plank for an extra challenge.
