Get Moving With
Fruits and
Vegetables!
Part III: Flexibility
OBJECTIVES
• You will learn the benefits of stretching and
yoga for yourself and your students
• You will learn how to implement a basic yoga
lesson plan in the classroom
• You will have tools to conduct basic Nutrition
Education in your classroom
• You will learn the tools to conduct a cooking
lesson in the classroom
Flexibility
Flexibility refers to the absolute range of
movement in a joint or series of joints
that is attainable in a momentary
effort with the help of a partner or a
piece of equipment.
Flexibility in some joints can be increased
to a certain degree by stretching.
Stretching
(Flexibility Training)
• Allows greater freedom of movement
and improved posture
• Increases physical and mental
relaxation
• Releases muscle tension and soreness
• Reduces the risk of injury
Warm-Up!
• Before stretching, always take a
few minutes to warm up.
• Stretching cold muscles can cause
injury!
• Begin with a low-intensity warmup.
• Walking for 5-10 minutes
while moving arms is
sufficient.
How to Stretch
Start each stretch slowly!
Exhale as you gently stretch
the muscle
Hold each stretch for at
least 10 to 30 seconds
Things to Avoid!
Don’t bounce a stretch
Don’t stretch a muscle that is not
warmed up
Don’t strain or push a muscle too
far!
If a stretch hurts, ease up!
Don’t hold your breath
How Often?
• Ideally, one should stretch at least
three times a week for 30 minutes!
• Try yoga, Pilates, or tai chi
• Scheduling a class will help you
stick with a regular stretching
program
Source for Flexibility slides: ACE
American Council on Exercise
Time to Warm-up!
Hurdler’s Stretch
This is a Hamstring stretch.
1. Sit on the floor with one leg extended
2. The other foot is touching the inner
thigh
3. Lean forward over your leg until you feel
a stretch
Standing Hamstring Stretch
1. Stand with your legs hip distance apart
2. Gently fold forward
3. Keep your legs straight as you bend
forward
4. Try to touch your fingers to the floor
5. Relax your neck
6. Hold for 30 seconds
Calf Stretch
This is a very important
stretch for running.
1. Stand with your
hands against the wall
2. Lunge one leg back
3. Bend your front leg
until you feel the
stretch in your calf
Hip Flexor Stretch
1. Kneel with one leg forward at
a 90 degree angle
2. The other leg from the knee
to the toes are on the ground
3. Keep your torso upright
4. Press gently forward with your
hips
5. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds
Thigh/Quad Stretch
1.Start by standing while
grabbing onto the foot
2.Gently pull your foot
toward your glut
3.Balance on one foot, hold
onto a chair, or wall
4.Keep your knee close to
your leg, pointing down
toward the floor
Glut and Hamstring Stretch
1. Start by lying down on the
ground
2. Lift one knee toward you
3. Hold onto the knee with a
tight grip
4. Pull your knee gently toward
your body
5. As you pull, pull to the side
of your ribs, toward your
shoulder
6. Hold for 20- 30 seconds
Groin Stretch
1. Sit on the floor with your
lower back straight
2. Touch the soles of your
feet together
3. Using your hands or elbows,
press your knees toward
the ground
4. Do this gently
5. To increase difficulty, lean
forward
Back/Rhomboid Stretch
1. Sit cross legged on the
floor
2. Make sure you are not
leaning to one side
3. Cross on arm in front of
your body
4. Use the opposite hand to
gently pull the arm toward
your body
5. Hold your arm above or
below the elbow joint
6. Switch arms
Triceps/Lat Stretch
1. Raise both arms overhead
2. Grab on arm at the elbow
3. Carefully pull your arm
towards your back
4. Your arm will be reaching
down your back
5. Hold
Neck Rotation
1. Look over your shoulder
2. Slowly turn to look over the
other shoulder
Alternative
1. Lower ear to shoulder
2. Gently rotate to the other
side
3. Do not bend your head to the
back!
Yoga
Yoga derives from the
Sanskrit word meaning
“to yoke, join
together, union”.
Hatha Yoga is a system
of physical exercise
which studies and
integrates the mind,
body and breath.
Hatha Yoga
 Hatha Yoga pronounced (HAT-ha YOH-gah) is the
type of yoga most commonly practiced in the
United States.
 Hatha Yoga is an excellent fitness program.
 Hatha Yoga uses postures (asanas), breathing
exercises (pranayama), and meditation to exercise,
strengthen, and tone the whole person. (body,
mind, and spirit)
Types of Hatha
Yoga
 Ashtanga (power yoga): a series of postures that flow
together, the emphasis is on muscular endurance and
flexibility
 Bikram: developed by Bikram Choudhury, this class is
conducted in a room heated between 90 to 100 degrees,
there are 13 standing and 13 floor asanas
 Iyengar: developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, this type focuses on
skeletal alignment with static poses and props
 Kundalini: focuses on one’s energy force or chakras
 Vinyasa: this class will start with Sun Salutations to warm
up and then continue into more intense stretching
Yoga Benefits
 Strengthen the body
 Align the body
 Improves balance
 Soothes the nervous system
 Develops breath
 Improves focus, concentration
 Develops personal awareness
 Improves overall health
Yoga Ed. is an educational
program that combines sciencebased exploration of the body,
mind, and the self with the
exercise system of yoga to
support and enhance learning,
health, and personal
responsibility.
Goals of Yoga Ed.
1. To inspire students to establish and maintain a lifetime of
wellness.
2. To provide the tools to develop self-awareness and enhance
social, physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.
3. To develop focus and concentration in order to enhance
learning and achievement.
4. To support children in finding enjoyment and success in
physical activities.
5. To facilitate the transference of yoga skills and outcomes to
other academic and social situations and environments.
Physical Education Standards
The Yoga Ed Program is in alignment
with the California Physical Education
Standards!
Yoga Do’s
Wear comfortable clothing (remind
students)
Establish a special place for yoga.
Keep the floor clean!
Remove shoes
Practice on an empty stomach
Bring own mat or towel
Components of a Yoga
Lesson
Breath
Games
Yoga
Time-In
Breath
“Yoga and breath are one”
The primary focus in yoga is always smooth, deep breathing.
How we breath has a profound impact on our whole mindbody system.
The more your fuel the brain and the body with oxygen, the
better it functions.
Knowing how to control one’s breath is a valuable life skill.
Being conscious of our breath gives us the opportunity to
make behavioral choices in a non-reactive manner
Games
Games release mental tension
Non-competitive exercises enhance fitness,
teamwork, and creative thinking skills
Games can be used as warm-ups, energizers,
rewards, organizers, or just for fun!
Children learn through play!
Yoga
Yoga poses help everyone! (teachers, students,
parents etc)
Yoga releases tension and stress
Yoga activates the whole brain and stimulates every
system in the body!
Start slowly, teach what you know!
Chair yoga works too!
Time In
 Focuses on the internal rather than the external
 Includes visualization, imagery
 Encourages personal responsibility by giving the
student a chance to breath and reflect
 Use before a test, a speech, a performance
Time to Practice!