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Research Paper

Physical Education

E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 5 | Issue : 8 | Aug 2019

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOGIC EXERCISES TRAINEES AND UNTRAINEES IN SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN V. A. M. Padma Kumari Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of Physical Education, Dravidian University, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. ABSTRACT In order to ensure that the school going children to succeed at school and in life, it's crucial for them to develop self-regulation skills. These include the ability to monitor and adapt their behavior, attention, and emotions in response to internal cues, the environment, and feedback from others. Many researches done by the Indian and foreign authors specifically focused on physical education have observed and recommended that school-based yoga may benefit students' self-regulation. Most schools use academic performance as the primary criteria for student success. Unfortunately, many students struggle to achieve or maintain adequate grades, which can lead them to disengage or drop out. But research suggests that yoga might improve attention and memory and alleviate academic stress, three factors that are important for academic success. In this regard, the study presents an analysis to understand how the Yoga can be beneficial to School going children. Further, the study also makes an attempt to understand various forms of Yoga and its utilities to school going children. KEY WORDS: Asanas, meditation, Motor Development, Stress.

1. INTRODUCTION: Children and adolescents are exposed to a variety of stressors at school and at home. These stressors can range from extreme, chronic stress such as living through poverty or abuse, to relatively minor stressors such as test anxiety. Adolescents with unmanaged stress are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, which is why some researchers have explored whether school-based yoga might help reduce anxiety, tension, and stress. In addition, one study enrolled 49 inner-city high school students to participate in a semester-long yoga and mindfulness program several days per week, and students reported significant reductions in their anxiety. Another study randomly assigned 51 high school students to participate in either a 10-week yoga program or a PE group that met a few times per week. The study found that tension and anxiety worsened in the PE group but improved in the yoga group. School-based yoga may also help students cope with negative life events, like troubles at home or getting a low grade in an important class. For example, a randomized controlled trial of 155 fourth- and fifth-graders assigned some students to participate in an eight-week mindful yoga program that met for one hour per week. The study found that the yoga program helped students cope more often with difficult life events, compared to regular schooling. Students in the yoga group had fewer unexcused absences and detentions, and became more engaged in school, compared to students who went to school as usual. These positive effects might be due to yoga-based improvements in students’ awareness of their emotions and behaviors. That might help students “control impulsive behaviors and negative reactions in order to meet situational demands and achieve personal goals,” the researchers explain. Research on school-based mindful yoga is still in its infancy. Several research reviews support implementing these programs, but it’s important to keep in mind that some studies have found limited or no effects from them. And many studies use “self-report” questionnaires where students rate themselves, rather than collecting objective data or reports from parents and teachers. Larger, more rigorous research needs to be done to clarify the benefits of these programs and what causes them, including the optimal amount of practice time and best practices for implementation.

Develop body awareness

Learn how to use their bodies in a healthy way

Manage stress through breathing, awareness, meditation and healthy movement

Build concentration

Increase their confidence and positive self-image

Feel part of a healthy, non-competitive group

Have an alternative to tuning out through constant attachment to electronic devices

In a school setting, yoga can also benefit teachers by:

Giving them an alternate way to handle challenges in the classroom

Giving them a healthy activity to integrate with lesson plans

Give them a way to blend exercise into their classes

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: The study critically examines on analyzing the utilities of Yoga for the School going children in terms of overall development of School going children. Further, the study also aims to study the various forms of Asanas and its advantages to children in comparison with untrainees in schools. 3. UTILITIES OF YOGA FOR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT: Children can expect to learn in yoga class: 1.

Awareness of the breath: Breathing exercises can energize children or encourage relaxation, depending on what you teach. Different games and techniques help children connect to how their bodies feel as a result of deep breathing. Focus increases, as does their breathing and lung capacity. Stress is naturally reduced and healthy hormones are released. Strengthening and energizing: Children think that yoga is great for stretching, but doesn't build strength. It's important for a teacher to include conversations, as well as exercises around how helpful yoga is for building strength. Talking about the different muscles used in poses and incorporating games and sequences will help build strength as well as body awareness and coordination. Bodies that are strong digest food better, maintain a healthy weight and can support the stress of carrying heavy loads, like a backpack. Bodies will also breathe better, work more efficiently and protect the more fragile joints.

Balancing: Balancing poses teach children that with increased focus, you can increase attention naturally, even in children who struggle with different attention challenges. Poses and games focused on balancing skills, develop an intrinsic strength, evoke a meditative feeling, and promote stillness and quieting of the mind. This can help children deal with the stress of living in a chaotic world where constant stimulation is a regular part of life.

Stretching and lengthening: It's great for children to be strong, but a body that's only based on strength has no way to yield under pressure. Strong muscles without accompanying flexibility can't move quickly, pulling on bones and joints. Yoga poses stretch muscles and through integrating breathing and movement, muscles become warm and become more flexible. They can yield when they need to, and support tender joints in a more functional way.

Awareness and focus: Yoga helps create awareness in the body through deep breathing and movement. It gives children a way to express themselves, build a strong connection between what they hear and what they do.

Yoga helps children to: a.

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International Education & Research Journal [IERJ]

Research Paper

E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 5 | Issue : 8 | Aug 2019 and more relaxed. Children can become more mindful using creative and entertaining visualisation techniques. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.

Children that have healthy body awareness are more confident and strong, have better posture, breathe better and have a sense of quiet strength. 6.

Flowing, connecting and integrating: When we string poses together, we give children a taste of what it means to move with ease. It also helps them build the awareness that all our movements are a series of coordinated efforts between muscles, bones, joints and nerves. Older children are more able to isolate different muscle groups and get more sophisticated about movements; things like keeping the arms lifted in Warrior 1, while at the same time, dropping the shoulders to relax them. All these things together increase a child's sense feeling integrated. Meditation and relaxation: Yoga is meditative by nature. So whether a child is holding a balancing posture, sitting in meditation or moving through a series of poses, there's going to be a calming, soothing quality. Giving younger children something to do as they rest on their mats will help with their attention, such as suggesting they think of a favorite color or toy. Older children will find it easier to rest longer with less structure.

There are lots of tools you can use to teach yoga to children. The young ones like games, doing poses from yoga books for children and singing songs with big, expressive movements. Older children love to create their own poses, be challenged by balancing and learn about the muscles and other aspects of anatomy. 4. BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN: School and college-going students may have youth on their side, but that does not mean they are spared from the stresses and pressures of life. So, let’s talk about the benefits of yoga in schools. Sitting at a desk for hours a day, going back home and pouring over books to finish the daily homework assignments, studying and acing numerous tests, participating in various extra-curricular activities, etc. all cause the body and mind to tense up. Yoga, an elixir that works on almost every new age predicament such as obesity, depression, diabetes and panic attacks, is not a solution only for grown-ups but also for young children and can help them lead a better lifestyle as they grow up. Here are some of the benefits of including yoga for children in school. As per the research done by JBRN School on benefits of yoga, the following are the important features of Yoga for the empowerment of school going children. 1.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Yoga’s innate ability to cease the mental chatter and live in the moment reduces stress and anxiety, showing profound benefits in every sphere of life. Students are very stressed individuals, keen to outperform themselves and prove their worth every chance they get. Yoga helps them to deal with their stress and bring back some peace of mind. Those who regularly practice yoga not only report lower levels of stress and anxiety and subsequently improved academic performance. Improves Memory and Attention Span: Yoga helps to improve the memory function in both adults and children, a direct benefit of which would be a better academic performance in children. It also helps to improve children’s attention span and focus. In fact, yoga aids children suffering from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) as well by reducing its core symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Many children suffering from ADHD are able to reduce their medication with regular yoga practice. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.

Helps to Manage Weight: Children spend long hours in sedentary poses and tend to consume a lot of junk food as well, both of which are a byproduct of the new age lifestyle. Yoga helps to counterbalance this lifestyle. Through regular practice of asanas, children (especially those who are not fond of playing sports) can manage a healthy weight. This helps to curb the problem of childhood obesity at a young age in a salubrious way. Improves Flexibility, Balance and Posture: Sitting down to study for long hours at a time and too much screen time can lead to incorrect posture. This poor posture in childhood can develop into major anatomy complication in adult life. The practice of various asanas on a regular basis leads to correction of posture, enhances flexibility and improves balance as it brings equilibrium to the whole body. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.

Teaches Correct Breathing Techniques: Breathing is fundamental to life and how we breathe is directly related to our overall well-being. Good breathing affects our movement, our posture, and our ability to handle stress in a positive way. Through pranayama and other breathing exercises in yoga, students can learn at a young age how to master the technique of breathing correctly and improve the quality of their life.

Promotes Mindfulness: Mindfulness is simply learning to be in the present. Focusing on your breath or directing your attention to the furthest sounds you can perceive is mindfulness; this can be done at any time of the day – even for a few seconds. Mindfulness enables people to become less anxious

Encourages Self-Love and Self-Care: Yoga promotes healing from the inside rather than looking good on the outside. It teaches people how to respect and love their own bodies – an essential message for young children who are constantly advertised with warped body image ideas on social media. With self-love, comes self-care and yoga can teach these values at a very young age. The children learn to be comfortable in their own skin and nurture it well. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.

Helps to Bring Peace of Mind: The vastness of academic curriculum alone can baffle students and yet, they deal with many other extra-curricular activities and social life as well. By practicing pranayama and mindfulness, students really learn how to handle the anxiety and manage the different aspects of life effectively. The peace of mind stimulates the release of good hormones that have a snowball effect and uplifts the disposition of the child in general.

Improves Self-Control: Through controlled breathing and controlled movement, yoga teaches people self-control. As a result, they do not react impulsively or make hasty decisions even in an emotional state. With selfmastery, a person can keep his or her anger in check and make rational decisions when required. If a young yogi can learn self-control at a young age, indeed, no door can ever be closed for him or her. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.

10. Reduces Absences and Violence in School: Because of good health and balanced temperament, children are less likely to remain absent from school or pick fights with each other over small issues. Instead, they tend to engage more positively in school and develop healthy relationships with their teachers and peers. 11. Enhances Coping Skills: As mentioned before, children are burdened with a lot of stress. Yoga teaches children how to correctly cope with the stress, manage it, and stay productive. This is because the children learn how to breathe deeply and be more mindful. 12. Boosts Immunity and Improves Physical Appearance: Alongside its myriad health benefits, yoga also boosts immunity and prevents attacks from different viruses and bacteria by increasing the levels of antibodies. Yoga promotes blood circulation which can work wonders for the skin, hair and nails. A healthy body feels and looks happy. 13. Improves the Quality of Sleep: Children should sleep for up to 7-8 hours each night. A good night’s sleep allows the body to be healthy, ready, and energetic for the next day. As yoga allows the body and the mind to relax, practitioners notice a better quality in their sleep. With better sleep, children can focus better in class, play more actively, and perform better at examinations. 14. Increases Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem: Yoga is tangible. Through asanas, children build strength, endurance, confidence as well as the mindbody connection. You can self-assess the changes and positivity you feel after having engaged in this for some time. This confidence attained on the yoga mat is then carried into the real world as well along with strength, compassion and acceptance. Yoga is an age-old art but is relevant in present times more than ever before. When it comes to benefits of yoga, this is just the tip of the iceberg. It has multiple gross and fine rewards which can help you live a healthy and joyful life. Gift your child the abundance of yoga and watch as the benefits slowly unfold! These are the amazing benefits of yoga in schools. 5. YOGIC EXERCISES FOR SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN: According to Art of Living Foundation founded by Pandit Ravi Shankar, the exercises proposed for the betterment of motor development of school going children are shown here. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Pranamasana (Prayer pose) Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose) Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose) Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) Dandasana (Stick pose) Ashtanga Namaskar (Salute with eight parts or points) Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) Parvatasana (Mountain pose) Tadasana (Mountain pose) Dhanurasana (Bow pose) Vrikshasana (Tree pose) Marjariasana (Cat pose) Vajrasana (Adamantine pose) Veerbhadrasana (Warrior pose)

International Education & Research Journal [IERJ]

Research Paper

E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 5 | Issue : 8 | Aug 2019

15. Shishuasana (Child pose) 1.

Pranamasana (Prayer pose): Pranamasana is a pose that everybody is familiar with. We do this every day at home when welcoming guests and elders, and at school during prayer time. This posture helps ease the nervous system and gives better balance to the body. This is the first step of the Surya Namaskar. Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose): Though it seems like a simple stretch, Hastauttanasana has multifold benefits. This pose helps strengthen the shoulder and also improves the level of oxygen in the blood. It helps relax the muscles in the neck and back; stretches the spinal cord and helps alleviate back-ache. It is also good for the abdominal muscles as they are stretched and even beneficial for the thyroid gland. This is the second and eleventh step of the Surya Namaskar. Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose): This is an excellent pose to improve blood circulation to the head; and stimulate digestive, nervous and endocrine systems. It also helps stretch the spinal cord and muscles of the back and those in the back-side of legs. This is the third and tenth step of the Surya Namaskar.

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose): Improved motion and flexibility of the hips and legs are the main benefits of this pose. This is the fourth and ninth step of the Surya Namaskar.

Dandasana (Stick pose): In this posture, the entire weight of the body is on the wrists and thus strengthens them. It also strengthens the arms and spine while also aiding in toning the abdomen. This is the fifth step of the Surya Namaskar.

Ashtanga Namaskar (Salute with eight parts or points): Literally translated as salutation with eight limbs, this posture works on eight limbs at once. It reduces tension and anxiety, improves the strength of muscles of the back and also improves the flexibility of the spine. This is the sixth step of the Surya Namaskar.

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose): Bhujangasana opens up the shoulder and neck, tones the abdomen, strengthens the back and shoulder, improves flexibility of the upper and middle back, improves blood circulation and reduces stress and fatigue. This is the seventh step of the Surya Namaskar.

Parvatasana (Mountain pose): This pose stretches the muscles of the calves, hamstring, back and forearms. It also eliminates fatigue and improves memory and concentration. This is the eighth step of the Surya Namaskar.

Tadasana (Mountain pose): Tadasana helps improve awareness, blood circulation and digestion. It also increases energy and enthusiasm. This is the twelfth and final step of the Surya Namaskar.

is the tender age where the child’s dedication to learn will be optimum and this is the age group where every part of learning leads to many years. Hence, the Yoga has the significance for school going children and we can observe that, the untrainees of Yogic exercises would definitely feel the difference in the physical and mental development. REFERENCES: 1.

Savitri S Patil, “Effect of Yoga and Physical Exercises on Various Parameters of Secondary School Students”, Laxmi Book Publications, 2018.

Shirley Telles and Nilkamal Singh, “Research-based perspectives ont eh Psychophysiology of Yoga”, IGI Global Book Series, New Delhi, 2018.

Bel Gibbs, “Yoga for Kids: Fun and Easy Stretching Exercises for Children Aged Three to Eleven Years”, Anness Publishing, 2015.

Shobana R Vinay, “100 Yoga Activities for children: Easy-to-follow Poses and Meditation for the Whole Family”, Simon & Schuster publishers, 2012.

Data retrieved from https://www.jbcnschool.edu.in/blog/benefits-of-yoga-in-schools/

Data retrieved from https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/programs

10. Dhanurasana (Bow pose): This posture helps strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and also makes the back more flexible. It is also a great stress and fatigue buster. 11. Vrikshasana (Tree pose): Vrikshasana brings balance and equilibrium to the mind, enhances concentration and strengthens the hips, legs, back and arms. 12. Marjariasana (Cat pose): This posture helps relax the mind, improves blood circulation and digestion. It also strengthens the wrists and shoulders. 13. Vajrasana (Adamantine pose): Vajrasana is an excellent posture for digesting food and strengthening the nerves of legs and thighs. 14. Veerbhadrasana (Warrior pose): This posture increases stamina, improves balance in the body, and brings courage and peace. It also strengthens and tones the arms, legs and lower back. 15. Shishuasana (Child pose): Shishuasana is an effective posture for relaxing the back and calming down the nervous system. These yoga postures are good for school children and teens as it helps them in their psychological and physical growth. Most of these poses help strengthen various muscles and helps relieve stress, leading to a balanced mind and body. Yoga is not just a workout regime; it is our very nature. And that which is our nature, can help our life blossom even more. 6. CONCLUSIONS: The ancient yoga has revolutionized its applications to almost all stages of life. Every human being has the responsibility to indulge yoga in the day to day living needs. It not only makes the human to physically fit but also mentally a human can be fit by adopting and practicing Yoga. Especially for school going children, the Yoga has the significance to the school going children because, the school age

International Education & Research Journal [IERJ]