Warrior 3 pose (Virabhadrasana 3)
This is a fantastic pose which requires a lot of focus! From a lunge position, bring the weight into the front leg and lift up into Warrior III by extending the back leg behind and flexing the foot while reaching ahead with the arms. Reach through the arms and extend back with your leg trying to keep the body in a straight line. If you wobble, don’t feel judgement, simply move back into the pose gently. Try focus on a still point at the line of the horizon to help you balance. See how quietly you can place down the back foot.
Also challenging children to learn safe flows such as the classical sun salutation can really focus them – as well as building lots of strength in their body! You can find videos to follow along or even find songs which instruct children through sun salutations.
In my experience, there is no overnight fix for a short attention span. It is a skill to be developed and cultivated throughout our lives. When given the opportunity to practise yoga and breath work regularly, children often report feeling more focused, and schools have even seen improved academic outcomes when yoga has been included in their curriculums. Getting good sleep (another thing yoga can help with), eating nutritiously and trying to avoid screens (at least trying to avoid watching multiple screens at once – think social media while watching television) are other ways to help build focus. I would love to hear how you get on with these poses and incorporating yoga into your routine so please get in touch on social media or on my website!
Vic is a specialist children’s yoga teacher, experienced classroom teacher and founder of The Inner Child Yoga School. It’s her mission to share the benefits of yoga with all children. She has an online programme to help children find their focus and a bundle for schools to help them share yoga with their students. She also offers a variety of free resources to help parents and teachers share yoga and mindfulness with children. Find all the resources and more information on www.innerchildyogaschool.com or get in touch on social media @inner_child_yoga_school.
