Yoga
Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Yoga is a practice that started in India and is now very popular in the United States and around the world. The work yoga means
union
in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Quite simply, yoga is the
union
, or coming together of mind (thoughts and feelings) and physical body. Many people feel an overall sense of well-being when they practice yoga.
There are many aspects to yoga. In short, yoga is a system of physical exercises or postures called asanas. These asanas build strength, flexibility and confidence. Yoga is also about breathing, called pranayama, which helps calm and refresh the body and mind.
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The practice of yoga often include a spiritual or religious connection. For the purposes of this unit, yoga will be experienced only as physical exercise to benefit the body and to experience fun and enjoyment.
Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a form of exercise that increases body strength and flexibility using your own body weight for resistance, with movements such as bending, jumping, swinging, twisting. The word Calisthenics comes from the ancient Greek
kallos
, which means beauty, and
sthenos
meaning strength. Some of the more common calisthenic exercises include lunges, jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and squats.
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Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is movement that gets the blood pumping faster around the whole body. It makes the heart beat faster and requires the lungs take in more oxygen, causing a faster rate of breathing during the exercise. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children get 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. They advise that aerobic activity should make up most of those 60 minutes. Research shows that children who exercise tend to have better heart and lung fitness, lower levels of body fat, stronger bones and muscles, fewer symptoms of depression and better chances of being healthy adults without chronic disease.
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