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Ep294: All about Yoga · Kidcast Daily

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  Welcome to Kick Ass Daily, where we bring news, trivia, fun
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  facts, and more just for curious kids like you.
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  Today, we're diving into the world of yoga.
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  You've probably heard the word yoga before, maybe in school
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  from your parents, or even seen people doing yoga on TV.
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  But what is yoga really? Why do people twist their bodies
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  into all those interesting shapes?
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  And what's the big deal about breathing deeply and sitting
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  quietly? Get comfy, take a deep breath
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  and let's find out together. Yoga is a practice that started
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  a long, long time ago, over 5000 years ago in India.
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  Back then, people wanted to find ways to keep their bodies
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  healthy, their minds calm, and their spirits happy.
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  Yoga was their answer. In the ancient language of
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  Sanskrit, the word yoga means to join or to unite.
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  It's all about bringing together your body, your mind, and your
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  breath. One of the most important things
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  to know about yoga is that it's not just about stretching or
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  being flexible. Yoga is a mix of different
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  activities that help you feel good all over.
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  It includes movements called poses, special ways of
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  breathing, and sometimes even quiet moments of thinking, which
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  is called meditation. Let's start with the poses.
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  In yoga, a pose is called an asana.
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  There are hundreds of different poses, and each one has its own
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  name and shape. Some poses might remind you of
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  things you see in real life, like animals or trees.
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  For example, there's a pose called tree pose, where you
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  stand on one leg and balance just like a tree, standing tall
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  and steady. Another one is cobra pose, where
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  you lie on your belly and push up with your hands so your chest
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  lifts off the ground a bit like a snake raising its head.
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  Here's a fun trivia question. There's a yoga pose named after
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  a bird that stands on one leg. What is the name of this pose?
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  The answer is crane pose. In crane pose, you balance on
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  your hands with your knees resting on your arms, just like
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  a crane bird standing still. Now let's talk about another big
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  part of yoga, breathing. In yoga, special breathing
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  exercises are called pranayama. That's a big word, but it simply
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  means learning to control your breath.
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  Why is breathing so important? Well, taking slow, deep breaths
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  can help you feel more relaxed and focused.
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  Next time you feel nervous before a test or upset about
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  something, try taking a few deep breaths in and out.
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  You might notice yourself feeling a bit calmer.
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  Did you know that when you breathe deeply, your brain gets
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  more oxygen, which helps you think clearly?
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  That's one reason why yoga teachers always say don't forget
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  to breathe. Here's a quick yes or no
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  question. Do you think that yoga is a
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  sport where people compete to win medals?
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  The answer is no. Yoga isn't a competition, it's a
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  personal practice, which means you do it for yourself, not to
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  win or beat anyone else. Yoga also includes something
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  called meditation. This is when you sit quietly,
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  close your eyes and pay attention to your breath or
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  maybe a special word or sound. Meditation helps your mind
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  settle down and can make you feel peaceful even if things
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  around you are busy or noisy. Some people meditate for just a
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  few minutes, while others might do it for longer.
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  You might be wondering who can do yoga?
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  The great news is yoga is for everyone.
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  Kids, teenagers, adults, and even grandparents can all do
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  yoga. You don't have to be super
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  flexible or athletic to start. You just need a little space to
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  stretch out and a willingness to try.
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  Many schools and community centers offer yoga classes for
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  kids. These classes are designed to be
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  fun with music, games, and simple poses.
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  In some schools, students do yoga during the day to help them
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  focus or relax after recess. Yoga can be done on a mat or
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  even on the grass in a park. You don't need any fancy
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  equipment, just comfortable clothes and an open mind.
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  Here's another trivia question. What is the name of the special
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  mat people often use for yoga? To keep from slipping, the
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  answer is a yoga mat. Yoga mats are usually made of
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  rubber or foam and help you stay steady during poses.
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  Let's talk about some of the benefits of yoga.
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  Doing yoga regularly can help make your muscles stronger and
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  your body more flexible. It can also improve your
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  balance, which means you'll be less likely to trip or fall.
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  Yoga has been shown to help people sleep better, feel less
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  stressed, and even do better in school because it helps you
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  concentrate. Did you know that some
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  professional athletes and sports teams use yoga as part of their
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  training? They find that yoga helps them
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  stay flexible and avoid injuries.
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  But you don't have to be an athlete to get the benefits of
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  yoga. Anyone can do it, whether you
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  play a sport or just like to relax and have fun.
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  Here's a yes or no question. Do you think you have to chant
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  or say secret words to do yoga? The answer is no.
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  Some yoga classes include chanting, which means repeating
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  words or sounds. But you don't have to chant to
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  practice yoga. You can simply focus on your
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  breath and your movements. You might also wonder if yoga is
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  the same everywhere in the world.
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  Actually, there are many different styles of yoga.
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  Some types are slow and gentle, while others are fast and
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  energetic. For example, hatha yoga is a
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  style that's great for beginners because it moves through poses
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  slowly and carefully. Vinyas yoga links poses together
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  so you move almost like a dance, and restorative yoga uses props
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  like pillows and blankets to help you relax fully.
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  In India, where yoga started, it's often a part of daily life.
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  There are even huge events called yoga festivals, where
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  thousands of people gather to practice together.
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  Yoga has become popular in many countries, and you can find
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  classes in places like the United States, Canada, Australia
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  and Europe. Here's another trivia question.
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  There is a day celebrated around the world just for yoga.
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  What is it called? The answer is International Yoga
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  Day. It's celebrated every year on
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  June 21st and people all over the world participate in yoga
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  events on that day. Now let's talk about some simple
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  yoga poses that kids like you might want to try.
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  Remember, always listen to your body and never force any
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  movement that feels uncomfortable.
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  Here are three easy poses. 1 Mountain Pose Stand tall with
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  your feet together and your arms at your sides.
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  Take a deep breath and feel your body standing strong and steady.
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  2 Cat Cow Pose Get on your hands and knees.
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  As you breathe in, arch your back and look up.
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  This is cow pose. As you breathe out, round your
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  back and tuck your chin. This is cat pose.
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  This helps stretch your back and feels really good.
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  Three child's pose. Kneel down, sit back on your
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  heels and stretch your arms forward on the floor.
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  Rest your forehead on the ground and take a few slow breaths.
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  This is a great resting pose. If you're curious, you can find
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  many videos and guides online that show safe, simple yoga
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  poses for kids. Or you can ask a grown up to do
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  yoga with you. Here's another yes or no
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  question. Do you need to be able to touch
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  your toes to start yoga? The answer is no.
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  Yoga is about moving your body in ways that feel good for you,
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  not about reaching a certain goal right away.
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  With practice, you might get more flexible, but you don't
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  have to be perfect. To begin, let's finish up with
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  some fun facts. Did you know there are over 84
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  classic yoga poses? But some experts say there could
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  be thousands. Also, yoga is so popular that
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  there are even yoga classes for dogs called Doga.
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  Some people do yoga on paddle boards in the water, which is
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  called Sup Yoga. To recap, today we learned that
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  yoga is an ancient practice from India that brings together your
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  body, mind, and breath. It includes poses, breathing,
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  and sometimes meditation. Yoga is for everyone, no matter
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  your age or ability. It helps keep your body strong,
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  your mind calm, and can even help you focus at school or
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  relax before bed. There are many different styles
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  of yoga and you don't need any special equipment to get
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  started. Thanks for joining us on Kid
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  Cast Daily. Maybe you'll try a yoga pose or
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  two today. Remember, it's not about being
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  the best, it's about having fun and feeling good.
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  Keep stretching, keep breathing, and stay curious.
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  See you next time for more amazing facts and fun.