This week have some fun with your students in class by introducing some simple exercises to sharpen up the brain and relieve some body tension. You will be introduced to ten different brain gym exercises –below Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these exercises as they have a proven record of being beneficial. If done consistently they can have a tremendous impact on well-being. Brain gym – simple exercises for a better mind and bodyUSING BRAIN GYM: THE EXERCISES. The following are examples of key Brain Gym exercises. They are all very simple and each only takes a few minutes at most. The more you use them, the more your brain will respond. BELLY BREATHING: Place your hands on your abdomen. Exhale through your mouth in short little puffs, as if you are keeping a feather in the air, until your lungs feel empty. Now inhale deeply, filling yourself like a balloon beneath your hand. (By arching your back slightly you can take in even more air.) Then slowly and fully exhale. Repeat this inhalation and exhalation, establishing a natural rhythm, during the course of three or more breaths. ** This improves the supply of oxygen to the entire body. It relaxes the central nervous system while increasing your energy levels. It can help improve both reading and speaking abilities. BRAIN BUTTONS: Rest one hand over your navel. With the thumb and fingers of the other hand, feel for the two hollow areas under the collarbone, about one inch out from the centre of the chest. Rub these areas vigorously for 30 seconds to one minutes, as you look from left to right. ** This stimulates the carotid arteries which supply freshly oxygenated blood to the brain. They help re-establish directional messages from parts of the body to the brain, improving reading, writing, speaking and the ability to follow directions.
COOK’S HOOK-UPS:
Start by sitting in a chair, resting your left ankle on top of your right knee. Grasp your left ankle with your right hand and the ball of your right foot with your right hand. As you inhale, place your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, about one-quarter of an inch behind your front teeth. Relax your tongue as you exhale. Close your eyes and rest in this posture for four to eight complete breaths. Now uncross your legs, placing your feet flat on the floor. Lightly steeple the fingertips of both hands together, as if you were enclosing a ball. Keep your eyes closed as you continue to lift your tongue on the inhalation and lower it on the exhalation, relaxing in this position during the course of four to eight complete breaths. ** This exercise connects the two hemispheres of the brain and strengthens the body’s electrical energy, particularly in stressful environments such as offices. Reported benefits are increased vitality and improved self-esteem.
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August 2017
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