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Yoga for Beginners: Six-Week Intro to Sun Salutations (Middle Grades)

Begin a healthy yoga practice! We start with basic Mountain Pose and progress to a flowing Sun Salutation, building upon each week’s knowledge and understanding.
Tara Swoboda, MA, RYT
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(47)
Class

What's included

6 live meetings
4 hrs 30 mins in-class hours
Homework
1 hour per week. Yogis are encouraged to practice regularly on their own between class meetings.

Class Experience

Welcome, yogis! This is a six-week introduction to Sun Salutations open to yogis of all levels. We start with an overview of what Sun Salutations are and basics of moving with our breath, adding small steps each week to give students a safe and comfortable place to explore movement and balance. Modifications will be offered for students to explore range of motion, balance, and personal preference in poses.

Class Schedule: 6 weeks

Week 1: Introduction to Sun Salutations
Focus Pose: Mountain Pose
Overview: We begin with class introductions and an overview of what to expect each week. Today’s practice is a gentle introduction to matching breath with movement. We’ll master Mountain Pose (tadasana) as a foundational pose, bringing awareness to posture. Our first week of class prepares students for the warm-up portion of the series that we’ll use throughout the weeks ahead.

Week 2: Getting to Chaturanga
Focus Pose: Plank
Overview: We’ll build upon Mountain Pose and our warm-up series to include core-based strength poses like Plank and Chaturanga. We’ll also begin to gently put the pieces of our Sun Salutations together in a flow.

Week 3: Taking a Step Further - Foundations for Lunge Poses
Focus Pose: Kneeling Lunge
Overview: Building upon the basic Sun Salutation foundations in our first two classes, we’ll add beginner-level lunges to the series. We’ll also practice the flow between poses in preparation for our next day of class.

Week 4: Putting It All Together - Full Sun Salutation Practice
Focus Poses: Full Sun Salutations
Overview: Today we’ll bring everything together for a fun and challenging yoga flow class.

Week 5: Fun Spin - Moon Salutations
Focus Poses: Moon Salutations
Overview: Now that we’ve gotten comfortable with various versions of Sun Salutations, we’ll use the familiar poses in a new order as we explore Moon Salutations.

Week 6: Reflections and Yoga Q&A
Our final class will begin with a gentle seated version of Sun Salutations. We’ll invite everyone to share their reflections final Namaste together. You’ll be ready to continue with your newly established yoga routine!

No Yoga Experience or Props Required
New to yoga? Welcome! This course is designed to welcome yogis of all levels, whether you've never reached for the sky before or can easily wrap your arms around your ankles.
Don't have yoga props? That's okay! We'll learn to modify poses to fit each individual’s range of motion. You do not even need a yoga mat to begin a healthy practice. In fact, I'll often practice and demonstrate poses without a mat to show students that you can do yoga with absolutely no props at all.

Focus on Form, Not Sweat
This is not meant to be a workout class that concentrates on breaking a sweat. Rather, this is a safe space to learn and explore yoga poses and build a strong foundational practice. Our goals focus on personal understanding, acceptance, and calm movement.

Regular Practice for Six Weeks
Class meets at the same time weekly to encourage yogis in establishing a regular yoga/movement routine. Students will be muted during practice and are invited to use the chat feature to ask questions of the instructor, otherwise keeping the practice space quiet of background noise while the instructor verbally guides yogis through poses and modifications. I will demonstrate every pose and modification for students and will repeat any pose requested to further guide students. Regular rest and reflection are built into each day's practice, giving students ample opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences with fellow yogis.

English Instruction with Sanskrit Vocabulary
Class is taught entirely in English with occasional Sanskrit vocabulary introduced for common yoga poses. This way students will feel comfortable and prepared to take more advanced yoga courses in the future.

Scaffolded Approach
Each week of this course builds upon knowledge and skills from the previous week’s class. It is recommended that students commit to attending all six consecutive weeks of class to avoid confusion and/or injury as we reach a flowing practice.
Learning Goals
Students will have fun while learning foundational poses for Sun Salutations.
Students will learn to align their breath with motion.
Students will gain confidence, balance, and calm through regular yoga practice.
Students will complete the course with the foundational tools necessary to continue a regular yoga practice.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
This yoga class requires physical activity. Yoga students should plan to participate in a location that provides open space free from sharp objects, loud noises, and visual distractions. Students should have enough open space to stretch their bodies without hitting walls or objects around them. Any floor surface is fine; if practicing on a slick or potentially slippery floor, please wear athletic socks with grip, or go barefoot (our feet are great natural grippers!). Please wear comfortable clothing that is loose enough to move in, but fitted enough so that sleeves and necklines don't accidentally slip off of shoulders. Sweatpants and a t-shirt are great options! Students are welcome to have a water bottle nearby and water breaks will be available regularly throughout the practice. Please also consult with your child's physician regarding any previous injuries or medical concerns before enrolling in a yoga course. This yoga class is intended for beginners and will focus on gentle stretches. There will be no inversions (upside-down poses) or "challenge" poses, as our purpose is to gently introduce students to moving their bodies safely and comfortably in alignment with their breathing. Students will not be asked to disclose any health issues or previous injuries publicly, but parents are welcome to reach out to notify the instructor of any health concerns or restrictions ahead of time and accommodations can be made.
Supply List
Yogis should come to class each day dressed in comfortable attire. Be prepared to move -- don't wear clothing that is too tight or restrictive. Also be prepared to stretch -- don't wear clothing that is so loose that it falls over your face or body when moving or bending.
Yoga mat and props are not required, but yogis are welcome to use a mat or towel if they choose. If you don't have any workout equipment at all, that's perfectly fine!
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined September, 2019
5.0
47reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Instructor
Licensed to teach children's online yoga in the US and internationally
RYT200 (Yoga Teacher Certification)
RYT500 (Advanced Teacher Certification) in progress
Teaching highlight: Hike+Yoga instructor at Big Bear Yoga Festival

Bachelor of Arts - UC Berkeley
Master of Arts - Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
Home Education Diploma - Awarded with Distinction
Outschool ACE Educator

Hi there! I'm a former university literature instructor, a certified yoga teacher, and a mom of two young learners. I started teaching literature classes on Outschool in 2019, then began offering yoga classes when I completed my yoga teacher certification. I teach mostly yoga classes today, but be on the lookout for the occasional throw-back literature class! Whether you're a reader or a yogi, I'm excited to welcome you to my classroom.

I offer beginner-level yoga for kids ages seven years and up. My youth yoga classes are always beginner-level to encourage safety and confidence. Every class focuses on positivity and individual strengths, regardless of how long a student has practiced or what other activities they may do. We each have our own strengths, and every yogi expresses their strengths differently in their poses. I provide a watch-and-copy teaching method in which I demonstrate every pose, then walk students through how to copy what I'm doing themselves. Classes are kept intentionally small to allow for individualized attention and pose modifications. 

I've been practicing yoga for twenty years and enjoy yoga outdoors. My kids enjoy practicing yoga, too! By age four, my son was flipping through illustrated yoga textbooks and practicing every pose from cover to cover. My daughter wasn't very interested in yoga until she started taking karate lessons -- Suddenly, then, yoga was a helpful tool for her to perfect her forms and build strength and confidence. No matter where you are in your yoga journey, you're welcome to practice with me!

WELLNESS CERTIFICATIONS
Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Instructor: 200-hour certification specializing in teaching beginner-level yoga. I'm also working towards my advanced 500-hour certification!
Iyengar Yoga Certification: Specialization in yoga style emphasizing proper alignment and celebrating small points of perfection.
Vegan Nutritionist Diploma: Certified nutritional consultant and meal planner specializing in athletic and family wellness.

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$10

weekly or $60 for 6 classes
1x per week, 6 weeks
45 min

Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
1-8 learners per class

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