Basic poses and breathing techniques
I can perform Downward Facing Dog, Child's Pose and Warrior in any variation I choose.
Basic poses and breathing techniques
I can perform Downward Facing Dog, Child's Pose and Warrior in any variation I choose.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Move: in Downward-Facing Dog, spread your fingers, press heels down, lift hips, keep spine long and engage your core.
- Think: exhaling while deepening the movement helps the body stretch more effectively and achieve greater flexibility.
- Feel: feeling the stretch until it's tight helps you understand your limit, ensuring a safe and effective stretch.
- Connect: a group practice allows a shared sense of calm and unity through synchronised movement and breath.
Keywords
Downward facing dog - hips lift up and back, forming an inverted 'V' shape, pressing heels towards the ground
Child's pose - a resting yoga pose where you kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels and stretch your arms forward on the mat while lowering your head to the ground
Warrior - one leg forward with knee bent and other leg extended back, arms reaching overhead
Common misconception
Holding your breath when performing different moves or going deeper into a stretch is beneficial.
Holding your breath while performing movements or deepening a stretch can create tension, reduce oxygen flow and limit flexibility. Focus on steady, controlled breathing to help the body relax, move safely and maximise the benefits of each pose.
To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Basic poses and breathing techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Basic poses and breathing techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom.
Explore more key stage 4 physical education lessons from the Health and wellbeing: yoga, pilates and mindfulness for life unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
1 yoga mat per pupil, optional: blankets, bolsters and blocks per student, additional material Yoga pose cards and a speaker.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
