Yoga and You 　瑜伽与你

 

　　When you hear the word “yoga,” do you think of a person with his legs twisted up like a pretzel? If so, it may seem like yoga is very complicated or just for adults. Not true!

 

　　Kids and teens can do yoga for the same reasons grown-ups do: because it feels good to stretch(伸展) out your body, slow down your breathing, and relax your mind. Yoga can help you feel calmer when life is busy and stressful.

 

　　一听到“瑜伽”这个词，你是否就会联想到一个人将自己的腿扭成椒盐卷饼那样呢？这样想来，瑜伽似乎很复杂，更像是专门给大人练习的。其实并不是这样！

 

　　儿童和青少年也有和大人们一样的练习瑜伽的理由：因为伸展身体、放缓呼吸以及放松精神的感觉很棒。当你感觉生活紧张、压力重重的时候，瑜伽可以让你平静下来。

 

　　What You Need 你需要——

 

　　Any time you start a new exercise routine it's a good idea to check with a parent. A yoga class can be a great way to get started because the instructor can teach you how to get into the poses.

 

　　Find a large enough space with few distractions. No TV or people, if possible. Wear comfortable workout clothes and no shoes or socks. A yoga mat(垫子) can be helpful because it cushions(缓冲) a bit and keeps your feet from slipping. Yoga should not hurt, so go slow and ease into position. Go only as far as you comfortably can.

 

　　无论任何时候，当你要开始一项新的锻炼安排，和父母谈谈总是好的。上瑜伽课程是个不错的开始，因为导师会教你怎样做动作。

 

　　找一个足够大而且没有什么干扰的地方，最好没有电视或人。穿上舒适的健身服，不要穿鞋袜。瑜伽垫很有用，因为它起到一定的缓冲作用，并防止脚部滑动。瑜伽不应该让你感到疼痛，所以你要慢慢地、舒服地摆姿势。尽量做，舒服就行。

 

　　Why Yoga for Stress? 为什么选择瑜伽减压？

 

　　When you get stressed or nervous, many things can help you feel better. Talking with someone—a parent or friend—is a great idea because they can help you figure out what's wrong and start coming up with solutions.

 

　　In addition, you can ease(减轻，放松) stress through exercise. You probably know exercise is good for your health, but it's also a proven way to put you in a better mood. So it makes sense that yoga is a favorite activity among people who want to feel stronger and more relaxed.

 

　　Yoga includes a lot of stretching, but that's not all—yoga also focuses on breathing and meditation(沉思，冥想), which means thinking calm thoughts. Practicing yoga is a chance to learn stretching/breathing/thinking skills that you can use to calm yourself down the next time you feel worried. In other words, yoga can help your body stay loose and relaxed when things heat up!

 

　　感到有压力或紧张的时候，很多事情可以让你放松下来。跟家长或朋友聊聊就是一个不错的方法，因为他们可以帮你发现问题所在，找出解决办法。

 

　　另外，你还可以通过体育锻炼减轻压力。你也许知道体育锻炼对身体有好处，但人们已经证实运动还可以令人心情更加舒畅。顺理成章，瑜伽备受那些希望变得更强壮和放松下来的人士喜爱。

 

　　瑜伽包含大量伸展动作，但它远不止如此——瑜伽还注重呼吸和冥想，也就是冷静思考。练习瑜伽让你有机会学习伸展、呼吸以及思考的技巧。下次当你感到忧虑的时候，便可以通过这些技巧使自己镇静下来。换句话说，在事情一团糟的时候，瑜伽能够让你的身体保持舒展放松。