Turtle Yoga Pose For a Deep Stretch + to Quiet the Mind
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Take a Time-out in Turtle Pose!
Turtle Pose (also called Tortoise Pose) is an intermediate to advanced yoga pose that helps us move inward and quiet the mind. Just as a turtle withdraws into its shell when startled or threatened, Turtle Pose yoga brings us more fully into our inner world and allows us to tune out external distractions.
As this pose brings our attention inward, can explore our internal landscape, releasing stress and finding peace and calm. Let’s take tune into ourselves in Turtle Pose!
The Benefits of Turtle Yoga Pose for Kids
Turtle pose yoga provides a deep stretch for the legs, specifically our thighs, hamstrings and hips. Most of us feel discomfort in these areas due to the excessive time we spend sitting.
Once children leave the playful world of preschool, they are often required to sit for several hours every day. Instead of squatting down to manipulate blocks, toys and other objects, their bodies spend much of the day seated in chairs, carseats and strollers.
Not only is this practice inappropriate for this stage of mental development, it creates an immediate negative impact on physical development and can result in children losing their natural flexibility. This leads to poor posture and other physical misalignments many of us carry into adulthood.
Since most of us have tightness in our hips and legs, practicing some simpler turtle poses can help regain the flexibility before we move into the full expression of the pose. Let’s sing along slowly as we stretch and take long, deep breaths with Rachel!
How To: Turtle Yoga Pose
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
Press down through the backs of the thighs and extend through your heels, flexing the toes.
Widen your legs apart to the edges of the yoga mat, with knees as wide as shoulders.
Bend your knees while keeping your feet flexed and lift your belly away from the thighs.
Extend your chest and arms forward between your legs.
Slide arms beneath the thighs, stretching to the sides as far as possible with palms facing down. Eventually you may bring your shoulders under your knees.
Widen across your chest and release your shoulders toward the floor and away from your ears.
Push your inner heels down and forward to stretch and straighten your legs.
Inhale as you lengthen torso forward and reach arms to the sides.
Exhale as you slowly slide your heels forward along the floor.
Stay for 5-10 breaths.
Tips for Mastering Turtle Pose Yoga
Don’t force the legs to straighten but rather breathe deeply and relax further into the pose with every exhale.
If the hips and legs are tight, begin by keeping the knees bent and focus on lengthening the spine into the forward fold before straightening the legs.
Keep inner thighs hugging inward in contact with your side ribs.
Relax your face, jaw, neck and shoulders and release any expectations. Turtle pose helps us learn to practice patience. Depth in the pose will come over time and a turtle never rushes!
Keep the neck long and in line with the rest of the spine. Eventually you may touch your forehead or even your chin and chest to the floor.
Breathe slowly to calm the nervous system and allow for a deeper stretch.
Kid-friendly Turtle Pose Variations
We can work our way up to the full version of turtle pose by practicing a variation similar to Bound Angle, also known as Butterfly Pose. Bending the knees and bringing the soles of our feet together helps open the hips and also allows us to work on lengthening into the forward bend.
Rather than clasping the hands around the feet as in traditional bound angle, we can reach the arms under the legs and out to the sides to practice this modified turtle pose.
We can prepare our bodies for the deep stretch of the full turtle pose by practicing other hip and leg stretches like Seated Forward Fold, Lizard, and Warrior poses.
Whenever we are stretching tight hips, it is always important to be mindful we are not straining our knees. Happy Baby Pose is a great hip opening pose that basically turns our Turtle Pose upside down.
As we practice lying on our back, we can relax and stretch our hips while avoiding any knee discomfort. Let’s giggle like a happy baby with Rachel:
We can deepen our feelings of safety and grounding in Turtle Pose by adding a hand gesture called Turtle in the Shell. Tuck your thumb into your palm and then close the other fingers down around it into a gentle fist.
If combining this with Turtle Pose, you can bring the fists to the floor with palms facing down. Or we can practice this gesture on its own anytime we want to quiet our minds and bring focus inward. Infuse turtle energy into seated meditation with hands resting gently on the thighs to create calm and stillness.
As you practice, repeat to yourself the affirmation, “I am still and safe.”
Breathing tips for Turtle Pose
Did you know sea turtles breathe every 4-5 minutes? Their lungs extend the almost the full length of their body and expand tremendously with every inhale.
Whether practicing Turtle Pose or Turtle in the Shell, breathe slowly and deeply like a turtle. Imagine breathing with your entire body and see how big and expansive you can be on every inhale and how peaceful and relaxed on each exhale.
Elevate Your Curriculum
Access children's musical yoga and mindfulness resources for your kids? You can:
- Download our app for exclusive videos and educational yoga activities -- with no ads!
- Request a professional development workshop
- Learn to teach yoga with a 30-hour certified kids yoga teacher training
- Inquire about bringing the Yo Re Mi program to your students or family
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