Page 15 - Healthy LEAP into Fitness- Coach's Manual

STRESS MANAGEMENT & RELAXATION

Visualization. Visualization is making a picture in your mind of positive places, hopes, and dreams.
In visualization, we might envision ourselves on a beach, in our dream home, or succeeding at
something really challenging. Sending positive images to the imagination can alter our future line
of thought and block stress from becoming overwhelming in the first place.

Deep Breathing. Much like exercise, deep breathing, or “belly breathing,” has a physiological re-
sponse that alters the chemicals in our brain. Deep breathing helps to lower the heart rate, which
lowers the risk of going into a stress response. The impacts on the heart rate and brain can be felt
instantly through deep breathing. It’s important to make sure that the breath is in the diaphragm
and not the chest.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY: VOLCANO BREATH

TIME MATERIALS
OPTIONAL:
2-5 mins QUIET MUSIC

ACTIVITY
- Sit in a chair, cross-legged on the floor, or stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Place palms together at the heart.
- Take a slow, deep breath through the nose and pause when the lungs are full.
- Hold the pause and bring the arms up over the head.
- Exhale and slowly breathe out, moving arms out to the side and then back together at the heart.

COACH’S NOTES
Not all participants will be able to breathe in through the nose and that’s okay. Option is to think
of someone you would like to send your thoughts to. Picture that person in your mind and send
out thoughts to them in Volcano Breath. Allow individuals to share who they sent their thoughts
to. Another option is to think of something they would like to bring into their life. As they exhale,
they can shower this image around them. Examples include strength, joy, calm, and more.

AFTER THE LESSON, COMPLETE UPFITNFUN.COM WEEK 2 FITNESS ACTIVITY AS A TEAM.

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