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Release

Feeling of letting go from confinement, obligation, pain, or emotional strain

  • This workout takes approximately 10 Minutes
  • This workout is for students in Grades 2-3
  • Teacher Resources

Move

  • Type:  Stretch
  • Excercise:  Rag Doll Stretch
  • Target:  Hamstrings + Lower Back
  • Equipment:  None
Workout guide

Steps

1. Stand in NaliniKIDS posture
2. Keep your feet hips width apart and parallel
3. Fold your upper body over at your hips, reaching toward the floor with your arms, keeping your head down
4. Shift your weight forward into the balls of your feet
5. Push your hips up toward the ceiling as you reach your arms down to the floor (imagine a rubber band in each of your hamstrings)
6. Grab ahold of your opposite elbows and let your head hang free (let go of any neck tension!)
7. Hold and focus on your breath, stretching a little deeper each time you exhale

Icon of a body with vibration lines on the sides of it.

How does your body feel after completing the workout?

Icon of a profile view of a person’s head with a speech bubble where the brain would be.

How does your mind feel after completing the workout?

Icon of a question mark.

What does Release mean to you in this moment?

Choose from the additional reflection prompts below to customize this lesson and meet the needs of your students and your time constraints. Create a unique workout experience every time you return to this lesson!

Self-Connection

Past

Have you ever held on to a secret or surprise? How did it feel once you released it?

Present

What does it feel like to release a strong emotion that you've been holding in?

Future

Share a productive way that you could release a strong feeling you are having.

Real-World Connection

Family

How do you release a strong feeling when you're at home?

Learning Environment

What are the rules in your learning environment about releasing strong emotions?

Community

In your community, where can people go to release strong feelings?

Academic Connection

ELA

Draw a butterfly covered in spots. Within each spot, write a word to represent an emotion or sentiment that you would like to release to the world.

Social Studies

In your family or culture, what are some ways that people release emotions?

STEM

What happens to the body when you hold on to emotions, rather than releasing them?

Fun Fact

We may not be aware of everything our bodies release. A person loses about 50 to 100 hairs each day!