Lesson 3.1: BOOM MIND Class Segment Overview

Let’s take a deeper look at each of these segments:

Warm-Up

The Mindful warm-up has three components:

1. Centering
2. Breathwork
3. Movement

Centering:

Centering determines a class intention by deciding on an action or goal. Think about what you want to accomplish in your workout and set the intention at the beginning of the class to affect the purpose and outcome of the workout. Setting an intention is a simple way to bring mindfulness to the workout.

Example: After you have prepared your BOOM MIND workout, what two to three goals do you want to focus on? Strength, balance, lengthening, breath awareness, endurance, and flexibility are a few examples. Prepare the mind with a few keywords or phrases to remember while maintaining that focus or intention during the exercise. Practice the breath while performing the exercise in your mind.

Breathwork:

After an intention is set, guide participants in awareness of the breath. Cue participants to keep eyes open for stability, or for more challenge, the eyes may relax. Take a few moments to observe the breath before movement begins.

Movement:

Choose range of movement exercises that work multiple planes and body positions at lower intensity than the actual workout. Utilize Pilates, yoga, and athletic stretch exercises that will prepare the participants for the exercises they will be doing in the work portion of the class. Incorporate movement with breath by joining lengthening movements with the inhale, and folding or contracting movements with the exhale.  For example, “inhale the shoulders toward the ears, and exhale pulling the shoulders down the back.” Elevate core temperature and increases blood flow to working muscles. Introduce basic spinal movements and pelvic alignment cues to prepare members to be mindful of posture.

Work

As you prepare the movement block you want to teach, develop a class plan. Know how and where the movement will end and how you will cue the participant to get there. What is the action to be performed? What cues will teach the action, perfect the movement, correct in a positive and motivating way, and commend for the effort?

• Select how many work blocks will be used in your BOOM MIND class depending on the overall class length (three blocks of six minutes each for a 30-minute class; four blocks of six minutes each for a 45-minute class, as an example).
• Each block should combine appropriate exercises and poses to reflect the flow and breathwork of the discipline it represents. For example, a yoga block would consist of appropriate exercise postures from the yoga discipline and the breathwork appropriate for those movements. The same with a Pilates focused block or an athletic stretch focused block. Often there is crossover between the postures and exercises.
• The exercises in each block should complement each other as well as balance the entire class structure.
• For ease of transitions, consider creating blocks of exercises, postures or stretches with the same or similar starting position (e.g., standing, seated, supine, prone, plank).
• Draw upon the class intention that was set during the centering warm-up.
  
  • For example, if the intention was stability, lead standing tree pose. Imagine great stability as you spread your toes and anchor into the earth, strong in your roots and up through your trunk. Lengthen upward toward the sky. Lift your head and your heart.  Notice the gentle sways. Even when the tree is still, its flexibility allows it to move and sway with strength and grace. Breathe in deeply through your nose. Exhale through your nose and relax your shoulders. Strong and stable.
• Incorporate functional movement variations such as bend and lift, rotations, push and pull.
  
  • Examples:
    • Standing strength block: warrior 2 + extended angle + reverse warrior
    • Standing balance block: tree pose + pyramid pose + warrior 3
    • Seated rotations/twists block: the saw + spinal twist + spiraling gate pose
    • Hands and knees: spinal balance + child’s pose + cat-cow
    • Supine core block: single-leg stretch + shoulder bridge + scissors
    • Supine core block: the hundred + the roll-up + leg circles
    • Supine: bent knee spinal twist + hamstring stretch + dead bug
    • Prone core block: swimming + cobra + breaststroke
    • Side lying block: side leg kick + low side plank + side leg circles

Cool-Down

While a traditional cool-down is likely not needed in a MIND class, the cool-down segment is an opportunity to work at a slower place and prepare participants for the final stretch. Consider incorporating balance poses, coordination exercises, or additional breathwork to set the stage for more restorative exercises.

Final Stretch

The final stretch reduces the intensity of activity through slower movements, presenting an opportunity to address any remaining muscle groups. Poses with folds and length may be appropriate here. Hold each exercise for three to five breaths.

Relaxation

Depending if class is all standing, all floor work, or a combination, relaxation will end accordingly in the position. A standing relaxation may incorporate sweeping breath exercises. A seated or supine relaxation may incorporate more restorative poses. Breathing exercises, affirmations, and silence could all be appropriate conclusions to your class.