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Yoga for Teens Card Deck contains forty cards
illustrating the author’s favorite yoga poses. Based on the author’s 2007 book
Breathe: Yoga for Teens, the card deck consists of fifty cards in total. In addition to the poses, the deck
has an introductory card which explains how to use the yoga cards, six "Yoga to Go" cards, a card on meditation prompts and breathing techniques, an index card, and a glossary card that contains definitions for such words as
asana and mudra. Twenty inches in length and sixteen inches wide, these colorful, sturdy cards can be propped up on the cardboard stand included in the deck.
After reading the introductory card, readers can follow the author’s advice and start with some warm-up poses such as Lotus, Butterfly, Mountain or Lightning Bolt. They can choose an easy pose rated
one lotus, like the Cat/Cow pose, or a more difficult pose like the Standing Forward Bend, which is rated three lotuses. Recommended hold times are given on each card, as is a Pose Check and an explanation of how to do the poses, both in point form. The female models doing each pose are labeled with reminders as well. For example, on the card Cow Face, an arrow points to the model’s head stating “lean the head back slightly.” These are good reminders for beginners as well as more advanced yogis.
The tab divider after the Warm Up section is labeled "Work In." The twenty-five blue cards in this section include Warrior One, Triangle, Upward Dog, and Plank. These poses will help “improve your outlook and balance, create focus and strength of mind, and tone your body.” Ideas for best transition poses and counter-poses are labeled on the back of all the cards, as well as ways to modify the poses to suit experience levels. Card sixteen suggests making the Plank pose easier by bring your knees to the mat, and to make the pose more challenging by lifting one arm and the opposite leg. There are six cool-down poses included in the Wind Down card section. Pigeon, Reclined Twist
and Fish are a few of the poses that can be used at the end of a yoga practice.
These photographic-quality cards are very inviting. The instructions are comprehensible, and the poses look like fun. The deck design comes in handy for those who want to learn one pose at a time and for those who want to pull out lots of cards and mix the poses around to design their own routine.
Inquiring minds will not be daunted by Yoga for Teens Card Deck. The beginner will find the card information helpful for its proper technique tips, while advanced yogis can enjoy reading about the benefits of each pose and trying the transition suggestions and the more challenging poses. My favorite card in the deck lists the top three poses to try when it’s time for bed, when you have a headache, and when you need to stretch your back.
I Love Yoga: Yoga for Kids and Breathe: Yoga for Teens were Mary Kaye Chryssicas’s first books. A registered teacher with Yoga Alliance, Mary Kaye Chryssicas lives and teaches yoga in Boston.
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Yoga for Teens Card Deck