Healthy ChildrenHealthy Children

Fitness Fun for Everyone

Parents, please read :Parents, please read :

Notice: The following exercises are designed Notice: The following exercises are designed for for healthy childrenhealthy children. If your child has a . If your child has a disorder or disability which limits activity and disorder or disability which limits activity and movement, please movement, please check with your check with your chiropractor or other healthcare expertchiropractor or other healthcare expert to make sure this program is appropriate for to make sure this program is appropriate for your child’s specific needs. Your doctor may your child’s specific needs. Your doctor may also help you adapt this program for your also help you adapt this program for your child’s use. If any exercise causes sharp or child’s use. If any exercise causes sharp or shooting pain your child should stop the shooting pain your child should stop the activity and let an adult know that they have activity and let an adult know that they have a problem with the exercise.a problem with the exercise.

Straighten Up New Zealand is a Straighten Up New Zealand is a 3-minute3-minute spinal spinal healthhealth program designed to help children feel and program designed to help children feel and look their best. The program is divided into look their best. The program is divided into three three quick sessionsquick sessions: :

• the Star (warm up stretches),the Star (warm up stretches), • the Flying Friends (posture pod), the Flying Friends (posture pod), • the Core Balance (strength and balance).the Core Balance (strength and balance).

Through the help of two friends, Through the help of two friends, Aroha and DanAroha and Dan, , children can learn these daily exercises for promoting children can learn these daily exercises for promoting their spinal health, improving their posture and their spinal health, improving their posture and preventing spinal subluxations and disability.preventing spinal subluxations and disability.

About:About:

Hi Hi BoysBoys and and GirlsGirls ! ! We’re We’re ArohaAroha and and DanDan, and , and

we’re excited to help you we’re excited to help you

learn how to take care of learn how to take care of

your spine. your spine.

We will show you some exercises you can We will show you some exercises you can do do

everyday, called everyday, called SStraightentraighten UUpp

DanAroha

Always remember to stop if any exercise hurts.

First, First, DanDan will teach you how to stand will teach you how to stand like anlike an

• Stand straight and tall Stand straight and tall with your head held high.with your head held high.

• Put your ears, shoulders, Put your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in hips, knees, and ankles in a straight line like Dan.a straight line like Dan.

• Pull your belly button Pull your belly button toward your spine.toward your spine.

INNER WINNERINNER WINNER::

…….and .and ArohaAroha has an exercise you has an exercise you

can do between the others, called can do between the others, called

• Breathe deeply and relax your Breathe deeply and relax your tummy.tummy.

1.1. Let your head hang loosely forward Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the and gently roll it from one side to the other.other.

2.2. Using your fingers, gently rub the Using your fingers, gently rub the back of your neckback of your neck

3.3. Relax your shoulders and gently roll Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward.them backward.

• Do all 3 together for a count of Do all 3 together for a count of 1515 ! !

TRAP OPENERS:

Now let’s start part 1 The Stars

….and remember…

HAVE FUN !!!!

1. The Stars1. The Stars

• SLOWLYSLOWLY tilt your Star to the other tilt your Star to the other side.side.

• Relax at the end of the stretch and Relax at the end of the stretch and DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE IN AND DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE IN AND OUT!!OUT!!

• Repeat both sides Repeat both sides 22 times ! times !

• Stand like an Stand like an Inner Winner, Inner Winner, like like Dan ! Dan !

• Spread your arms and legs into a Spread your arms and legs into a Star, Star, like Aroha.like Aroha.

• Breathe air in as you Breathe air in as you slowly slowly stretch stretch one arm over your head like Dan….one arm over your head like Dan….

Tilting Star

….and slide your other arm down your leg.

• Stand like Aroha again!Stand like Aroha again!

• While you are in the star While you are in the star position, turn your head to look position, turn your head to look at one hand.at one hand.

• SlowlySlowly twist your entire spine twist your entire spine like Dan to watch your hand as like Dan to watch your hand as it goes behind you.it goes behind you.

• Now twist the other wayNow twist the other way

• Relax at the end of each Relax at the end of each stretch, and stretch, and DON’T FORGET TO DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE IN AND OUT!BREATHE IN AND OUT!

• Repeat both sides Repeat both sides 22 times times..

Twirling Star

• Now switch to the other Now switch to the other arm and legarm and leg

• Repeat this Repeat this 1515 times. times.

• Stand like Dan!Stand like Dan!

• Raise your arms in “hands Raise your arms in “hands up” position like Arohaup” position like Aroha

• Bring one of your elbows Bring one of your elbows across your body while you across your body while you raise the opposite knee raise the opposite knee towards ittowards it

Twisting Star

Now let’s do 15 seconds of Now let’s do 15 seconds of trap trap

openersopeners like like ArohaAroha showed showed you at the start.you at the start.

TRAP OPENERS

1.1.Let your head hang loosely forward Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the and gently roll it from one side to the other.other.

2.2.Using your fingers, gently rub the Using your fingers, gently rub the area just below the back of your head area just below the back of your head on your neckon your neck

3.3.Relax your shoulders and gently roll Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward.them backward.

Aroha and Dan think

you’re AWESOME !!Now for part 2,

The Flying Friends

• Put your arms straight out Put your arms straight out and pull your shoulders and pull your shoulders together in the back.together in the back.

• Breathe air inBreathe air in and and slowlyslowly raise your arms until your raise your arms until your hands touch together hands touch together over your head.over your head.

The Eagle

2. The Flying Friends

•Stand like Stand like Dan!Dan!

• Breathe air outBreathe air out and and slowlyslowly lower your arms to your lower your arms to your side.side.• Repeat Repeat 33 to to 55 times. times.

• Bend at your waist from Bend at your waist from side to sideside to side while you keep while you keep the circles going. the circles going.

• Keep it going while you count to Keep it going while you count to 1010!!

The Hummingbird

•Stand like Stand like DanDan•Put your arms out to the sidePut your arms out to the side

•Bend your elbowsBend your elbows

•Pull your shoulder blades Pull your shoulder blades togethertogether• Make small Make small backward backward circlescircles with your with your armsarms

• Put your arms behind Put your arms behind your head and gently your head and gently pull your elbows pull your elbows backward, like Aroha.backward, like Aroha.

• Slowly Slowly and and gentlygently press press your head against your your head against your hands while you count to hands while you count to 2, 2, like Danlike Dan..

TheButterfly

• Stand like Stand like Dan!Dan!

•Relax and breathe.Relax and breathe.

•Repeat this Repeat this 33 times. times.

Let’s do 15 seconds of Let’s do 15 seconds of trap trap

openersopeners again!! again!!

TRAP OPENERS

1.1.Let your head hang loosely forward Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the and gently roll it from one side to the other.other.

2.2.Using your fingers, gently rub the Using your fingers, gently rub the area just below the back of your head area just below the back of your head on your neckon your neck

3.3.Relax your shoulders and gently roll Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward.them backward.

Are you having fun like Aroha?!!

Get ready for part 3, Core

balance

3. Core Balance3. Core Balance

• Keep your front knee over your Keep your front knee over your ankle (not over your toes).ankle (not over your toes).

• Keep it going while you count to Keep it going while you count to 2020 ! !

• Repeat with the other foot Repeat with the other foot forward.forward.

Tight Rope • Stand like Stand like Dan!Dan!•Pretend the floor in front of Pretend the floor in front of you is a tight rope high in the you is a tight rope high in the air. air. •Take a step forward on the Take a step forward on the tight rope.tight rope.

• Stand like Dan with Stand like Dan with your feet wider than your feet wider than your shoulders.your shoulders.

• GentlyGently circle your body circle your body from side to side.from side to side.

• Let your arms flap back Let your arms flap back and forth and shift your and forth and shift your weight from knee to weight from knee to knee.knee.

• Keep it going while you Keep it going while you count to count to 1515!!

Washing Machine

• Stand like DanStand like Dan

• Now lean to one side Now lean to one side like Aroha until your like Aroha until your elbow can rest on your elbow can rest on your knee.knee.

• Breathe in air and slowly Breathe in air and slowly raise your other arm raise your other arm above your head so your above your head so your body makes a trianglebody makes a triangle

• Feel it stretch down Feel it stretch down your side!!your side!!

• Count to Count to 1010 and then do and then do the other side!the other side!

The Triangle

The ShakesThe Shakes

Count to

Count to 1515

while you

while you

shake your

shake your

hands & fe

et.

hands & fe

et.

Check out www.straightenup.org.nzwww.straightenup.org.nz for more about Straighten Up.