Mat Level 1 Flashcards
The Hundred
- Bend Knees into the chest
- Lift head and shoulders
- Lift Arms at sides to height of hips
- Bring legs to 45 degree angle
- Pump the arms up and down vigorously
- Inhale for 5 pumps
- Exhale for 5 pumps
The Roll Up
- Lie flat on the mat
- Flex the deer, legs together
- Lift Arms to the ceiling, in line with the shoulders
Movement/Choreography
•Lift Head through the Arms
•Roll up off the mat and forward over the legs
•Roll back to the mat (with control)
The Roll Over
- Bring arms to the mat, alongside the body
- Bend Knees to the chest and extend to the ceiling (90 degrees)
Movement/Choreography
•Press arms firmly into the mat, curl the tailbone off the mat, and lift the legs over the head so that the balls of the feet are on the mat behind the head
•Open the legs shoulder width apart
•Roll down through the spine one vertebrae at a time
•Legs arrive back at 90 degrees, not on mat
•Bring the legs back together
Single Leg Circles
- Bend one leg into the chest and extend to the ceiling (90 degrees)
- Other legs stays on the mat with flexed foot
- Arms on mat at sides
Movement/Choreography
•Take the leg slightly across the other leg
•Circle the leg down, around, and back where it started
Rolling Like a Ball
- Bend the Knees to the chest, hands behind thighs and rock up
- At front end of mat, sit with Knees bent
- Hands take hold of the ankles
- Lean back a bit and find balance
- Feet together, knees apart, curve the back
Movement/Choreography
•Roll back to the tips of the shoulder blades
•Rock back up to starting position
Ending/Transition
•Place the feet on the mat
•Center yourself back from front of mat
•Roll down with control
Single Leg Stretch
- Bend the Knees into the chest
- Lift the Head and shoulders
- Place the hands on one shin, stacked
- Extend the other leg to 45 degrees
Movement/Choreography
•Pull the knee into the chest, reaching the other leg long
•Change legs
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees into the chest (keep them here to transition)
•Place the Head on the mat
Double Leg Stretch
- Lift the Head and shoulders
- Bend the Knees to the chest
- Place both hands on shins (one on each leg)
Movement/Choreography
•Extend Arms to ceiling, legs to 45 degrees (simultaneously)
•Circle the arms around as the Knees bend to the chest (simultaneously)
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees to the chest (keep them there to transition)
•Place Head on the mat
Scissors
- Lift the Head and shoulders
- Extend one Leg to the ceiling, hands take hold of the calf
- Extend the other leg to 45 degrees
Movement/Choreography
•Pull the leg into the chest, reaching the other leg long
•Pulse the leg two times
•Change legs
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees into the chest (keep them there to Transition)
•Place head on mat
Lower/Lift
- Lift the Head and shoulders
- Place hands behind the head, stacked with wide elbows
- Extend legs to 90 degrees
Movement/Choreography
•Lower the legs to 45 degrees
•Lift legs back up to 90 degrees
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees into the chest (keep them there to transition)
•Place head on mat
Criss-Cross
- Lift Head and shoulders
- Place the hands behind the head, stacked
- Extend one Leg to 45 degrees, reaching long
- Twist the opposite shoulder to the bent Knee
Movement/Choreography
•Change legs and turn to the other side in three counts
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees into the chest
•Place the Head on the mat
•Return the hands and feet to the mat completely
Spine Stretch Forward
- Bend the Knees into the chest and rock up to sitting
- Legs on mat, mat width apart
- Feet flexed
- Arms lifted to shoulder height and width
Movement/Choreography
•Sit up tall
•Lower the head between the arms and curl the upper body forward
•Roll back up tall
Ending/Transition
•Lower Arms and rest
Open Leg Rocker
- Move forward to the front of the mat
- Sit with the Knees bent and legs in a V-shape - feet together and knees are just outside shoulders
- Arms in between the Knees, and hands take hold of the ankles
Movement/Choreography
•Lean back a bit, find balance, and extend both legs to a V-shape
•Curve the Lower back
•Roll back to the tips of the shoulder blades
•Rock back up to starting position
Ending/Transition
•Bend your Knees, place your feet on the mat
Corkscrew
- Bring legs together
- Roll down to the mat with control (straight or bent legs)
- Bring arms to sides on mat
- Bend Knees to chest and extend to the ceiling
Movement/Choreography
•Circle the legs from one side, forward, around to the other side, and return to starting position
•Reverse
•Level 1- hips stay down
•Level 2- Legs make a larger circle and sacrum lifts as they return to center
•Level 3- Jackknife legs to parallel position to the floor. Twist the torso when lowering and lifting the circling legs
Ending/Transition
•Bend the Knees in the chest
•Bring feet to the mat
The Saw
- Bend the Knees into the chest and rock up to sitting
- Legs on mat, mat width apart
- Feet flexed
- Arms lifted to a “T” position
Movement/Choreography
•Sit up tall
•Turn to one side, bring the arm across the body and curl over the leg, reaching towards the outside of the foot. Back arm reaches up, with palm to ceiling
•Roll back up tall to the center and hold for a count
•Other side
Ending/Transition
•Lower arms and rest
Swan Preparation
- Lie down on front
- Legs hip width apart and parallel
Movement/Choreography
•Stack hands on top of each other with forehead resting on them
•Lift Lower abdominals off of mat
•Hover the upper body off the mat (hands and forehead still connected)
•Return to mat
Ending/Transition
•Sit back onto heels in resting position
