Healthy Hoboken: A Free Fitness Adventure For Kids

I didn't actually get in a free workout this week – but a bunch of lucky young Hobokenites did, thanks to Lisa Usherovich of MIMI Kids Yoga (MKY).

When I first heard about kids' yoga, I laughed. Despite being an avid yogi, I couldn't help but wonder what the point is of yoga for children. Can't they just go run around in the park to release energy and stress?

But MKY has convinced me otherwise.

"Kids these days are so stressed out from such a young age," Usherovich says. "They need an outlet. They're always told, 'No, don't do this. Don't talk too loud.' So we do lion's pose, where they roar as loud as they want, for as long as they want."

The classes, held at Sky Club Fitness and Spa, are different from adult yoga classes. Last Thursday there was a free trial for four to six-year-olds. For that age group, Usherovich takes the class on a "yoga adventure."

After starting with a breathing technique—masked as "blowing bubbles"—and singing a hello song that starts with an "om", the students got to choose the destination for the adventure. They picked a candy store.

"Where's the candy store?" Usherovich asked.

"It's in the jungle!" they decided.

"How do we get there?" she replied.

"We take a boat!" And so they moved into boat pose.

Usherovich bases the rest of the poses on things that they "see": if someone sees a dog, they move into down dog; a bug brings on dead bug pose (happy baby).

Most know their favorite poses and are sure to see those animals or objects no matter where the adventure goes. You might see a zebra on the beach, a dolphin in the jungle. It doesn't matter to Usherovich, as long as the kids are engaged and enjoying the class.

Once in the poses, the kids sing age-appropriate songs, such as the ABCs, while holding the poses. "We are playing, but we are doing things that involve strengthening," she says.

What's their favorite part? For some, it's the foot rub that they know is coming during savasana (the relaxation period at the end of class).

Usherovich teaches free classes on Monday mornings at 11 a.m in Pier A Park throughout July. She offers a week of free classes before the beginning of each session (one class per age group) and welcomes everyone to attend an initial class for free, even if they miss the trial week.

"I'm never going to tell someone that you have to pay for the first class that you come to, it's just not right," she says.

I like the way she thinks. If I had kids, I'd be bringing them to a free class. But that's years away, so here's hoping MIMI Kids Yoga is around for a long time to come.

Next week I will be featuring a website, designed by a Hoboken-based trainer, where you can find tons of excellent health tips.