Yoga for a teenage boy - and getting him to do it

[KielyKiely]

My DS(14) has been diagnosed with depression and is taking medication. I would like him to do some yoga with me to reduce his anxiety and to have something that helps him to ground himself. I'll never get him to a class but I wonder if there is anything appropriatee online. I am thinking of trying to draw up a contract with him - we will support him unfailingly but he needs to agree to some simple steps to help him to help himself. One of them might be some beginner's yoga.

All comments gratefully received x.

[KielyKiely]

"appropriate"...

[Wolfiefan]

A friend online?
Tried any mindfulness?

[merrymouse]

I like Gaiam yoga. However I can't offer any advice on actually getting him to do it.

[littlerach]

How aout this one on YouTube?

The webiste that it came from is very good :)

[IHeartKingThistle]

Would he be happier with something like Tai Chi? X

[PrincessHairyMclary]

Any exercise would be beneficial but fitness blender on youtube are good they do a range of exercises from HIIt, Yoga, Cardio, weight lifting.

[Wolfiefan]

Perhaps the exercise idea needs to partly come from him. What would he like?

[Secondtimeround75]

I would ask him to choose one from a list of activities to help his mental health. Jogging, cycling, youth club, drama group, magazine club ect
I found the couch to 5k excellent, helps me sleep too.
I do yoga but find meditation very hard. I have to keep going or my head gets busy.

If he is only recently diagnosed it might be better to wait until the medication starts to ease his mind.

[hollinhurst84]

I think you need to find what he enjoys
Yoga bores me, and I have depression and generalised anxiety disorder
On the other hand spin classes are amazing, I tune everything out because of the dark and music. Also lifting weights really helps me

[KielyKiely]

Thank you for all of your responses and for your suggestions: I will give them all consideration.

We have been trying to get him to do some sort of exercise that releases some endorphins but that has proven very hard so I saw yoga as a potential way to calm and relax him which might lead to him being in a more receptive mood to some jogging or spinning. I have a spinning bike at home as I spin so it wouldn't be hard for him if we could just get him going on it.

When I speak to him he wants to do nothing - hence the idea of some sort of agreed contract where he agrees to do one or two things out of several suggestions.

Littlerach thanks for the youtube link, I am going to look at that now. xx

[CoteDAzur]

"We have been trying to get him to do some sort of exercise that releases some endorphins"

I love yoga and think it can be really beneficial, but I think you should also consider running - it's a great way to get the endorphins going. You can feel the effects immediately and over the rest of the day. It's an incredible buzz and quite addictive, too. Nothing chases away the blues like a half hour of running to dance music