Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a method of playing a yoga game. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of obtaining a playing surface sized to receive a person; wherein the playing surface further includes multiple spaces with illustrations of various yoga poses, obtaining a plurality of cards that have illustrations of various yoga poses; selecting a predetermined number of cards; mimicking an illustration of one of the selected cards, and mimicking the same illustration on the selected card without looking at the selected card.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 60/447,937 filed on Feb. 14, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a game for teaching yoga positions and in particular to an instructional game utilizing a mat and cards to teach the techniques and benefits of various yoga positions.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A popular activity related to overall physical fitness and well-being is the practice of yoga. Generally, yoga is the practice of controlled bodily movements usually accompanied with deep breathing. Various yoga positions provide the benefits of increased physical flexibility, strengthened and toned muscles, improved digestion, improved balance, relief of stress, improved concentration and reduced fatigue.  
         [0006]     When yoga first became popular, the primary participants were adults hoping to improve their overall physical fitness and mental well-being. Yoga was considered an excellent opportunity to relieve tension and stress from an adult&#39;s fast-paced life. However, yoga can provide physical and mental benefits to all types of participants, including children and disabled persons. Many children today are subjected to high levels of stress and pressure to perform well in academic and extra-curricular activities. Furthermore, recent studies and reports have illustrated the damaging results of fast-paced lifestyles, namely poor nutrition and lack of physical activity that cause obesity, even in children.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, programs are continuing to develop that help reverse the damaging effects of fast-paced lifestyles. Classes focusing on improved nutrition and physical fitness are springing up in schools across the country. People are taking a renewed interest in promoting a healthy lifestyle in hopes of developing good habits that their children will follow for a lifetime.  
         [0008]     The benefits and advantages of yoga align closely with a healthy lifestyle and provide the same benefits to children as they do to adults. However, encouraging the practice of yoga with children encounters an additional set of obstacles. The practice of yoga must compete with the television, video games, and action-packed sports, such as hockey and basketball, for the short attention span of the child. Furthermore, the various bodily positions commonly associated with yoga may be too challenging for young participants who have yet to fully develop control of their body.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, there is a recognized need to teach children the techniques and benefits of the practice of yoga while retaining their interest and encouraging physical accomplishments at an individualized pace.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention is an instructional game that teaches the techniques and benefits of yoga to participants, preferably children. In an embodiment, the game includes a playing surface including illustrations of various bodily poses and a plurality of cards having top and bottom faces. The top face of the cards includes illustrations of various bodily poses, which may or may not correspond to the poses on the playing surface. The game may also include a random selection device including a plurality of numbers and a plurality of corresponding actions. Methods for playing the game of the present invention are also provided. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a mat including multiple spaces with illustrations of various yoga positions;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are top views of two examples of cards having illustrations of various yoga positions;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are top views of two additional examples of cards having illustrations of various yoga positions;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top view of an action spinner of the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a carrier holding components of the game of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , an instructional game to teach the techniques and benefits of yoga includes a playing surface  10  is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, the playing surface  10  is generally a rectangular mat  10 . The mat  10  may be a sticky yoga mat typically used in the fitness industry for practicing yoga techniques. The mat  10  measures generally twenty-four (24) inches wide by fifty (50) inches long. A 24″×50″ mat  10  is typically considered an appropriate size for a child. An adult may utilize a larger mat  10 . The size, shape and texture of the mat  10  are not limited to the descriptions given above.  
         [0018]     Positioned around a peripheral edge of mat  10  are a plurality of spaces  12 . Each space  12  includes a printed boundary  14 , a graphic illustration of a bodily pose  16  and a title  18  of the pose  16 . As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the mat  10  includes twenty-four spaces  12  each illustrating a different bodily pose  16 . The number of spaces  12  is only illustrative and not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The rectangular center of the mat  10  remains clear of any printing and is used to practice the yoga techniques of the instructional game.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the game also includes a plurality of cards  20 . In an embodiment, the cards  20  include top and bottom faces, with the top faces being shown in the figures. The top faces are imprinted with a photographic illustration of a bodily pose  22 , a title  24  of the pose  22 , and a description  26  of executing the pose  22 . The illustrations depicted on cards  20  are not intended to be limited to those shown and described.  
         [0020]     In an embodiment, the game includes twenty-four circular cards illustrating twenty-four different bodily poses  22 . Again, the quantity and shape of the cards are in no way limiting. Furthermore, the bodily poses  22  illustrated on the cards  20  correspond to the bodily poses  16  illustrated on the mat  10 . However, there may be illustrations on cards  20  that are not shown on the mat, or vice versa. The mat depicted on cards  20  is illustrated and colored to clearly represent the correct relationship between the pose and the mat. The bottom face (not shown) may include an attractive decorative design to make the cards interesting and fun for a child.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the game further includes a random selection device  28 , such as an action spinner  28 . The action spinner  28  includes a plurality of numbers  30  and a plurality of actions  32 . Each action  32  corresponds to a predetermined number  30 . The numbers  30  and actions  32  are positioned in a circle about a dial indicator  34 . A participant of the instructional game spins the dial indicator  34 . The dial indicator  34  eventually stops spinning and an arrow  36  at the tip of the dial indicator  34  points to a number  30  and corresponding action  32 . In an embodiment, the action spinner  28  includes the numbers one through six. The action spinner  28  may also include actions  32  such as “smile”, “eyes closed”, “moving”, “five breaths”, “eyes open”, and “still”.  
         [0022]     In accordance with the present invention, the instructional game may also include at least one game piece (not shown) and a timing device (not shown). The game piece and timing device may be utilized in various alternative embodiments for playing the instructional game to be described in further detail below.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the instructional game may be provided with a carrier  38 . In an embodiment of the invention, carrier  38  is made of clear plastic and includes a strap  40  for carrying the game. A zipper  42  may also be provided for opening and closing the carrier  38 . The carrier  38  is able to store the various components of the instructional game, including the mat  10 , the cards  20  and the action spinner  28 . Additionally, a separate container for the cards  20  (not illustrated) may also be included. The carrier  38  is an optional feature to include with the game and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0024]     There are several alternative methods for playing the instructional yoga game. Some methods are for a single participant and other are for multiple individual participants or teams. In preparation for playing any of the games, each participant may be instructed to perform warm-up breathing exercises by breathing in and out slowly through his nose with his mouth closed. For example, each participant should breathe at least five times in a comfortable seat position.  
         [0025]     One example of a method for playing the instructional yoga game for a single participant includes the use of the mat  10 , the cards  20  and the action spinner  28 . In an embodiment, the participant shuffles the cards  20  and selects a predetermined number of cards  20 . The participant then looks at the cards  20 , says the title of the pose  24  on the card  20  and performs the pose  22  shown on the mat  10 . Preferably, the participant holds the pose  22  for a predetermined number of breaths. Once the pose  22  of each card  20  has been practiced, the participant turns over the cards  20  and practices the poses  22  on the mat  10  again without looking at the cards  20 . The goal is to memorize the various yoga poses  22 . To make the game more challenging, the participant may include use of the action spinner  28 . After practicing the poses  22 , the participant spins the action spinner  28  and incorporates the selected action  32  with performance of the pose  22 . The same action  32  may be performed with each memorized pose  22  or a new action  32  may be selected for each card  20 . Alternative games that encourage a child to practice and memorize the various bodily poses  16 ,  22  shown on the mat  10  or the cards  20  are also contemplated by the present invention. The description of this one game is not meant to limit the scope of the invention.  
         [0026]     In accordance with the present invention, the instructional yoga game also includes methods for playing with multiple participants or teams. To simply learn the various bodily poses  16 ,  22  a leader may be selected. The leader may be selected with the assistance of the action spinner  28  or other criteria such as the youngest or oldest participant, for example. The leader would select a card  20  and demonstrate the pose  22  on the mat  10 . When the leader recites a code word, such as “yogateers” each participant practices the pose  22  together around the mat  10 . When the leader recites the code word again, everyone sits down and the position of leader rotates to another participant in the group. The demonstration and group practice are repeated until all the cards  20  have been utilized.  
         [0027]     An alternative game includes the use of the mat  10  and the action spinner  28 . Each participant begins at a predetermined space  12  on the mat  10 . One of the participants may be selected to begin the game with the use of the action spinner  28  or other criteria. The first participant spins the action spinner  28  and moves a game piece (not shown) the selected number  30  and performs the bodily pose  16  shown on the mat  10 . The pose  16  is held for a predetermined time or number of breathes. To make the game more challenging, the participant also incorporates the action  32  corresponding to the selected number  20  when performing the pose  16 . This sequence is repeated among the other participants until one participant reaches a predetermined space  12  marking the end of the game. As further alternatives, the participants could utilize the timing device (not shown) or use their physical bodies as a substitute for the game pieces (not shown).  
         [0028]     A further example of playing the instructional yoga game with multiple participants includes the use of the action spinner  28  and the cards  20 . In an embodiment, a first participant selects a predetermined number of cards  20  and spins the action spinner  28  to select an action  32 . The participant then practices the poses  22  of each card while incorporating the action  32 . The participant then turns over the cards  20  to avoid seeing the poses  22  and the game proceeds with another participant. After each participant has selected cards  20 , selected an action  32  and practiced their poses  22 , play resumes with the first participant. The first participant practices the poses  22  with the action  32  from memory. A fellow participant reviews the cards  20  for accuracy. If the first participant correctly performs each pose  22  and action  32  the participant retains possession of the cards  20 . However, if any of the poses  22  are performed incorrectly, the participant&#39;s cards  20  are returned to the pile. Again, the game proceeds with another participant. After each participant attempts to perform the poses  22  from memory, play continues by repeating the sequence until all of the cards  20  have been retained by participants. The participant with the highest number of cards  20  is deemed the winner.  
         [0029]     Finally, other alternatives may be incorporated into the described games to make the games more exciting and interesting to the participants. For example, the games can be played as teams or by creating a yoga sculpture by joining participants together in various poses  16 ,  22 . Participants could be encouraged to learn and memorize the benefits of each pose  16 ,  22  or to determine the number of body parts that contact the mat for each pose  16 ,  22 . A participant could select a card  20  and perform the pose  22  on the mat  10  under a blanket (not shown) while the remaining participants attempt to guess the pose  16 . Further suggestions include a game with only two participants where one participant is a leader that demonstrates a pose  16 ,  22  while the second participant demonstrates a mirrored image of the same pose  16 ,  22 . Contemplated by the present invention are any games or techniques that practice and teach the various poses  16 ,  22  of yoga.  
         [0030]     The present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative of the best modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. This description of the invention should be understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements described herein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application to any novel and non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application.