In this class focus on the breath. Start with the pillar warm up and take time to place the hands on the side ribs and back ribs to fully connect to ribcage or thoracic breathing. Then emphasize breath in all of the exercises. Breath loud for your students to hear the rhythm of the breath to help them to deepen the breath and intensify the energizing nature of the matwork. Have them ‘roll the breath out of the lungs’ as they doing rolling movements and have them focus on ‘drawing the navel to the spine’ and ‘breathing into the lower back ribs’ as they inhale. Have them ‘wring the air out of the lungs’ on the exhale in criss cross. In other words use every breathing cue you know and teach breathing throughout the whole class.
In the side kicks where no specific breath is instructed, remind your students to stay aware of their breath as they breathe in whatever rhythms feel good to their bodies remaining aware of keeping the breath deep and full. Then at the end of class keep reminding the studens to breath deeply as they stretch and once they relax draw their awareness inward to the natural flow of the breath and to ideally allow it to be initiated from the powerhouse, one’s center of gravity.