Fokina grabs the baby’s arm with one hand and spins it around her head.
Coach Fokina once ran baby yoga training classes.
Some viewers suspect that the baby being "manipulated" by Fokina is actually a doll, as the movements seem far too dangerous for an infant—but she denies this.
Fokina once conducted a 12-day baby yoga training course. At times, she would grab the babies’ arms with one hand and swing them around, or pull their arms to make them walk on gravel paths.
Some of the participating babies were only a few months old. During practice, they would initially cry loudly, and some even vomit, but Fokina insists the exercises are safe, and the babies gradually learn to enjoy the process. Most importantly, she claims it benefits their development. "Many people think babies can only lie in bed, drink milk, and cry, but in fact, babies are born with innate reflex abilities that aid their physical and mental development. Many open-minded parents in European countries have adopted my recommended methods, and I hope British families will accept them soon as well."
"Baby Yoga" Has Ancient Roots as Therapy for Underdeveloped Infants
Fokina says baby yoga originally came from ancient African tribes, where it was used to treat infants with muscle and bone issues, but she believes it also works for healthy children. "These exercises strengthen their muscles and make their limbs stronger. We are humanitarians and would never do anything harmful."
Russian media report that such shocking "infant yoga" stories have emerged in various countries. Fokina wrote in her blog that "this method of education" doesn’t shock Russians because it has been around for 30 years. Some Russian parents also believe this kind of training helps newborns develop independence. The baby in the video is now two years old, and the footage was taken by his father.
Expert Advice: Proceed with Caution When Putting Children in Yoga
Russian gymnastics professor Natalia Astafieva advises that children should not engage in gymnastics-like activities before one month of age. Additionally, Russian child psychologist Zhanna says it is "very foolish" to have young children do gymnastics or swimming too early. Such premature interference in a child’s growth system can lead to a "negative impression" of the environment, which may affect their psychological development later.
However, many doctors warn that parents must be cautious when choosing baby yoga, as these intense and abnormal movements may cause brain bleeding, retinal hemorrhage, or brain swelling—commonly known as Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).
Extreme Parenting Cases:
Eagle Dad: On New Year’s Eve morning, a 4-year-old boy from Nanjing, traveling with his parents in the U.S., greeted the 2012 Lunar New Year in his own unique way—running naked in a -13°C blizzard in New York.
Recently, the family posted the video online. In it, after communicating with his son and having him warm up with a 30-minute slow jog, the father had the 4-year-old boy strip down to just a bright yellow pair of shorts and sneakers. The boy then ran barefoot and shirtless into the snowstorm on a street in Flushing, Queens, where the morning temperature was as low as -13°C and almost no one was outside. With snow up to 8 inches deep, the boy ran for over five minutes. At first, he seemed cold, chasing the camera while asking his dad for a "hug" in a teary voice, not wanting to continue. Soon, snow covered his head, but in the end, encouraged by his father, he bravely did a push-up in the snow before finishing.
The "Naked Running Boy," just 4 years old, quickly went viral online, racking up over 260,000 views in just a few days. Netizens had mixed reactions to this extreme parenting method, with praise and criticism alike.
Tiger Mom: Amy Chua, a Chinese-American professor at Yale University, caused a stir in the U.S. in January 2011 with her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. The book described how she raised her two daughters using traditional Chinese parenting methods—calling her daughters "garbage," demanding straight A’s, forbidding TV, and not allowing meals until piano practice was perfect. Her methods shocked the U.S. education community and sparked widespread debate about Chinese vs. American parenting styles. With coverage from Time magazine, the discussion reached a fever pitch. Chua’s story even made the cover of Time. The Los Angeles Times described her book as "spreading like a virus."
Wolf Dad: His motto is "Three slaps a day, and your child gets into Peking University." If his children’s daily behavior or academic performance didn’t meet his standards, they faced harsh corporal punishment. Three of his four children were admitted to Peking University. His name is Xiao Baiyou, and he is known as the "Chinese Wolf Dad." Nowadays, when discussing education, the phrase "poor kids" remains a painful and helpless constant theme.
Cold Resistance Training for Babies Around the World
Australia: Australian parenting philosophy is "the richer you are, the more you should let your kids rough it." In winter, it’s rare to see Australian children bundled in cotton coats or cold-weather gear—even seeing parents walking out of kindergarten with their kids bareheaded, wearing only vests and shorts, is not uncommon and often surprises onlookers.
USA: The maximum room temperature in U.S. maternity wards is kept at 24°C. Newborns usually wear just one piece of clothing and are wrapped in a towel. After discharge, they are bathed several times a day, and even in colder temperatures, they aren’t dressed more warmly.
South Korea: In the cold winter, apart from not excessively wrapping babies, parents also increase their intake of fruits and vegetables to strengthen their resistance to the cold. Paris, France: At one kindergarten, babies are wrapped snugly in blankets, with only their faces exposed, and sleep on open-air balconies every afternoon. Even when the temperature drops to -10°C, this doesn’t change. Not only do the babies not get sick, but their health and immunity actually improve.
Japan: Japan has long been known for training babies to withstand the cold. As soon as a baby turns one month old, they begin air bathing. Parents take the infant outside for walks lasting about 20–30 minutes. Between 2–3 months old, they start sunbathing to gradually adapt to outdoor air.
However, experts also caution that due to differing philosophies and habits, parents shouldn’t blindly try these methods, as babies might not be able to handle them and accidents could occur.
Experts: Extreme Training Must Be Based on Multiple Factors
Exercising in extreme cold isn’t something achieved overnight—it requires a foundation of solid nutrition and training. For each child’s physical ability and constitution, start with five minutes of indoor rhythmic exercises to relax muscles and loosen joints, then remove outerwear before going outside. During outdoor activities, gradually remove clothing based on the child’s breathing, complexion, and sweating. But not every child must exercise in just shorts.
The famous French educator Rousseau believed: "A child is a student from birth, but not a student of the teacher—rather, a student of nature." He argued that whether in summer or winter, bathing children in cold or even icy water would make them stronger.
All education should follow the principle of moderation. All parenting elements should exist in a harmonious, natural state aligned with growth patterns, forming the optimal solution with the goal of healthy, holistic human development.
Even if "moderate" doesn't mean finding that perfect golden balance where "adding rouge makes it too red and applying powder makes it too pale," and different people have varying definitions of what "moderate" means, there is definitely a reasonable range!
Experts say: "Any activity that affects a child's health must never be done. This health includes both physical and mental well-being. Teachers design colorful and fun activities, and children joining in sports becomes a natural, joyful process. Moreover, during these activities, we encourage children to pay attention to their own needs and practice self-protection — they can ask to take off clothes, rest, or reduce the intensity of exercise at any time."