One of the quintessential yoga postures, child's pose, is often taught in most modern yoga classes. Child's pose is translated from the Sanskrit word Balasana — "bala" means "childish" and "asana" means "pose."
And while that's the literal meaning, the spiritual meaning of this yoga pose has to do with the fact that children need nurturing and a safe place to rest their head.
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Read on to learn more about how to do child's pose and its many benefits and variations.
- What is child's pose? Technically, child's pose is classified as a basic kneeling forward fold, meaning you begin on your knees and sit the hips back onto the heels, with the goal of folding forward to rest your head on a yoga mat, folded blanket or yoga block. Variations on child's pose depend on range of motion. Both the name and shape evoke the feeling and sensation of curling up into the fetal position, as if you are turning inward to this safe place of comfort and ease. This is a great visual to keep in mind to really help you embody the nurturing quality of this restorative pose and absorb all of its benefits.
- What is child's pose good for? Aside from the many physical benefits, it's an inherently introspective posture that can support you in feeling grounded, safe and more connected to your body and mind. If you've ever felt carried away by the frenzy of a chaotic day and needed a quick, easy way to collect your thoughts and hit reset, child's pose can help provide that immediate sense of relief.
- Who can do child's pose? It's a wonderful posture for yogis of all skill levels and abilities thanks to its restful characteristics that make it an ideal pose when you need a moment to rest, catch your breath or use as a more gentle alternative to downward facing dog while transitioning between other poses.
- How long should you hold child's pose? There's no set amount of time to hold child's pose. However, if you're only practicing child's pose (as opposed to including it in a yoga flow), you can rest in it for five cycles of breath, or about 1 minute. You can also extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes — or longer if you want.
Child's Pose Benefits
Why does child's pose feel so good? Practicing child's pose is an effective way to potentially relieve lower back, shoulder, neck and head tension, according to the Illinois Pain & Spine Institute, because when you're in the pose, your body is in an extremely supported forward fold position down on the mat.
With this support, your muscles can relax. Additionally, this offers the opportunity to reduce tension in your face and jaw, providing a deeply calming experience for your entire body and nervous system.
Because your upper body is folded forward over bent knees, child's pose also helps to stretch the tops of your ankles and even provides a gentle compression in your abdomen that can help stimulate digestion, as LIVESTRONG.com has previously reported.
One of the more poignant elements of this pose is its ability to calm your nervous system by bringing in a body-wide sensation of peace and calm.
"While there are plenty of anatomical benefits to the pose, I most appreciate the more subtle qualities that child's pose offers," Meghan Hunter, RYT-500, a yoga instructor based in Maine, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "When sequencing a class, I often include this pose to encourage slowing down and more internal focus. It can also be a great shape to feel the broadening of the backside of the rib cage, and as a result, deep, spacious breaths into the lungs."
You can choose to close your eyes or maintain a soft gaze and focus on releasing as much tension as possible. As Hunter recommends, breathe slowly and deeply to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which allows you to self-soothe during times of stress by feeling safe in your body and having clarity of mind.
Warning
For the most part, child’s pose is widely accessible for every body. However, it's not recommended for those who are pregnant because of the pressure it can put on the abdomen. Because there is also a fair amount of pressure on the lower body, it could potentially cause pain in the hips, knees or ankles. If you do experience any pain or extreme discomfort, exit the pose!
How to Do Child’s Pose
- On your mat, begin by kneeling down with your hips approximately hip-width distance apart, feet untucked, and sit your hips back onto your heels.
- Inhale and elongate your spine. As you exhale, bow forward to fold over your knees and rest your forehead down on the mat.
- Stretch your arms forward with your palms facing down, and gently press your hips back and down onto your feet to stretch your lower back and outer hips.
- If this feels restrictive, try widening your knees even farther apart until you feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can bring your knees closer together, or all the way together, if that position suits you better. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body and do what feels right!
- Rest here for about 5 cycles of breath, which equates to about 1 minute. Or, extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes if you prefer.
Child's Pose Modifications
1. Child's Pose With Blanket Behind Knees
It's not uncommon to enter child's pose and find your hips don't go all the way down to your heels. If you can't sit on your heels in child's pose, it may be due to tension on your lower back and hips, as well as your lower body in general. To help, place a folded up blanket behind your knees to fill the gap for this modified child's pose.
- On your mat, begin by kneeling down with your hips approximately hip-width distance apart, feet untucked, and sit your hips back onto your heels.
- Place a rolled up blanket behind your knees.
- Inhale and elongate your spine. As you exhale, bow forward to fold over your knees and rest your forehead down on the mat.
- Stretch your arms forward with your palms facing down, and gently press your hips back and down onto your feet to stretch your lower back and outer hips.
- If this feels restrictive, try widening your knees even farther apart until you feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can bring your knees closer together, or all the way together, if that position suits you better. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body and do what feels right!
- Rest here for about 5 cycles of breath, which equates to about 1 minute. Or, extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes if you prefer.
2. Child's Pose With Yoga Block
While practicing child's pose, you may feel some pressure or discomfort in the neck when the forehead is all the way down on the floor. To reduce the pressure, bring the ground up to you by using a prop!
- On your mat, begin by kneeling down with your hips approximately hip-width distance apart, feet untucked, and sit your hips back onto your heels.
- Place a yoga block horizontally on the mat about 6 inches in front of your knees. (You can also use a folded/rolled up blanket if you don't have a yoga block.)
- Inhale and elongate your spine. As you exhale, bow forward to fold over your knees and rest your forehead down on the yoga block (or blanket).
- Stretch your arms forward with your palms facing down, and gently press your hips back and down onto your feet to stretch your lower back and outer hips.
- If this feels restrictive, try widening your knees even farther apart until you feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can bring your knees closer together, or all the way together, if that position suits you better. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body and do what feels right!
- Rest here for about 5 cycles of breath, which equates to about 1 minute. Or, extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes if you prefer.
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Child’s Pose Variations
1. Child's Pose With Hands on Feet
Some days, stretching your arms forward in child's pose doesn't feel quite right. If you have shoulder tension or just don't feel comfortable doing so, you can place your hands behind you instead, according to Jessica Fadale, RYT-200, a yoga instructor and owner of Portland Yoga Collective in Portland, Maine.
"I do a lot of rock climbing, so sometimes child's pose can make my shoulders feel cranky," Fadale tells LIVESTRONG.com. "To modify, I love to reach my arms behind me. This helps to relieve pinching or strain in the shoulders. For some extra self-love, I will grab my heels and even give myself a quick foot massage."
- On your mat, begin by kneeling down with your hips approximately hip-width distance apart, feet untucked, and sit your hips back onto your heels.
- Inhale and elongate your spine. As you exhale, bow forward to fold over your knees and rest your forehead down on the mat.
- Reach your arms back toward your feet with your palms facing up, and gently press your hips back and down onto your feet to stretch your lower back and outer hips.
- If this feels restrictive, try widening your knees even farther apart until you feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can bring your knees closer together, or all the way together, if that position suits you better. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body and do what feels right!
- Rest here for about 5 cycles of breath, which equates to about 1 minute. Or, extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes if you prefer.
2. Child's Pose With Hands on Head
This child's pose variation isn't necessarily harder or easier than the others, it's just different. However, it will gently stretch the front of your chest more than the traditional form of child's pose, so you can decide what feels best for your body.
- On your mat, begin by kneeling down with your hips approximately hip-width distance apart, feet untucked, and sit your hips back onto your heels.
- Inhale and elongate your spine. As you exhale, bow forward to fold over your knees and rest your forehead down on the mat.
- Reach your arms forward to rest your elbows on the mat. Hold the sides of your face in your hands and place your thumbs behind your ears at the base of your skull, your forefingers on your temples and the rest of your fingertips should rest lightly on your scalp.
- Instead of lowering your forehead down on the mat, rest the weight of your head into your hands, or gently massage your face to release any tension.
- Gently press your hips back and down onto your feet to stretch your lower back and outer hips.
- If this feels restrictive, try widening your knees even farther apart until you feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can bring your knees closer together, or all the way together, if that position suits you better. A good rule of thumb is to listen to your body and do what feels right!
- Rest here for about 5 cycles of breath, which equates to about 1 minute. Or, extend it for up to 3 to 5 minutes if you prefer.