Pose Breakdown: Child's Pose

Written By: Gabrielle Rosa

Pose: Child's Pose

Sanskrit: Balasana

How?: Taking your big touch at the back of your mat, let your knees go wide. Bring your hips toward your heels and reach your arms forward.  Lengthen your spine, spread your fingers wide, and rest your forehead on the mat. Stay in your child's pose for at least three breaths. 

OUCH! This hurts: If you have any tightness in the hips, place a bolster or a rolled-up blanket between your calves and hamstrings. You can also draw your knees together. If you have tight shoulders, bring your arms down along your sides. If your forehead doesn't reach the mat, place your head on a block to bring the floor to you. 

To deepen: Inhale reach your arms forward, exhale send your sitting bones back toward your heels. As you inhale, visualizing directing your breath into your back, creating space between each vertebra and as you exhale, melt deeper into the mat. 

Benefits:

1. Lengthens the muscles on the backline of your body

2. Relaxes the muscles on the backline of your body

3. Calms your mind

4. Relaxes your nervous system

5. Restores Energy

6. Can help to alleviate stress and fatigue