Child’s pose, known as balasana in Sanskrit, is a restorative posture that relaxes the shoulders, spine, and neck. The gentle hip opener stretches the muscles of the lower back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles. When yoga practice gets hard, yogis can always return to this resting pose to rejuvenate.
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Benefits
Child’s pose yoga releases tightness and tension in the lower back, alleviating lower back pain. The pose also lengthens the muscles through the lower back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles to prevent injury. On a less anatomical level, the pose relaxes the neck and shoulders and has a calming effect on the mind.
Flows
Since child’s pose is a restive pose, it is the ideal counterpose to demanding strengthening postures like dolphin pose (makarasana). Child’s pose yoga is, however, appropriate at any time throughout the practice. When the going gets tough, assuming child’s pose will relax your mind and recenter your concentration.
