back focus
Child's Pose
Restorative stretch for the low back and hips.
Key cue: Sink your hips back towards your heels and let your breath widen your back.
Area
back
Level
beginner
Duration
60s
Goal
pain relief
How to do it
- 1Kneel on a mat with your big toes touching and your knees as wide apart as feels comfortable.
- 2Sit your hips back towards your heels.
- 3Fold forward, walk your hands out in front of you and rest your forehead on the floor, a cushion or your hands.
- 4Let your back and shoulders soften and breathe slowly into your lower back for about a minute.
- 5To come out, walk your hands back towards your knees and roll up slowly.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Put a pillow between your heels and hips and another under your forehead, so you don't have to sink all the way down.
- Harder
- Walk both hands over to one side for a few breaths to stretch the opposite side of your back, then to the other side.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Lower back tightnessPost-exercise cool-downGentle lat and thoracic stretch
Read more
Benefits
- Decompresses the spine
- Calms the nervous system
- Relieves tight hips and back
Muscles worked
Stretch. Stretches your lats, lower back, glutes and hips.
LatsLower backGlutesHips
Form tips
- Widen your knees to make room if your hips feel tight.
- Put a pillow between your hips and heels, or under your chest, if you can't sit all the way back.
Common mistakes
- Holding your shoulders up around your ears.
- Forcing your hips down to your heels when they won't go.
When to avoid or modify
- Knee pain in a deep bend: put a rolled towel behind your knees, or skip it
- Recent knee or hip replacement, unless your surgeon has said deep bending is allowed
- Late pregnancy: skip it. Earlier in pregnancy, keep your knees wide so your bump has room
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder