I learned the child pose only a few years ago - it was not taught in the yoga books I learned from as a teen. Easy to do, the child pose is excellent as a warm-up and as a resting point between more strenuous poses! Here is my explanation of it from my soon to be completed yoga book for the non-athlete!
Child/Embryo Pose – Arms Forward (Sanskrit name – Balasana)
Type of yoga pose: Kneeling forward bend
Body parts targeted: Upper torso, hips, hamstrings, spine, thigh muscles, and ankles.
How to do the pose:
1. Kneel on the floor and sit on your knees with them
close together. Inhale and exhale
deeply.
2. Inhale and gently fold yourself forward until your
forehead rests on the floor.
3. Exhale and stretch your arms forward out in front of
your head.
4. Feel the deep fold in your ankles, knees, and
hips. Inhale and exhale again.
5. Allow yourself to totally relax.
6. Rest in this pose for 5-10 seconds.
7. Bring arms from their forward position back to your
sides.
8. Gently and slowly uncurl your upper back and neck and
raise your head moving up one vertebra at a time until you return to an erect
and relaxed kneeling position.
Practice time: Start with 5-10 seconds and increase by a few seconds each week until you can hold the pose for 30 seconds or more depending on your time constraints.
Number of repetitions: 1-2 or 1 between other poses
Key benefits from this pose:
1. Reduces fatigue and tension in body.
2. Relaxes neck and lower back and limbers knee joints.
3. Releases tightness in and develops flexibility of
ankles, knees, and hips.
4. Reduces tension in upper thigh muscles.
5. Counteracts strain from backward stretches.
6. Helps alleviate insomnia and constipation.
Special hints and Laura’s experience with this pose:
This stretch is soothing – especially after completing challenging inverse poses such as the bow or the cobra. It’s excellent for cooling down and resting between poses and for counterbalancing inverse stretches such as the bow.
Initially, you may find this pose a bit uncomfortable if you have a lot of accumulated tension and tightness in your upper thighs. If I have slept in an awkward position, I notice such tightness which the pose helps alleviate.
Be patient and stay in the
pose only as long as is comfortable for you. Work your way up to holding the
pose for longer periods.
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