Tenglow
Cool-downs
How to do the child's pose
Child's pose is a resting stretch where you sit back toward your heels with your arms long, gently stretching the back, hips and shoulders.
How do you do it?
- Kneel on the floor with your big toes together and knees apart.
- Sit your hips back toward your heels.
- Walk your hands forward and rest your forehead down.
- Relax your shoulders.
- Take slow breaths.
Breathing: Breathe slowly into your back and let each out-breath relax you further.
What are the common mistakes?
- Forcing your hips down when they will not reach. Place a cushion between your hips and heels.
- Tensing your shoulders. Let your arms rest long and heavy.
How can I make it easier or harder?
Easier
Knees wide, pillow under chest
Harder
Walk hands further forward
How does it work in Tenglow?
Child's pose is in the cooldown. The timer runs 30 to 45 seconds with 10 to 30 seconds of rest, and the app shows an easier and a harder option. No equipment needed.
Come up slowly if you feel dizzy, and skip the pose if your knees hurt. This is general fitness information, not medical advice.
Questions about the child's pose
Why does child's pose hurt my knees?
Deep knee bend can be uncomfortable for some people. Place a folded towel behind your knees or between your hips and heels, or widen your knees. If the pain stays, skip it. Moving the knees wider than your hips can ease the bend too, and a pillow under your chest adds comfort.
Where should my arms go in child's pose?
Stretch them forward along the floor with your palms down, or rest them back by your sides. Walking your hands further forward adds stretch to the shoulders and upper back. Choose what feels comfortable. Each option changes the stretch slightly, so try them across a few rounds and keep whichever lets you breathe slowly.
Related exercises
Photos: Free Exercise DB, public domain (The Unlicense).