Child's Pose is an important part of every well-rounded yoga practice.

Balasana invites us to put our heads down to check in with ourselves whenever things get a little wild. Here is everything you need to know to enjoy child's pose with your FeetUp Trainer.

Benefits of Child's Pose

• Gentle stretch across the back, hips, thighs, ankles, and shoulders.
• A great place to catch breath or collect thoughts
• Plenty of variations to explore
• Child's pose will always be there when you need it!

Precautions (aka things to avoid)

• Sensitive / inflexible knees may experience discomfort without proper padding or alignment during longer holds.
• It's surprisingly easy to "check out" in Child's Pose instead of check in with your body / breath.
• May cause tightness or cramping if held for too long without any variation or adjustment.

Variation 1: Simple Child's Pose

From a kneeling position, place your hands on either the frame or cushion of the FeetUp Trainer and slowly lean the torso forward until the chest rests on (or is as comfortably close as possible to) your thighs. Let the arms remain extended while your head gently hangs forward.

• Third Eye Variation: Depending on flexibility, you may be able to rest the forehead on the crossbar for even more support.

Variation 2: Supported Child's Pose

Similar in shape to the Simple variation, your torso is more fully supported by the FeetUp Trainer in this version. Starting in a forearm tabletop, slowly lower your forehead to the cushion and adjust your arms to find a comfortable position-- either crossed one atop the other, extending forward past the trainer, or resting on the ground below.

• Gentle Variation: Let your head hang through the cushion with the shoulders supported with a similar setup for supported downward facing dog but with the knees grounded.
• Shoulder Opener Variation: Support elbows on flat edge of cushion and trying bringing hands together and/or behind the neck as the head lowers down towards the crossbar.

Variation 3: Floating Child's Pose

From Floating Tabletop, slowly lower tailbone towards heels while making small adjustments in the knee/cushion connection to remain comfortably balanced. Keep the hands connected to the frame until your head finds a comfortable resting place-- be it above the frame, hanging through the center, or even resting on the crossbar.

• Arm Variations: Try reaching the hands back towards the floor below you feet, the rear legs of the trainer, or even opposite wrists/elbows behind the back!
  
  

Child's Pose Alignment Tips

• Depending on body type, thighs can be parallel or wide. Find what works best for you!
• Tight knees? Roll up a towel and place in the knee crease between lower hamstrings and upper calves before sitting back.
• Sensitive knees and ankles? Pad up with a blanket or extra mat.
• Your head is heavy! Reduce strain on your neck by letting it be the last part of your body to lower forward.
• Let the shoulders
• Don't forget to breathe.
• This pose should work for you, not against. Listen to your body and make whatever adjustments feel right.