Happy Child Pose is a gentle relaxation exercise for the hamstrings, inner thighs, and back, and works to open up the hips, shoulders, and chest.
Happy Baby Pose has the Sanskrit name Ananda Balasana. This is a relaxing yoga movement that is very popular in yoga and pilates classes because of its gentle, soothing rhythm and great health benefits. It can be said that the happy child pose is a great gift that you can give yourself after a workout or after a long stressful day at work.
How to do the happy child move
The happy child is a fairly simple yoga pose, suitable for beginners. This pose is often taught at the beginning or end of a session to soothe and restore the body. To practice this pose, you only need a mat or a cushion. In addition, you can also prepare an extra cushion or small pillow to support the neck.
- Lie on your back on the carpet
- Move your knees toward your chest at a 90-degree angle, with the soles of your feet facing the ceiling. Keep your back straight and your butt still on the mat
- Move your hands forward, wrap 2 fingers around the big toe, separate the knees and pull slightly towards the armpits.
- Relax your hips so that your knees move closer to your chest. You can also grab the outside of the foot
- Relax and take a deep breath
- Relax your back naturally, don’t press your back too hard on the floor.
Note when performing the happy child movement
Always keep your head on the mat when performing to avoid neck strain
Although the Happy Baby pose has a relaxing, soothing, stress-reducing effect, there are a few things you need to keep in mind after doing it to get the most benefit from this exercise:
- Always keep your shoulders on the mat, don’t lift your shoulders as you reach forward to grab your toes. If you can’t keep your shoulders on the mat, instead of grabbing your feet, you can grab your ankles or shins.
- Always keep your head on the mat to avoid neck strain. If you find it uncomfortable, you can place pillows or cushions under your neck for support.
- If you can’t grasp your legs, use a yoga band to support it by wrapping it around your feet and holding the ends of the rope with your hands.
The happy child pose is not suitable for people with neck or knee injuries. In addition, this position is also not recommended for pregnant women after the first trimester. This is because this move is done in a supine position, which can reduce blood circulation to the fetus.
The benefits of movement
The happy child pose reduces stress and fatigue, making you calmer and more focused
The Happy Child Pose opens the hips and stretches the inner thighs and hamstrings. Not only that, practicing this pose regularly also helps you identify which side of the hip is more tense to focus on improving flexibility and mobility for that side.
- Open thighs, hips and groin
- Lower back pain relief
- Stretching the spine
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve fatigue
- hamstring stretch
- Heart rate regulation
See more: Summary of yoga movements to cure hip pain quickly and effectively
Want to release tension in your back, hips or thighs? Do you want a quiet mind? If so, practice the Happy Baby pose today to get the most benefits for your mental and physical health.
It is important that you understand the technique to avoid injury and get the most out of it. If you are interested and want to better understand this move or other relaxing poses, please connect with a professional yoga teacher for detailed instructions on how to do it.
Reference source
How to Do Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana) in Yoga and Pilates https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-the-happy-baby-exercise-2704285 Accessed: 3/6/2021
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
