Stretch guide · Back and hips

Child's pose: how to do it

A resting stretch for the lower back, hips and shoulders. It's one of the easiest stretches to settle into, which makes it a good way to start or finish the day.

30–60 seconds
Beginner
Lower back, hips and shoulders
Kneeling on the floor

How to do it

Kneel on the floor. Bring your big toes together and open your knees to about hip width or a little wider.
Sit back. Lower your bottom towards your heels, as far as is comfortable.
Walk your hands forward. Reach your arms out in front of you on the floor and let your chest sink down between your knees.
Rest your head. Let your forehead rest on the floor, or on a cushion if it doesn’t reach. Let your shoulders soften.
Breathe and hold. Take slow breaths into your back for 30 to 60 seconds, then walk your hands back and come up slowly.

Child's Pose in Stretch 3D, the first stretch of the free Sleep / Wind Down routine.

What it stretches

Child's pose gently lengthens the muscles along your spine, especially in the lower back, and the large muscles down the sides of your back as your arms reach forward. Sitting back towards your heels also stretches the buttocks and eases the hips.

It's a resting stretch rather than an intense one. Most of the work is letting go: the slower your breathing, the more your back tends to relax into it.

Main muscles: Erector spinaeLatissimus dorsiGluteus maximus
Where you feel it: Lower back, along the sides of the back and the hips

How often to do it

Every day if you like. It's gentle enough to use as a break whenever your back feels tired, and it suits the end of the day, which is why it opens the Sleep / Wind Down routine.

It also pairs well with cat-cow: a few rounds of cat-cow to loosen the back, then child's pose to rest.

Every dayA good one before bed
30–60 secondsOne or two holds
After cat-cowLoosen, then rest

In the app: Sleep / Wind Down routine, under 4 minutes, free

Common mistakes

Forcing your hips down

Your bottom doesn't have to touch your heels. Let it sink as far as it goes on its own.

Shrugging

Reaching forward can pull the shoulders up to your ears. Let them slide down your back.

Holding your breath

Breathe slowly and deeply. Each breath out is a chance to relax a little further.

Straining your neck

If your head doesn't reach the floor, rest it on a cushion or your stacked hands rather than letting it hang.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

Put a cushion or folded blanket between your bottom and your heels.
Rest your forehead on a cushion or a yoga block.
Take your arms back alongside your body, palms up, for a softer stretch in the shoulders.

Harder

Walk both hands over to one side to stretch along the opposite side of your back (Child's Pose Side Stretch in the app).
Press your palms gently into the floor and reach further forward.
Hold for longer, up to two minutes, with slow breathing.

Look after yourselfThis guide is for general fitness and flexibility, not medical advice. Keep the stretch comfortable, and stop if you feel pain. If kneeling hurts your knees, put a folded blanket under them or try a different stretch, and if you have a back or knee injury, check with a health professional first.