Child's Pose
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Child's Pose
- Get on your hands and knees, walk your hands in front of you.
- Lower your buttocks down to sit on your heels. Let your arms drag along the floor as you sit back to stretch your entire spine.
- Once you settle onto your heels, bring your hands next to your feet and relax. "breathe" into your back. Rest your forehead on the floor. Avoid this position if you have knee problems.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Child's Pose
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Hug A Ball
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the lower back, using an exercise ball.
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2
Superman
A beginner compound mobility exercise that works the lower back, needing no equipment.
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3
Lower Back-SMR
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back, using a foam roller.
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4
Pyramid
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back, using an exercise ball.
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5
Cat Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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6
Dancer's Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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7
Hug Knees To Chest
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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8
Standing Pelvic Tilt
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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9
Crossover Reverse Lunge
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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10
Pelvic Tilt Into Bridge
An intermediate compound mobility exercise that works the lower back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do child's pose work?
Child's Pose primarily works the lower back. The glutes and upper back assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for child's pose?
The source dataset does not record equipment for child's pose. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Child's Pose: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Child's Pose is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of child's pose?
Hug A Ball, Superman, Lower Back-SMR train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log child's pose in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the lower back on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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