Child’s Pose
What it does: If your back is very tight (or you have just come out of a very deep backbend), going all the way into Child’s pose and holding it may not feel very comfortable. Moving into and out of Child’s pose can often allow the tension in your lower back to dissipate more quickly.
How to do it: Start in tabletop pose, with your hands under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips. Bring your big toes to touch. Inhale, lift your chest and drop your belly (Cow pose). Exhale, let your spine return to neutral and press back into Child’s pose, keeping your arms extended in front of you. Inhale, return to tabletop and pass through to Cow pose.
How to get better: Don’t push so far into Child’s pose that you feel pain in your knees or back. It’s all about the movement, rather than how deeply you can go. You can also try doing this pose with your knees and feet together — you may feel more of a stretch in your lower back this way. A wide-knee Child’s pose will often stretch the hips more than the back.
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