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4 Reasons Why Taking the Child's Pose Isn't Just For Kids

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:01:40 PDT

Child's Pose (Sanskrit: Balasana) is a comforting and rejuvenating asana that sometimes gets a bad rap. I am here to set the record straight: there is absolutely nothing weak about taking Child's Pose when you need to take a break - there is great strength in knowing exactly what your body needs. If you've ever had a strange internal dialogue where you wouldn't allow yourself to take Child's Pose - even though you knew it would be amazing! - keep on reading.

Taking a break does not mean you're giving up: I, for one, have definitely fallen victim to this thought. Instead of being concerned about where everyone else in the room is at (or thinking), do what feels right for your body in the moment. Sometimes it means working your way through another Vinyasa, sometimes it means you've got to just take a Downward Dog, and sometimes it means you deserve a long Child's Pose.
You'll get a chance to reconnect with your breath: If you have a tendency to get a little lost in your mind, then Child's Pose is a great way to come back to big, stable breaths (pranayama). Trying to twist your body into a new shape will simply not happen unless your pranayama is helping you be productive on your mat. Sometimes just a handful of full-bodied breaths in Child's Pose can change the rest of your practice for the better.

Keep reading for two more reasons Child's Pose rocks.

FitSugar Readers Name Their Top 5 Yoga Poses

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:50:00 PDT

Last week I asked you to tell me what your favorite yoga pose is, and even though the results varied, a few poses were mentioned over and over. Keep reading to see what poses FitSugar readers love most, and make sure to click through to the end to see what the all-time favorite pose is.

Jennifer Aniston's Favorite Yoga Poses Are . . .

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

I'm really happy that yoga is gaining in popularity these days, because it's so good for everybody. Whether you're training for a marathon, recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic back pain, are pregnant, or just need to de-stress, the ancient practice of yoga can help. Apparently it's also good for celebs too. Madonna, Brooke Shields, Adam Levine, Drew Barrymore, and Naomi Watts are all into practicing yoga.

So is Jennifer Aniston. When asked about her favorite yoga poses, Jennifer said in a recent interview with People, "I'm so terrible with names . . . Child pose. And it's a mix between that and Tree pose. [Tree] has good balance and I like how it feels."

These two poses are basic poses you'd learn in a beginner yoga class, but they're poses that you'll continue to do until you're an experienced yogi. To find out the benefits of these tranquil poses

Child's Pose is one of my favorites too because it's so relaxing. Lowering your head below your heart has this calming effect on your mind, and it's a great pose to do if you're feeling stressed or tired. Child's Pose is recommended for people with lower back pain. It's also the perfect pose to do in a yoga class if your arms need a break, or if you feel your breathing becoming too erratic.
Tree is a wonderful balancing pose because it doesn't require a ton of muscular strength. When your bent leg is resting on the inner thigh of your straight leg, it's actually quite stable. So you can stay in this position for a while, just breathing and feeling your connection with the ground.

To learn how to do more yoga poses, check out these Strike a Yoga Pose posts.

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Partner Yoga Pose: Child Cobra

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:30:00 PDT

If you're looking for a way to increase flexibility in your spine and also get an amazing stretch in your lower back, then grab a friend and try Child Cobra. The person on the bottom is the one benefiting the most from this partner pose, since the person on top is pressing all her weight into his hips and back.

For a detailed explanation of how to get into this

Partner #1 (man) begins in Child's Pose with his arms extended out in front of him.
Partner #2 (woman) gets into Downward Facing Dog, with her hands on Partner #1's hips. Partner #1 clasps Partner #2's ankles with his hands.
Now Partner #2 lifts her shoulders and lowers her hips, resting her thighs on Partner #1's back, coming into Cobra. She wants to put all her weight into her palms evenly. To increase her stretch, she can lower her head back between her shoulder blades, and look up at the ceiling or behind her.
Stay like this for at least five breaths but longer if you both love it. When it's time to release, Partner #2 lifts her hips, comes back into Downward Dog, and then stands up. Then they switch roles.

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Partner Yoga Pose: Supported Shoulderstand Child's Pose

FitSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 PDT

I love partner yoga poses that allow you to use your partner's body to help you relax and Supported Shoulderstand Child's Pose is one of those poses. It's similar to Double Child, but I like this one better because partners alternate between doing an energetic inversion and a lower-back stretch.

Want to know how to do this pose? Then

Partner 1 begins in Child's pose with his arms extended out in front of him.
Partner #2 sits down gently on his lower back, with one leg on either side of his body.
Then Partner #2 leans back, placing her hands on the ground underneath her shoulders, and she extends her legs so they're over Partner #1's shoulders (just like in the picture to the right).
Partner #1 can assist Partner #2, by placing his hands on her feet to help anchor her as she lowers her shoulders and the back of her head down to the ground. She wants to keep lifting her ribs up to open her chest and lengthen through her spine.
From here, she can bend her knees and place the soles of her feet on Partner #1's back. Then to take this pose even deeper, she can lift her legs straight up so her feet are over her hips.
They can stay like this for five or more breaths, and when they've both had enough, they can release and switch roles.

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Child's Pose

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Anytime you need to release your lower back, rest your arms, or take a break in a yoga class, Child's Pose is for you. Folding your body into a little ball makes you feel calm, safe, and relaxed.

Sanskrit Name: Balasana
English Translation: Child Pose
Also Called: Child's Pose

There are many variations to this pose, so to hear about them

Kneel on your mat with your knees hips-width distance apart, and your big toes touching behind you.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lie your torso down onto your thighs.Try to lengthen your neck and spine, by drawing your ribs away from your tailbone, and the crown of your head away from your shoulders.
Rest your arms beside your legs, with palms facing up, or try extending your arms out in front of you. I also like to separate my knees and bring my arms between my legs, and turn my head to the side so my cheek is on the mat. Each of these variations will stretch your back, neck, and shoulders differently, so try them all to see which one you like best.
Stay here for five breaths or longer, and once you've had enough, you can inhale to lift your torso up.

If you are preggo, open your knees wide so when you bend forward there is space for your ever growing belly.

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Partner Yoga Pose: Double Child

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:45:00 PST

While it's true that many Partner Yoga poses can help you get a deeper stretch, another benefit is the emotional support you share. Energy can be passed and received between you, so doing a pose with someone can instill a sense of joy and serenity. This one, called Double Child, will help to relieve stress and calm the mind.

Partner one (blue shirt) and partner two (tan shirt) kneel down on a mat with their feet touching.
Both partners come into Child's Pose and hold hands.
They remain here for at least five breaths, allowing the lower back, hips, and shoulders to release.
After they've had enough, both partners slowly sit up.

I know this pose doesn't look like much, but it's one of those things that you just have to try. Once both partners allow themselves to relax completely, they'll feel the amazing effects.

Source

Strike a Yoga Pose: Camel to Child's Pose

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:00:00 PDT

Doing stretches for your back not only feels good physically, but they are also energetically stimulating. Backbends open the muscles near your heart. This is the location of your 4th chakra which is associated with love and compassion. It allows us to feel peace and a sense of being centered.

Backbends also open your hips, where your 2nd chakra is located, which is associated with sex and creativity. This chakra is all about having a strong personal identity and the ability to accept change. Poses like Camel (Ustrasana in Sanskrit) are great if you are feeling lonely, sad, bored, or tired.

Backbending poses can feel really intense, so after you do one, it's great to do a forward bending counter pose like Child's Pose.

Kneel at the front of your mat, keeping your knees under your hips (hip distance apart). Look back and make sure your shins, ankles and feet are parallel to each other.
Put both hands on your hips, and gently arch back, just beginning to warm up your lower back and quads.
When you're ready, reach your right hand down towards your right foot. If your back is less flexible, stay here for 5 breaths and then switch to the left side.
If your back is feeling good, bring your left hand down, so that both hands are reaching for both feet. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, pressing your hips forward, and dropping your head to look behind you. Try to keep your knees under your hips (they tend to slide out wide).
Come up slowly, sit on your heels, and lean forward into Child's Pose. You can do it with your hands by your feet, or stretch your arms out in front of you.
Repeat this series (Camel to Child's Pose) a few times to give you energy and increase flexibility in your back, chest, hips and quads.

Source

Band-Aid Magic Vision: Ga Ga or Gag?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:04:28 PDT

Like most tots, my lil ones have a bit of an obsession with bandages - one slight scrape and they're begging me to fix it up. Some of that is probably the fun characters they get to place on the boo-boo, but I have a feeling more of it has to do with the attention they receive. Imagine how they would react if it was none other than Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, or Miss Piggy calming them down?

Band-Aid Brand just introduced Band-Aid Magic Vision, a bandage that works in conjunction with a free iPhone app to help soothe injured kids. Here's how it works: Apply a bandage to an injured child (it can even be a pretend injury, if your kids are prone to inventing cuts and bruises the way mine are), and then point an iPhone or iPad loaded with the app at the bandage. The app then allows kids to interact with one of the three Muppet characters as they comfort the kids. Your children can pose with Miss Piggy on a runway, help Gonzo with one of his crazy daredevil acts, or swing with Kermit as he sings "Rainbow Connection." They can also photograph themselves interacting with the characters, and that sounds like just the cure tots need when they're facing noncritical injuries. What do you think?

Cameron Diaz Talks Loving Gwyneth and the Many Charms of British Men

Allie Merriam — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:56:40 PDT

Cameron Diaz strikes a sexy pose for the June 2012 cover of Harper's Bazaar UK. The full feature appears in the June issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, which is on sale Thursday, May 3. Her next movie, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, will be out in the US next month. In the picture, Cameron plays a mother-to-be. She spoke about having kids in real life with the magazine and also touched on how she's happy with her life at the present. Cameron also spoke about her connection with pal Gwyneth Paltrow and even dished on the charms of British men. Click through to see more Cameron in the magazine, and here are highlights from Cameron Diaz in Harper's Bazaar UK:

On why she loves British men: "I love their sense of humour and the sense of chivalry and charm. It's something that is innately a part of the culture - we don't have that over here, it's not the same in America."
On her friendship with Gwyneth: "We became very close after my dad's death. She reached out and it was very sweet. We bonded on that . . . They (Martin/Paltrow) are exceptional people. We have known each other because we have been in the business for the same amount of time."
On being happy with the present: "I'm not sitting there going 'Oh my god, when am I going to get married? When am I going to have a baby?' I would be remiss if I was living my life wishing I had something other than what I have. If one day, I am blessed with the experience of having a child, I would be overjoyed, but I am not sitting here feeling empty because I haven't yet, or that I may not."
On her friends and family: "I'm a nurturer to all my friends. I don't feel alone in the world. I have so many friends, more friends who are like me (without children) than not. I also have girlfriends who have kids, and I have strong relationships with their children and my nieces and nephews. My happiest moments are when I'm with my friends - and I consider them to be my greatest wealth. They are my crown jewels."

Photos courtesy Tom Munro for Harper’s Bazaar UK