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Child's Pose
The Child's Pose is a stretch with no equipment for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: spinal erectors (lower back) 50%, lats (lower) 14% and gluteus maximus 12%.
Also known as: kindhouding
How to do it
- Kneel on a mat with the big toes touching and the knees about hip-width apart.
- Sit the hips back onto the heels.
- Fold forward and walk the hands out in front until the forehead rests on the mat.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing slowly into the lower back.
- Walk the hands back in and roll up to kneeling.
Tips
- Widen the knees if the belly presses into the thighs.
- Let the shoulders and neck go completely soft.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips off the heels.
- Holding the breath instead of breathing into the back.
Muscles worked by the Child's Pose
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Curling, arching, twisting or side bending the spine lengthens the muscles on the opposite side: the erectors in flexion, the abs in extension, the obliques in rotation.
Child's Pose alternatives
Same equipment
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Child's Pose work?
Mainly the spinal erectors (lower back). The lats (lower) and gluteus maximus assist.
Is the Child's Pose good for beginners?
Yes. The Child's Pose is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Child's Pose?
For example the Knees to Chest. They train mostly the same muscles.
Log your sets in Zulta
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