📖 Static demo — read-only snapshot

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Child's Pose Breathing

Draftbreathwork70%beginnermoderate evidence
View FHIR resourceFHIR R4 ActivityDefinition — the interoperable form of this exercise

Positions & Range of Motion

Start
kneeling with shins on the floor, sit-bones settling back toward the heels, torso folded forward over the thighs, forehead resting on the floor or a support, arms reaching forward or alongside the body
End
same folded kneeling fold sustained, abdomen resting against the thighs, breath directed into the posterior/lower rib cage — no change in body position
Range of Motion
isometric hold — minimal joint excursion; movement limited to posterior rib-cage and abdominal expansion during breathing

How to Perform

Kneeling with sit-bones toward heels, forehead supported, arms forward or alongside body. Breathe slowly into the back of the rib cage — abdominal contact against the thighs provides proprioceptive feedback for diaphragmatic breathing.

Watch on YouTube

Opens a YouTube search for “Child's Pose Breathing

Starting position: prone

Coaching Cues

  1. 1

    Feel the breath move into the back of the rib cage, against the thighs

    (tactile)
  2. 2

    Knees wider apart if abdomen compression feels restrictive

    (verbal)

Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data

Recommended Dosing

1–3 minutes, 1–2×/day.

Muscles Involved (2)

Primary Movers

Synergists & Assistors

Easier Variations ↓

1

Sit-bones on a Block

Place a yoga block under the sit-bones to reduce knee/ankle demand.

Harder Variations ↑

1

Add Lateral Costal Cue

Hand on lateral ribs to layer in lateral-costal breathing.

Why This Exercise Matters

Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:

Research Notes

Component of therapeutic yoga protocols for chronic low back pain — MD −0.83 for pain at 4–8 weeks vs non-exercise [Zhu 2020 PLOS One; Wieland 2022 Cochrane].