Child’s Pose: The Spine-Loving Stretch Your Nervous System and lower back Craves

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class or explored mobility work, you’ve likely come across Child’s Pose. It’s that moment in a session where everything slows down, the noise in your mind quiets, and your spine breathes a sigh of relief.

But this stretch is more than just a rest position. When used intentionally, Child’s Pose becomes a powerful tool for decompressing the spine, calming the nervous system, and releasing tension through the lower back and ribcage.

And this week, I’m showing you how to level it up with a simple variation that targets areas we often overlook, the lats and QL (quadratus lumborum).

Why Child’s Pose is More Than Just a Stretch

At its core, Child’s Pose is about folding the body forward in a way that’s passive, grounding, and supportive. Your spine curves gently, your hips sink back toward your heels, and your arms stretch forward, encouraging space between each vertebra.

This position is naturally decompressive, especially for the lumbar spine. If you’re someone who spends time lifting, sitting at a desk, or carrying daily stress through your back (guilty, right?), this one’s for you.

But what’s often overlooked is how Child’s Pose also nourishes the nervous system.

By folding inwards, slowing your breath, and taking pressure off your spine, you shift out of that constant “fight or flight” mode and encourage your body to tap into its rest and recover setting. Think of it as a gentle reset button, for both your back and your brain.

Adding a Side Reach for Deeper Lower Back Release

In this week’s video, I guide you through a deeper variation of Child’s Pose that includes a side reach. Here’s why:

✅ Reaching to the side allows you to stretch through the lats and QL — two often tight, overworked muscle groups that play a big role in how your back and ribcage move.

✅ It creates a sense of elongation through the side body — think of opening up the space between your ribs and pelvis, giving your breath more room to move and your spine more room to flex.

✅ It feels really good. Especially if you’ve been dealing with compression, stiffness, or asymmetrical tension through your torso.

When and How to Use It

This is one of those stretches that works beautifully as a:

• Morning mobility wake-up

• Evening wind-down

• Rest between sets

• Tool for back pain management

• Reset after long periods of sitting or standing

Just a few mindful breaths in Child’s Pose, especially with the side reach, can go a long way in helping your body feel more balanced, relaxed, and supported.

Watch the Full Walkthrough on YouTube

I’ve broken it all down in this week’s self-help video:

🎥 Watch the Child’s Pose Tutorial Here »

Inside, I’ll guide you through:

• The basic setup

• Breathing cues

• How to safely deepen the stretch

• Tips for feeling the release where you need it most

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Want More Personalised Support?

If you’re finding this helpful but feel like your back, ribs, or nervous system needs a little extra guidance, this is exactly the kind of thing we can address in a session.

As someone who’s actively rehabbing my own spine from a disc herniation, I know just how valuable these small, regular movements can be, both physically and emotionally.

📅 You can book in for a treatment here:👉 www.themuscletherapy.com

Let this be your reminder: Movement doesn’t always have to be intense to be powerful. Sometimes, it’s the quiet, gentle stretches that make the biggest difference.

See you on the mat.

— Imran @ The Muscle Therapy