Happy Baby

Video

Happy Baby Pose Ananda Balasana

Intermediate

Ally Hamilton

Learn happy baby (ananda balasana), a delicious spine lengthener and hip opener! Modifications are offered for those who carry tension in the low back and/or hamstrings.

Class details

Benefits

Lengthens the spine
Opens the hips

Key Alignment Points

Lie on your back and hug your knees to your chest, then keeping your knees bent, open them wider than your torso, and extend your feet toward the sky so that your knees and ankles are in line.
If possible, have your arms to the insides of your legs, and your hands to the outside of your feet.
If that’s too intense for the hips, low back, inner thighs or groin, hold the outer ankles or shins instead.
Draw the navel down, lengthen your tailbone toward the floor, lengthen the back of your neck, and relax your shoulders.

Contraindications

Any pose on the back may be contraindicated during pregnancy if the mama feels shortness of breath or dizziness. Some women are fine throughout pregnancy with poses on the back, and others are not. If it doesn’t feel okay for you, come out. Otherwise, enjoy the spine lengthening and hip opening.
People with knee issues may feel discomfort here, if holding the shins does not alleviate it, come out of the pose.
People with neck injuries can place a blanket under the head and neck.

Ready to work it?

Here are some classes featuring Happy Baby Pose.

46 minutes

Strength and Flexibility

By Lauren Peterson on Jun 6, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Though this class leads up to a challenging arm balance, the bulk of the practice is a balance of accessible poses to stretch and strengthen the body. We start on our backs with gentle core work and hamstring stretches. Once on our feet we do a series of sun salutations and standing poses. Then sitting, we get into the hips and hamstrings leading up to ashtavakrasana or eight-angle pose. We finish with a rest and closing. Enjoy!
32 minutes

Love for the Low Back

By Derek Beres on Jun 16, 2021

Gentle Yoga Intermediate

A gentle ground-based stretch class to loosen up the lower back. A bit of core strength and a little back bending to round out this predominantly chill session.
44 minutes

Know Your Koshas

By Brent Laffoon on Jun 9, 2021

Gentle Yoga Intermediate

A gentle practice designed to help you connect with the five layers of your being, also known as your koshas. Not sure what those are? This practice is a great way to learn... enjoy!
29 minutes

Morning Gratitude Practice

By Dhaujee Rose on Apr 27, 2021

Gentle Yoga Beginner

A practice you can do in bed?! Yes, please! This morning gratitude practice is a mix of meditation, breath work and gentle stretches that will invigorate the body before you start your day. Intentionally awaken your internal organs and pranic body all from the comfort of your bed. Show some gratitude to yourself, your body and your life-force with this moving meditation.
38 minutes

Unwind your Spine

By Leslie Kazadi on Apr 12, 2021

Gentle Yoga Beginner

Got a stiff back from a long hike or a Netflix binge? Get some relief with undulating spinal movements in all directions of travel. From heel to head, we take it outside the linear box and keep it moving with lots of variations on the theme of releasing backline tension. We'll sneak in some core support because nothing says back relief like abs in the game. We finish up with my favorite "clock" movements before settling into a timeless stillness where residual tension unwinds.
20 minutes

No Props, No Problem!

By Leslie Kazadi on Jun 13, 2020

General Beginner

What if your mat were your only prop? Or you didn't have a mat but you had a blanket? Adapting to what is means being curious and playful and coming up with new ways of being and doing. Not so easy if you are feeling stressed! But doing anything in a novel way can give us a sense of curiosity and empowerment. It takes us from focusing on what we don't have to exploring what is possible with what we do have. It turns out that using a mat as a prop gives you new options for familiar poses... and invites you to make it up as you go along... because, really, that's what we are always doing anyway :)
18 minutes

Get Your Strap On

By Leslie Kazadi on Apr 8, 2020

Restorative Beginner

Do you love straps and want new ways to use them? Or are they a pain to set up for you or your students? This tutorial will set you straight and set you up to make straps easy and fun to use. Straps can give you stability in your joints as you deepen your stretch. They can provide resistance to press into to cultivate strength. You decide whether you want a strap to do the work for you or help you work more. So get your strap on and make good choices ;)
28 minutes

Low Back Love

By Brent Laffoon on Mar 23, 2020

General Intermediate

A slow and relatively gentle practice for those days when you know you want to practice, but you either don't feel like working too hard and/or you have a slightly sore back. Good medicine here, my friends. Enjoy!
30 minutes

Restoratives on the Road

By Leslie Kazadi on Feb 27, 2020

Restorative Beginner

Here's a practice for when you're on the road and away from your props! You can still get a restful session even if you've left your bolsters at home :) This practice is all about allowing yourself to be as you are. Breathe in Peace, then send peace back out into the world. This is a great session anytime you want to calm your nervous system, it's a beautiful before-bed practice, and it's an opportunity to slow down, meditate and open.
17 minutes

Hip Mobility Warm-Up

By Derek Beres on Nov 22, 2019

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

We stay on the floor for this hip mobility and core strength warm-up. This sequence makes a great beginning of a flow or a strong finish after you've done cardio or weight lifting.