Ananda balasana - Happy baby pose

Ananda balasana, or Happy baby pose, is a basic yoga pose, carried out while you are laying down on your yoga mat. By gently pulling your legs towards you at the same time as you kick your feet into your hands you create a stretch in your inner groin and back spine. At the same time, you are opening up your hip joints. Make sure to focus on your breathing during this exercise.

Benefits of Ananda balasana 

Happy baby pose enables you to open up your hip joints and at the same time stretch your back spine and inner groin. Ananda balasana is also said to have a calming influence on both body and mind as it has a stress-relieving effect on the brain. So take your time while in Ananda balasana and try to notice the effect it has on you. During this exercise, it is important that you focus on your breathing, moving in cohesion with every breath and with every exhale gently tugging your legs closer to you. 

Ananda balasana - step by step 

• You start off your Ananda balasana by laying down on your back. Keep your legs straight and your arms parallel to your body.

• Inhale and as you exhale, lift your legs from of the floor placing your thighs close to your upper torso and flex your feet.

• Separate your legs placing them a bit wider apart than the width of your own chest. With one knee on each side of the torso. Keep the knees in a position pointing towards your armpits.

• Now try to place your legs in an L-shaped position with your thighs in alignment with your upper torso and your ankles in alignment with your knees. Still keeping your knees in a position pointing towards your armpits.

• Flex both feet, imagen your feet standing on the sealing. Then gently place your hands on the outside of your feet. Your left-hand goes to the outside of your left foot and your right-hand goes to the outside of your right foot. Your arms should be in front of your shins.

• Pull your shoulder blades back make sure your feet are flexed. Inhale, and as you exhale, gently pull your knees closer towards you at the same time as you push your feet into your hands.

Modifications

• If you are not able to hold on to your feet with your hands, you can use a yoga strap to assist you.  

• If you’d like, you can gently rock your body while in Ananda balasana. Both from right to left and back and forth to give you spine an extra massage. 

 
Enjoy!