Loosen up and stretch the hips, legs, and more with Baby Cradle Pose – a gentle and dynamic hip-opening pose…

Baby Cradle Pose (Hindolasana) – also known as Leg (or Seated) Cradle Pose, Cradle the Baby Pose, Rock the Cradle Pose, or just Cradle Pose – is a great pose to help you warm up and open up your hips as you begin your practice. It’s also a good one for runners or athletes who do a lot of lower body work.

This beginner-to-intermediate yoga pose offers a gentle stretch for the hips, hamstrings, groin, glutes, and pelvic floor muscles, and as a dynamic pose, it is very effective at loosening tight muscles in these areas. It also helps to improve balance, and is believed to massage and tone the digestive and reproductive organs, and improve focus and coordination.

Be sure to move slowly and rhythmically in the pose, and try to bring your leg as close to your chest as possible. You may wish to place a folded blanket under the raised hip for comfort and support.

If you have arthritis in the hips, knees, or spine, it may be helpful to practice this pose while sitting on a cushion or a chair. Those with lower back or spinal injuries, or who have recently had knee or hip surgery should skip this one.

How to Do Baby Cradle Pose:

1. Sit in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) with your legs crossed. Sit straight and keep your spine erect.
2. Bring your right leg closer to your chest, the right knee should be outside of the chest. Try to draw the right knee as close to the chest as you can. The left foot should be folded the same way in Sukhasana.
3. Now hold the folded right leg with your right crux of the elbow and support it with the left hand. With both hands, bring your right leg across and closer to the chest. Bring the position of the right leg parallel to the floor.
4. Now slowly start swinging your cradled right leg inward and outward with both arms as if you were gently swinging a baby. Maintain a normal breathing pattern while practicing rocking.
5. Maintain the posture with cradling movement for around 8 to 10 breaths.
6. Release the leg slowly, then switch sides and perform the same sequence with the left leg.

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