Floor Sequence: Knees-to-Chest and Happy Baby

A lying-down yoga sequence with knees to chest, gentle rocking, knee circles, happy baby, and alternating leg extensions. It relaxes the lower back and hips after running or jumping and leaves students resting at the end of class.

How to play

1. Each student lies face up on a yoga mat, legs long and arms by the sides; three breaths (0.5 min).
2. Knees to chest: hug both knees and draw them toward the chest on the exhale, loosen on the inhale; 6 times (1 min).
3. Knee circles: hands on the knees, draw small circles one way and then the other to massage the lower back; 5 each direction (1 min).
4. Happy baby: open the knees toward the armpits, hold the outer edges of the feet or the shins, and rock gently side to side; six breaths (1.5 min).
5. Single-leg stretch: one leg long on the floor and the other hugged to the chest, four breaths; switch legs (1.5 min).
6. Let everything go, legs long and palms up; one silent minute feeling the back resting on the floor (1.5 min).

Rules

• Head and shoulders stay on the mat at all times.
• In happy baby, hold the feet only if you can reach without lifting your back; otherwise hold the shins.
• Rocking stays small and slow.
• Respect the space of each mat.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do the exercises in a chair, pulling one knee toward the chest with the hands.
• Hearing impairment: demonstrate each exercise from a mat everyone can see before starting.
• Low flexibility: hold behind the thighs instead of the feet.

Learning goals

• Relax the lower back and hips after exertion.
• Mobilize the hips gently and with control.
• Reach a resting state at the end of class.

Equipment for a class of 25

• yoga mats: 25

Teacher tip

Set the mats in staggered rows, not a circle, so nobody's feet end up by someone else's head; the name happy baby usually gets laughs, so let them happen and return to the breath.

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