Pyramid Pose for Balance + an Intense Side Stretch
/Feeling a little wobbly and off-center?
Sitting too long and need to stretch tight hips and hamstrings?
Want to turn inward and calm the mind?
Play in Pyramid Pose!
Pyramid Pose (also called Intense Side Stretch Pose) is a standing yoga pose that combines forward bending, backward bending and balancing. It also stimulates the abdominals and aids digestion.
This beginner yoga pose strengthens the legs and feet while stretching the hamstrings and muscles along the spine. Let’s play in pyramid pose!
The Benefits of Pyramid Pose for Kids
Pyramid Pose is a basic yoga pose that is accessible to yogis of all ages and capability. Consistent yoga practice can create big shifts in the expression of this pose as the hamstrings open over time.
Like all forward folds, this inversion brings the head below the heart, sending blood to the brain and creating mental clarity.
In children’s yoga, we love practicing yoga poses by pretending to be different animals in nature (here’s a guide to some of our favorite animal yoga poses). With pyramid yoga pose we can pretend to be a mosquito and practice folding our bodies! Try mosquito pose with Rachel in the video below!
How To: Pyramid Pose
From Mountain Pose, step one foot back into Warrior I stance
Font foot points to the front of the mat, back foot points to the front corner of the mat
Keep two heels in one line or widen feet hip-width apart for balance
Straighten both legs, engaging and lifting the quadriceps
Draw the front hip back and the back hip forward
Fold from the hips, lengthening the torso forward over the front leg, parallel to the floor
Place hands on the floor or on blocks on either side of the front foot
Draw inner thighs toward each other and firm outer hips inward
Press through the outer edge of the back foot to lengthen the lower back
Extend the chest forward over the front shin and release the back of the neck
With each exhale, lengthen more deeply into the pose
Stay in this pose for 5-10 breaths
To come up, bring hands to hips, draw tailbone down and lengthen torso forward and up
Repeat on the other side
Tips for Mastering Pyramid Yoga Pose
If you are new to pyramid pose, separate your feet hip-width apart or wider to help with balance in the pose.
Play with shortening and lengthening your stance to see what feels most supportive.
If you have tight hips or hamstrings, make the fold forward more shallow by placing hands on blocks or a chair. Focus on lengthening the spine and allow a deeper fold to come over time.
Avoid locking the knees by engaging the quadriceps. If you tend to hyper-extend at the knee joints, micro-bend the knees in the pose.
Evenly distribute the body weight in the feet. Press firmly through the big toe mound on the front foot and through the outer edge of the back foot while lifting arches.
Relax your jaw, face, and neck as you fold forward. Flutter the lips or sigh to release tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders.
Kid-friendly Pyramid Pose Variations
Once you find a steady and stable pyramid with hands alongside the front foot, you can start to play with fun arm variations. Raise arms overhead and then lengthen forward with a long spine to challenge and build core stability and strength.
Try holding opposite elbows, interlacing fingers or pressing palms together behind the back to expand and stretch the chest and shoulders. This variation helps children strengthen proprioception (our sense of where our body is in space) while creating awareness of the back of the body. It also strengthens vestibular sensing which allows us to maintain balance.
A super stable pyramid is a great entry point for the more advanced Reverse Triangle Pose. Lengthen the spine and then rotate the torso toward your front leg. Place the bottom hand onto the floor or block and extend the top arm skyward!
Pyramid Pose is called intense side stretch because it lengthens both sides of the body at the same time. Therefore, this pose is perfect preparation for many other yoga poses that benefit from a long torso including forward folds, backbends, inversions, and twists.
Whether you are pretending to be a mosquito, a bird diving for prey or an ancient structure (like in our Egypt Yoga Adventure), Pyramid Pose holds tremendous benefits for yogis of all ages. What’s your favorite variation?
Elevate Your Curriculum
Did you know Yo Re Mi offers an array of children's musical yoga and mindfulness resources for your school? You can:
- Request a professional development workshop
- Join a 30-hour certified kids yoga teacher training
- Download our app for exclusive videos and sequences -- with no ads!
- Inquire about brining the Yo Re Mi program to your school
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