My Favourite Restorative Yoga Poses using a Bolster

If you are a regular reader of my Blog (thanks so much BTW), or you follow me on Instagram (@sandrayogawpg), you may know that I made my very own Yoga Bolster to complement my restorative Yoga practice. Now, as much as I like the price tag for this home-made yoga bolster, and would recommend people try making their own to use for a simple home practice, the quality isn't quite the same as using an actual bolster (here’s a link to a great affordable one from Amazon Canada) However, I have been able to practice some of my favourite restorative yoga poses that require a bolster with my home-made one, and wanted to show you how you may use your bolster at home for some supported relaxation and opening of the body. 

For the US residents, here is a link to the bolster on Amazon US.

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Pose: Chest Opener

What you do: Place your bolster horizontally on your mat and lay over it. Make sure the armpits are over the bolster so the shoulders can come to the floor. You can keep the legs straight, bend the knees, or even bring your legs in to a butterfly position. Tilt the head slightly so the chin is not tilting back. 

What it does: Provides a supported and passive opening into the chest. 

The Pose: Supported Belly Down Twist

What you do: Place the bolster on the mat so that you can sit with your Right hip touching the bolster. Turn your body so it faces over the bolster, bringing the twist in to the spine. Lay your body over the bolster (your whole torso should be supported by the bolster) and turn your head to one side . 

What it does: This supported twist is a great release into the back and side muscles and reportedly helps with digestion. 

The Pose: Supported Setu Bandha

What you do: Lay on top of the bolster so that your shoulders can reach the floor. Most of your back should still be supported by the bolster. Place a yoga block at the end of the mat for the feet so the legs and torso are one height, and the shoulders are lower, creating the opening into the chest. Tuck the chin slightly so the head is not tilting back and the neck stays long. 

What it does: Creates a supported chest and shoulder opening. Great alternative for someone who isn't able to do unsupported Setu Bandha for any reason. 

The Pose: Viparita Karani

What you do: Place the bolster horizontally either right at the wall or about an inch or so away from the wall. Sit toward the left side of the bolster and mat, so the sitting bones are touching the wall. Lie down on your side, and then roll over so the hips lay flat on the bolster and the sitting bones stay in contact with the wall. Note: The most difficult part of this pose is getting in to it, there will likely be a lot of wiggling and giggling - it's ok! You can also ditch the bolster all together and leave the hips on the mat. 

What it does: This is a supported inversion - your feet are above your head - changing the blood flow. This pose is especially great after a practice focused on standing postures as it rests and relaxes the legs. This is a posture that is generally done at the end of a practice. 

I hope you find these little tips and tricks with the bolster helpful! Let me know if you try any and how much you love them :) 

Your Best Yoga Manifesto: Props are Helpers not Hinderer's

Photo found here

When I decided that I wanted to start my own Yoga program, it wasn't just because I wanted to teach more. It was because I wanted to create a space and program that I could infuse with my own thoughts and values about practising Yoga. I feel like my manifesto for the Your Best Yoga program touches on each of the values that I hope to bring to the program and I want to spend some time "breaking down" each line of it for better understanding. Today we are at line 6 of the Manifesto - if you need to catch up here's part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4! 

In my day (ie: non-Yoga)  job we talk about adapting the environment to be a good fit for a person – for example you don’t expect a person in a wheelchair to navigate stairs, you build a ramp. I’d like to think that Yoga props are the environmental adaptation that some people need in order to enjoy a safe and effective practice. When I first started practising yoga I was attending studios that didn’t use or feature Yoga props prominently, so when I was first introduced to props I admittedly was a bit hesitant to use them. I wasn’t sure how to use them or really what they were for. Since learning how props can help support the body and provide access to correct alignment for people I would definitely consider myself a prop enthusiast, however, there are some people who still hesitate to use props as they feel like they are used as a “crutch” instead of a helper. In my experience, this doesn’t have to be the case. 

When I am teaching a beginner class, if props are available, I will almost always show the pose using the prop. Why? Because props allow people to access poses in a safe and correct way that they may not be able to otherwise. I have seen many a collapsing Triangle pose, where the persons chest is facing the floor and they are trying to get their hand to the ground. By providing the block under their hand they are able to find the opening in the chest, keep the working in the legs and actually hold the shape of the pose for a few breaths. You aren’t losing out on anything or weakening your practice by using the prop, quite the opposite really. Correct alignment that allows you to open the body and access the breath is more important than “deeper” incorrect stretching, in my opinion. So I will always show the beginner Yogi how to use props, and hopefully the more they practice and the more open their body becomes, the less they may need the props – Virasana is a great example of this as people often start sitting on a high support when they’re quads are very tight and eventually they can sit on a small height or none at all as they lengthen their muscles. Alternatively, if the challenge in a pose is due to something like body proportion, they may always have to use a prop, which should certainly not be considered a hindrance or crutch. 

Tell me, are you team "Yoga Props" or do you prefer not to use them in your practice??

Yoga Props: How to Make Your own Yoga Bolster - No Sewing Required!

Yoga Bolsters are one of my favourite Yoga Props to use. When I arrive to a class and the teacher asks us to get a bolster, I know some lovely restorative poses are coming up and I'm about to feel realllllyyyy relaxed ;) Yoga Bolsters can range in price and quality of course, so I wanted to try my hand at making my own before investing my dollars in a more pricey one ($60 - $100). This home-made bolster cost me about $25.00 to make in total, and I'm actually quite impressed with how it turned out. It's firm, but not hard, and it's a good length and depth for my body shape. The entire process took me less than an hour - and that included a small crisis with the liquid stitch, which I ended up throwing away and not using at all. Keep reading to find out how you can make your very own Yoga Bolster - no sewing required! 

What You Will Need: 

IGNORE THE LIQUID STITCH! :) 

1 Foam Pool Noodle - $1.00 at Dollarama

1 Flannelette* Pillow Case - Free, as I used an extra one I had at home 

1 Bag of Cotton Batting

1 Package of Adhesive Velcro - $1.50 each (I bought two to be safe)

Packing Tape

Scissors

Sharpie marker

Measuring Tape

*You can use a cotton or other type of pillow case if that's what you have. 

Step 1: 

Measure the pool noodle and mark it with the sharpie in the middle. Fold the noodle in half and use scissors to cut it. You want your two pieces to be as equal in length as possible. Use your packing tape to secure the two pieces together side by side. 

Step 2: 

Take your cotton batting out the bag and fold it in half once so you have a double layer. Place the pool noodles on the far end of one side (not like in the picture) and roll them up in the blanket. 

Step 3: 

Secure the cotton with packing tape. 

(I also placed a long strip of tape over the rough edge of cotton so it was smooth - sorry for the lack of photo)

Step 4:

Place your bolster in the pillow case, making sure you push it all the way into one corner of the case. 

Pull the fabric tight around the bolster and cut the pillow case, leaving enough room to add the velcro to attach the pillow case together. Put the piece of pillow case that you cut off aside as we will use it later. 

Step 5: 

Press the adhesive velcro strip on to the outside  piece first, then pull it tight and mark where your attaching piece of velcro needs to go. You want the material to stay in place once velcro-ed. 

Step 6: 

Use the piece of pillow case that you cut off and place it over the bolster so that one corder of the bolster is in the one corner of the pillowcase. Once again, pull the fabric tightly and make your cut. 

Step 7: 

Back of bolster

I was able to simply tuck the fabric in to the velcro-ed piece and because it was flannelette, it stayed in place. You can always use adhesive velcro on this part as well if you use another type of pillow case. 

And here is the finished product!!!! 

It's really quite simple - I literally made this process up as I went along, which is why some of the photo's are missing details - and took less than an hour to complete. You can make a variety of changes to make this bolster suit your needs - add another piece of pool noodle to make it wider, wrap an old towel around the pool noodles before you roll it in the cotton batting to make it thicker etc. 

Check back in a couple weeks to see some of my favourite restorative poses to do with this Yoga Prop. I'd also LOVE to know if you make one of these yourself, so be sure to let me know by leaving a comment below, sending me your pictures or tagging me in them on Instagram @sandrayogawpg.

Check out Yoga Design Lab for some premade yoga props and be sure to look at their infinity and curve mats, specifically made for taller yogi’s!

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As a Yoga Design lab affiliate I earn a commission on eligible sales.

Yoga Props: How to use a Yoga Strap in your Practice

Yoga props are used more in some styles of yoga, such as Iyengar, Restorative and Hatha, compared to others, like Bikram. Because of this, many people have never used a yoga prop before  and find them awkward and confusing. I had never used a Yoga prop before I started my teacher training, but was a quick convert as I appreciate how they allow people to access poses that they may otherwise feel they aren't able to access. Keep reading to see just some of the ways you can use a Yoga Strap - my favourite of the yoga props - in your practice. . 

Supta Padangusthasana

Supta Padangusthasana

Why: If your hamstrings are tight it may be very difficult to reach for the foot with your hand and straighten the leg toward the ceiling

How: Loop the belt around the sole of the foot and stretch the leg up toward the ceiling. 

*Note: You can also use the belt in the standing version of this posture - hasta padangusthasana

Seated Forward Folds

Paschimottanasana - seated forward fold

Why: If the hamstrings are tight you may not be able to reach for the feet in these poses. The belt allows you to stretch into the backs of the legs without rounding through the spine - so you can keep an open chest and long spine - and also prevents from over stretching and straining into the low back. 

How: Loop the belt around the souls of the feet instead of reaching for the toes with your hands.

Gomukasana

Gomukasna arms

Why: If you are tight through the shoulders you likely won't be able to reach for opposite finger tips in this pose. 

How: Place the belt over the shoulder of the arm that is lifted in this posture, continue to reach up through the lifted arm and down through the opposite arm while holding on to the belt. 

Supta Baddha-Konasana

Supta Baddha-Konasana

Why: The belt supports the legs and allows you to maintain the position without effort. 

How: Loop the belt behind the sacrum, over the thighs, and under the ankles, fastening it tight enough so that you can still recline over blocks or a bolster, or on to the floor. Be mindful as to where the metal rings are so they don't dig into your skin. 

King Pigeon Pose

King Pigeon Pose

Why: Reaching back to grasp the foot requires very open quadriceps muscles, a deep back bend and open shoulders - and a lot of practice. The belt allows you to practice this posture while your body slowly opens in those areas.

How: Create a small loop at the end of the belt and slide the foot  of the leg that will stretch back behind you through it.  Once in the half pigeon posture, rest the end of the belt over the shoulder on the same side of the leg that is stretched out. Reach up and over with your arms to grasp the belt with both hands. Begin to walk your hands down the belt as the foot lifts and the knee bends behind you. 

Some people view props as a "crutch" in their Yoga practice - preventing them from going as deep into the postures as possible. I don't see it that way. The belt in these poses provides you the support to access these poses where you are at, and after you work with the belt in these poses for awhile, your body will open more and more and eventually you'll be able to work without the it! 

Namaste! :)