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 :) 

Yoga Pose: Triangle Video Tutorial

Triangle - Trikonasana - is a beautiful and challenging standing posture. It stretches and strengthens the legs - specifically the quads, hamstrings, and hips - strengthens the core, lengthens the spine and the sides of the waist, and opens the heart space. Keep reading to learn how to safely move in to this posture and how to modify it to fit your needs. Check out the video at the end for visual cues! 

Difficulty Level: Beginner - Intermediate

Step one: Beginning in tadasana, facing the long edge of your yoga mat, take a wide step bringing your feet about  a leg length apart or a little wider. Check to make sure the baby toe edge of the feet are parallel with the short edges of the mat. 

Step two: With an exhale, turn the right toes out 90 degrees. Make sure that you are turning the leg from the top of the thigh so that the right knee is pointing the same direction as the toes. If it is comfortable in your body, you may try turning the left toes in slightly. 

Step three: With an inhale, bring the arms up to shoulder height. Extend through the finger tips so the arms stay long and strong!

Step four: With an exhale, side bend from the right hip crease, keeping both legs straight if possible. As you side bend, reach forward through the right arm, finding the length through the spine and the side body. 

Step five: Bring the right arm down either to the block behind the right calf, or in front of the right shin (see video for details), stretching the left arm straight up. 

Step six: Breathe and Stretch

Continue lengthening the spine by reaching through the crown of the head. 

Continue grounding through the feet and legs. 

Lift the left shoulder up and back, lifting the heart space so the chest opens. 

Try staying here for 5 deep breaths. 

Step seven: To come out, press into both feet, firming into the legs, lifting the upper body back to standing. Then release the arms, turn the right toes to face the same direction as the left, and heel toe the feet in. Give those legs a little shake out and move to the other side! 

Note for beginners: To help with stability in this pose, try it with the baby to edge of your left foot pressed into a wall. Also, if the block is too low for you to reach when on it's highest height, you can use a chair instead! 

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! :) 

Yoga Pose: Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog (Adha Mukha Svanasana) is a pose that shows up in lot of Yoga classes, but isn't often broken down and taught (unless you take a beginner alignment focused class like this one). It is a wonderful stretch on it's own and also works beautifully as a transition to many other postures - think high lunge, warrior's, plank etc. This pose has loads of benefits (many of the same as this pose), is a great overall stretch, and strengthens the muscles of the arms and shoulders. Keep reading to see how to move into this pose, as well as some different ways you can modify and work with it to find the best expression for your body. Find some visual cues in the slideshow at the end of the post! 

Difficulty level: Beginner

 Step one: Begin in a table top position with your palms pressing into the mat, fingers spread, and elbow creases facing one another. Check to make sure your wrists are lined up underneath the shoulders or just slightly ahead of them. Arms should be shoulder distance apart and legs should be hip distance apart.

Step two: Keeping the hands planted into the earth, curl the toes under and begin to lift the hips up to the sky, straightening the legs as the hips lift. The heels reach down toward the ground, but it's ok if they don't touch - as long as they are reaching that way!

Step three: Breath and Stretch

Imagine your lower ribs are moving toward the upper thighs. As the hips continue to lift, feel the strength in your arms, shoulders and legs supporting you.

Arms are straight and elbow creases continue to face one another.

Take a peek at your hands - is the entire palm pressing into the earth? Sometimes the thumb and index finger do not press down which causes a cupping of the palm, so really focus on releasing the entire palm down to the earth. 

Head rests between the arms.

 Try staying here for 5 - 10 full body, deep breaths.

 Step four: When you are ready to come out of this pose you can either release the knees back down to the mat, coming back to table top OR try walking your hands and feet toward one another coming into a passive forward bend, slowly inhaling as you come all the way back to standing.

 Tips and Tricks!
- Some people may find it easier to come into this pose from a forward bending childs pose - play with it and see what feels best in your body!

- "Walking the dog" is a great way to start in this pose. Bend one knee at a time - walking in place - to help stretch the back of the thighs, calves, ankles and feet. After you have done this a few times, hold the pose for 5 or more breaths.

 - Try doing this posture with your heels into a wall to help feel the sensation of the heels reaching down toward the ground

 - While in the pose, deeply bend the knees - keeping the arms straight - which will automatically send your hips up to the sky! Keeping your hips where they are, straighten the legs

- You can also utilize a chair for this pose or try the wall version 

Downward Facing Dog

Begin in a table top position

Keep the entire palm and fingers pressing into the earth

Lift the hips by bending deeply through the knees

Keeping the hips lifted, straighten the legs and notice if the hips reach a little higher

A passive forward fold is a nice release from this pose :) 

 Namaste!