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 Pose: Tree Pose

Tree Pose - Vrksasana - is my favourite of the balancing poses. It really allows me to focus on grounding into the earth (or rooting - since we are a tree ;)) while finding my balance and lengthening through the spine and upper body. Of course, there are lots of benefits to this pose, including increased balance and strengthening of the legs, feet and ankles. There are three ways you can practice Tree pose - as pictured above - you can keep the toes resting into the ground to help with balance, you can bring the foot to the inner calf, or up into the inner thigh. Work where you are at! Keep reading for more details on how to move into this pose and find a helpful visual at the end of this post. 

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Step One: Begin by standing in Tadasana, keeping your hands on your hips, focus on grounding through the four corners of your Left foot into the mat. You may want to try picking up the Right foot just to test the balance. 

Step Two: Bend the Right knee, either placing the foot to the Left inner calf, thigh, or keeping the toes onto the mat for extra support. IMPORTANT: Please do not place the foot on the knee joint.

As you bend the knee, you are externally rotating the hip joint - so the knee is now pointing away from the Left Leg. As the Right foot presses into the Left leg, the Left leg presses back into the foot. 

Step Three: Notice where your hips are in space. Often the hip on the bent leg lifts up in this pose - we want the hips to be level. Keeping the hands on the hips, try bringing the hip bones into one line. 

Step Four: Breathe and Balance. Try staying her for 10 breaths - remember, it's ok if you fall out, just try your best! 

Palms can join at Heart center.

Shoulders release down and away from the ears.

Spine is long, reaching through the crown of the head as the foot continues to ground you to the earth. 

Perhaps you can raise the arms, stretching and lengthening through the upper body, reaching the finger tips to the sky. 

Step Five: To release, bring the hands back to the hips and carefully step the right foot to the floor. Now try on the other side! 

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: Cat & Cow with Variations

If you come to a class with me, whether it is a flow style or a beginner alignment focused class, there is a VERY good chance that we will do cat/cow stretches while we warm up and wake up all the muscles that may have become stagnant through the day. I am such a fan of this stretch! It feels amazing after a day of sitting at a desk, it stretches open the front and back body, and it provides a great opportunity to begin coordinating the movement of your body with your breath. I also love that from this simple stretch, I can add a number of variations based on the theme or style of the class I am teaching. Keep reading to find out how to move into Cat and Cow and a couple of it's variations. Be sure to check out the video at the end for some visual cues! (Note: This was my first attempt at a Yoga Tutorial video... so be kind ;))

Difficulty: Beginner*

*Note: Some of the variations may be slightly more challenging for a beginner - if you are unsure about them, give them a try and just do your best! 

If you experience pain in your knees when in table top, you may benefit from a thick mat - I like this one (links to Amazon US).

Here is the link for my fellow Canadians! This thick mat really saves the knees.

Step One: Begin in a table top position, keeping a neutral spine, with wrists lined up under shoulders and knees lined up under the hips. The tops of the feet can rest on the mat. Take a deep, full body inhale. 

Step Two: As you exhale, begin to curl the spine up towards the sky - creating a rounded spine. As you round through the spine, allow the tail-bone to release down toward the mat and round the shoulders, releasing the head slightly toward the floor. This is cat spine.

Step Three: As you take your next deep inhale, release your belly toward the floor. As the belly releases toward the floor the tail-bone reaches up to the ceiling and your collar bones lift up, shifting your gaze upward. This is cow spine.

Step Four: Breathe and Stretch

Continue moving through these two poses, stretching through the front and back body, as you continue to breathe. 

As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.

NOTE: if you have knee problems, you can do these two spinal motions while sitting on the floor or on a chair. You may also find it helpful to place a blanket under the knees during this whole sequence.

Variations:

Balancing Cat: Bringing the spine back to a neutral position, engage through the core and hug the belly up toward the spine. Stretch the right leg back behind you, pressing through the heel of the foot, keeping the leg in line with the body - not lifting high or drooping too low. As you find your balance extend the left arm out, keeping it in the same line as the body, extending through the finger tips. Breathe here as you balance. 

Balancing Cat Pulling it's tail ;): From Balancing Cat, keeping the leg lifted, begin to bend the knee, bringing the foot up toward the sky. Turn the arm so the palm faces out and the thumb is pointing down toward the ground. Sweep the arm back to catch the foot. Press the foot back into the hand, so you feel the stretch in the front of the thigh and the arm stays extended. Feel the stretch through the front of the chest as the arm stretches back. Turn your gaze upward if it feels ok on your neck. 

Namaste! 

If you or someone you know finds these tutorials helpful, you will probably love the Your Best Yoga Beginner Class - Register now! :)