How to use a yoga bolster for practicing yoga for a longer period?

Proper usage of a yoga tool is very important to cultivate proper postures and flexibility. To get the benefits of yoga it is very important to use bolster accurately. A bolster is similar to a pillow rectangular or circular. A bolster is a yoga tool which helps in cultivating the benefits of yoga. Here are some examples to show how to use a yoga bolster?

Supports your back. It helps in restoring the natural shape and curve of the body. This position is performed by a yoga bolster. The bolster is placed underneath the back and chest shoulder, arms, and abdomen opening upward. It stimulates your nervous system.

The steps involved in performing this exercise extend your legs in front, place the bolster underneath your spine, lean on the bolster the head should be supported by the bolster. Place your arms at the side of the bolster palm facing upside and relax. Legs should be kept extended. A good yoga bolster will help you enjoy all the exercises and stretches.

How to use a yoga bolster?

Here is some important feature of yoga bolster which will give you a better understanding of how to use yoga a bolster.

  • Yoga bolster gives you comfort while performing the exercise.
  • Yoga bolsters are very soft and this is the most important feature. You should always keep in mind that the bolster should be soft. A soft bolster is only capable of providing comfort.
  • Yoga bolster used is for enhancement of relaxation while performing an exercise.
  • Size is also an important factor. It is important to choose a suitable size according to the objective.
  • The shape is another important factor. Rectangular bolsters are more comfortable than cylindrical bolsters.
  • Rectangular bolsters are 12” by 6” by25”
  • Cylindrical bolsters are 9” by 6” by 25”

There are a variety of bolsters available in the market. It is very important to know how to use a yoga bolster, and know for what purpose which kind of bolster you should use. A few of them are discussed mentioned here.

  • Supportive bolster
  • Pranayama bolster
  • Max support bolster
  • Junior yoga bolster

Don’t worry we will help you in choosing the right bolster and describe how to use a yoga bolster.

  1. First, you have to decide what shape of bolster you want. Rectangular bolsters will have more surface area and it will provide more stability while doing exercise. It has a flat surface. The height of this bolster is less. Cylindrical bolsters have more height than rectangular bolster. It has a round surface so the stability is less. You have to put more effort into maintaining the stability on a round shape bolster.
  2. You should choose supportive or max support bolsters. The only variation in these bolsters is the weight. Max Support bolster is for those who have more weight.
  3. If you are purchasing for children junior bolsters will be perfect for them. These bolsters are travel friendly.
  4. Pranayama bolsters are perfect for breathing exercises.

Here are the three best yoga bolsters. You can add these yoga bolsters to yoga exercises.

  1. Supportive rectangular cotton yoga bolsters.
  2. Supportive round cotton yoga bolster.
  3. Buckwheat bolsters pillow.

These 3 bolsters are of different shapes and sizes. You can check these and add them to your exercise according to your requirements.

Here are some yoga exercises to help you know about how to use a yoga bolster:

  1. Supported pigeon:

It helps in releasing tension in the legs and glut muscles. This is a complete relaxing posture for the body. One should be lying down on the stomach. The bolster is placed under the head with arms supporting the head. Lone leg stretched and the other folded close to the stomach. Inhale and exhale slowly feeling the contraction and relaxation in the core muscles.

This exercise includes engaged core muscles. It strengthens the core. It also improves digestion controls sugar levels in the body and also helps in the reduction of fat in the body. This is a very good exercise for burning calories while relaxing.

  1. Supported knee twist:

It is a posture for a spine twist. It opens up the muscles of the chest and ribs. Improves flexibility of the body and relieves back pain. For performing this posture, one should lie on the ground facing upwards. The hands should be placed beside the head. Palms should face up.

Place the bolster beside the leg. Slowly twist your leg which is on the other side of the bolster and place it over the bolster. Hold this position and perform the same with the other leg. This is a very intense posture for improving the flexibility of the body. You should hold this position for at least 10 breaths.

  1. Waterfall:

This is an inversion body posture which is very helpful in relieving stress and anxiety. The major benefit of this exercise is maintaining blood pressure and helps the body to relax. It also promotes blood circulation. The bolster is placed close to the wall. This exercise is performed by laying down on your back facing upward on the ground. Stay close to the wall facing towards the wall.

Slowly raise your legs and move close towards the wall placing your hips on the bolster. Spread your arms on the ground palms facing upwards and relax. Hold this position as long as possible and then slowly release it.

  1. Supported child pose:

This pose is said to be as restorative as night’s sleep. This pose helps in opening up the length of the back and hips. Lie down on the ground placing knees as far as possible. Place the bolster under the stomach and lie down.

Place your arms side making a T shape or placing the elbows making an angle of 90 degrees extending them out in front. Gently press the forehead into the bolster and lengthen your back. Hold this position expand your back and inhale and exhale slowly.

Four postures are very beneficial in maintaining the stability of the body. These postures also help in making proper coordination with the body. Here is a detailed description of how to use a yoga bolster in performing these postures.

The process to do the exercise in the first pose is, place the bolster parallel to your mat. lie down on it under the spine. support your sacrum from the back of the head. keep the muscles of the core engaged, the movement can be felt in two directions:

  • around the waist 
  • from your tail to the crown.

you should be able to breathe freely.

Keep the core gentle and support it. float arms above the shoulders trying to touch the ceiling. Lift the foot off, bending your knee above the hip. Keep yourself steady on the bolster and lift other foot, both knees should be above your hips.

Take a breath in. while exhaling, smoothly extend the leg out straight, lower down towards hip height. Reach the right arm overhead simultaneously, lowering toward shoulder height. When you exhale, follow the same steps with the alternate or reverse leg and the arm. Keep breathing continuously.

Keep coordination between the lower and upper body. Maintain coordination between your right and left sides. repeat 10 rounds on each side. return to the initial position. Slowly roll get down from your bolster.

This pose helps build coordination with the full-body. You will develop coordination by practicing this pose. The process to do the exercise in the second pose is you have to stand on a soft, surface of the bolster. This pose adds stability to the small muscles of the feet and ankle.

Stand in the middle of the bolster with the left foot. Fix gaze unmoving surface of floor or wall. Once you are stable, lift your foot off, trying to keep the waist and body stable.

Take time to adjust to the bolster underneath you. Try to keep yourself stable even though the surface of the bolster is very soft and unsteady. Lift your inner ankle and left arch, then spread left toe. Balance your body at the central point between your heel and ball of the foot.

Once you have balanced yourself, take the left arm out in the front direction. Bend the right knee slowly and bring the heel towards the butt, then with the other hand catch the inner arch of the foot. Balance yourself in this forward reach of the hand, with the right foot and backward kick.

Maintain this position for up to eight breaths. slowly reverse and get back to the initial position. Now get down from the bolster, bring both the feet together to stand on the floor.

The third pose shows how to use a yoga bolster. Balancing your body on one foot is very difficult; this poses required to keep the bolster on back and hips, forming a straight line along your torso. This variation is balancing you on the bolster. Stand on the ground, holding the bolster.

While spreading your toes shift your weight foot, lift your arch, keep the ankle engaged. Move your other foot behind and bend down from the torso in a forward direction, forming a straight line from your head to toe. Keep your hips in line with the body. Once you find your point of stability leave the bolster and move your arms down by the side of your body. Maintain the position because if you move the bolster will become unstable and will roll down from your back. It will take nerves of steel to maintain this position.

If you lower your head or sacrum the balance of bolster shifts to the lower part of the body. So, maintain the balance at the center of the body. This position is very helpful in losing weight. Hold this position for 8 breath inhale and exhale smoothly. Then return to the initial standing position. Repeat the same process for the other leg.

The last pose depicts how to use a yoga bolster. Keel down on the bolster balance yourself. The surface of the bolster and floor both are unstable both increase the level of difficulty. This pose is very much challenging than it looks. Balancing is done on the four-point of the bolster.

Slowly lift your one leg and arm that is opposite to that leg. Slowly balance yourself. If you will slightly move then you will lose your balance you will fall from the bolster. So, maintain the position and avoid the movement. Maintain the position for 5 breaths and release from the position. Repeat the same with the other leg and hand.

These four postures are important to cultivate flexibility and maintain proper coordination among different parts of your body.

Savasana, supported front fold, stretching forward bend, sukhasana, ustrasana are some examples of how to use a yoga bolster.

As discussed above a yoga bolster is like a pillow rectangular or circular. It is a yoga tool and it important to know the correct way of using a bolster. If you don’t know the correct way that how to use bolster then all your efforts will go in vain. There will be no benefit from using it. Bolster also help in improving blood circulation in the body. It is a perfect aid for relaxation.

Inference

You can also call yoga bolster a pillow that is for supporting a particular body part while exercising. Like other props, it is also helpful in relaxation. Yoga is a way to make the body more flexible, stretch, and align it. Yoga also helps in healing. If you are using a yoga prop correctly it will help in healing problems related to your body. Using yoga bolster as a prop helps in enhancing the benefits of yoga. It also helps in correcting the body postures.

So here we have shared information about how to use a yoga bolster. Which bolster will be perfect for you? How you can choose it. We also discussed various poses that describe how to use a yoga bolster.