Yoga Blankets, Bolsters and Chairs
Understanding Yoga Accessories for a Safe, Gentle Practice
Oct 24, 2007
You have your mat, strap and blocks and are ready to complete your yoga tool kit.
Here, we demystify some of the other accessories students may see lying around a yoga studio, and providing a bit of guidance about which of those items students may wish to learn how to incorporate into their own work.
Blankets, bolsters and chairs are most commonly deployed in prenatal yoga and senior yoga classes, and are able to enhance student’s comfort in poses.
Yoga blankets: all about comfort
- What to look for - Typical yoga blankets are “Mexican blankets” made of natural fibers like cotton or wool – thick enough to provide padding and scratchy enough to be non-slip.
- Try before you buy - To try it out at home, use a heavy wool blanket or a thick bath towel folded up as smoothly as possible.
- How to use your blanket(s) in a pose – Blankets can add padding under knees in child’s pose, or modified lunges. Folded multiple times, blankets can be stacked to elevate the seat and drop the knees down when sitting in Sukhasana ("Easy Pose" means simply sitting cross-legged). In Savasana, the Final Relaxation pose, many students cover their feet or legs for added warmth, some use a thinly-folded (no more than one-inch thick) blanket under their head for just a little bit of elevation to open their airways.
Yoga Bolster: a prenatal yoga must-have
- What to look for - a yoga bolster is basically a sturdy pillow that's about two feet long and cylindrical in shape
- Try before you buy - To try it out at home, use a tightly rolled sleeping bag or comforter in a pillowcase.
- How to use your bolster in a pose - Supta Baddha Konasana (supta = Reclining or lying down, baddha = Bound or restrained, kona = Angle) also known as Goddess Pose is a restorative, relaxing hip opener and mild back-bend. This pose incorporates the use of a strap, and blankets.
- The strap is looped around the feet in cobbler's pose and sitting low on the hips, drawn tight to support the legs without the student using any leg strength.
- The student sits on several blankets in front of the bolster, and rolls up another one on top of the bolster itself. Keeping the hips right up against the bolster, slowly lower yourself back and down to rest on top of it.
- Arrange the blankets around you and under you to create a maximum amount of comfort. Additional blankets can be placed under the arms and knees until the student is “floating” in this pose.
Yoga chairs: nice and easy
- What to look for - a yoga chair is a light, sturdy metal folding chair with rubber tips on the feet for stability. It is usually backless to allow the student to slip the entire torso through for support in intermediate moves such as a supported wheel.
- Try before you buy - To try it out at home, use one of those folding chairs you have stored with the card table for parties.
- How to use your chair in a pose – First, be sure to place it on your mat to keep it from slipping. Many standing postures are modified to incorporate the support and stability of the chair for Senior Yoga. Sitting on the chair side-ways, use the back to pull your shoulders into a gentle twist.
It is fun to experiment with the additional support provided by props to expand your yoga practice as long as you remember to be gentle with yourself at all times!
This only covers the very beginning of what is available. Wedges, benches, and even eye pillows are other recommended tools for a student of yoga. Though it is not a "prop" per se, another fun source of support for a beginning yoga practice is a wall!
 |
