I completely LOVE the use of sandbags in my yoga observe. As anyone who has an frightened intellect and has a tendency to over concern, it’s more than likely no marvel that I gravitated against extra grounding practices like restorative yoga. With its emphasis on the use of numerous props to strengthen the physique and lengthy holds (postures are held between 5-20 mins), restorative yoga lets in for a gentle downshifting of the frightened machine to assist relieve the stresses for day-to-day existence and go away you feeling replenished and renewed.
Sandbags had been a staple in Iyengar yoga, which is the place the restorative yoga observe has its roots. Including weight to the physique, via using sandbags or eye luggage, can assist to supply an enjoy of grounding, bringing you out of the trade of the intellect and into your bodily physique. It supplies a delicate soothing sign to the mind-body connection that it’s secure, like a swaddle can soothe a child, stimulating the parasympathetic frightened machine (our relaxation and digest reaction). This creates a sense of calm and safety, which is helping to ease emotions of tension and nervousness.
Right here fellow restorative trainer, Yogamatters August co-host and my expensive buddy, Yvonne O’Garro, and I display 5 techniques to include sandbags into your restorative observe.
Amusing reality: it used to be in reality our mutual love of sandbags that first bonded Yvonne and I after we first met! 🙂
Reclined certain perspective
4 blocks, 2 bolsters, 2 bricks, 2 eye pillows, 2 sandbags
A vintage restorative posture, reclined certain perspective or supta baddha konasana, sandbags may also be included into this pose to assist floor the thigh bones.
- Place one cork brick horizontally on the best of the mat. Upload a 2nd brick vertically angled on best of the primary brick and position the bolster on best. This will likely be to strengthen the backbone.
- Upload a well folded blanket for the pinnacle.
- Come to sit down at the mat along with your again to the bolster and convey the soles of your ft in combination, permitting the knees to open broad.
- From there position two blocks on each side of the leg. The primary block will lay flat with the second one block angled to strengthen the outer thigh. Repeat at the different aspect.
- Lie again alongside the bolster, ensuring the pinnacle and neck have the strengthen of the folded blanket. Liberate the outside of the shoulder blades down the again and prolong the tailbone down against the ft.
- Position the sandbags on both hip to floor the thigh bones.
- Method to position a mini bolster over the tops of the ft for grounding (as proven within the symbol).
- Keep for 10-20 mins.
Downward savasana
2 bolsters, sandbag, small oblong bolster
Hanging weight alongside the sacrum (the again of the pelvis) in any downward dealing with posture like kid’s pose or downward savasana, can assist to create period alongside the decrease again in addition to liberate rigidity.
- Position one bolster vertically on the best of your mat and the second one bolster horizontally around the width of the mat.
- The bolsters must be touching developing an the other way up ‘T’ form.
- Use a small oblong bolster (as proven within the symbol) or a rolled up blanket on the backside of the mat to strengthen the ft.
- Come onto all fours (palms and knees) and position the tops of your ft over the mini bolster/rolled blanket.
- As you deliver your self down onto your bolsters, the decrease stomach will relaxation at the horizontal bolster, simply on the hip crease, and the ribs, chest and head will relaxation onto the vertical bolster.
- Flip your head to whichever aspect feels maximum relaxed.
- Permit the forearms to relaxation onto the bottom, with the elbows moderately clear of the physique to assist liberate around the tops of the shoulders.
- From there position your sandbag over the again of the pelvis and moderately pull down against your backside to create a sense of period.
- Keep for 10-20 mins.
Reclined twist
1 Blanket, 1 bolster, 2 blocks, 2 sandbags
On this reclined twist there’s the choice to make use of one or two sandbags, relying on what you could have at your disposal. As you’ll see within the symbol above, one sandbag is positioned over the fitting hip, with the burden of the sandbag moderately drawing down clear of the physique to assist anchor the hip down and create extra period alongside the fitting aspect physique. The second one sandbag is positioned over the fitting shoulder, which is especially helpful in serving to to attract the fitting shoulder down against the ground to assist deepen the twist.
- Take a folded blanket and create a small roll, which is able to strengthen the herbal inward curve of the neck.
- Position two blocks, in portrait orientation, aspect by way of aspect, to the left hand aspect of the mat after which position the bolster on best.
- Come to lie down at the mat with the pinnacle at the blanket and the small roll below the neck.
- Bend your knees and convey your ft to the ground. From there elevate your hips and shift them over to the fitting.
- Straighten your left leg down and hug your proper knee in against your chest.
- On an exhalation draw the fitting leg around the physique to the left, hanging the decrease leg onto the raised bolster.
- The precise knee must be kind of in keeping with your hip, making sure that the entire of the decrease leg from the knee to the foot is supported at the bolster. Method to position a bolster alongside the outer proper hip to assist lower the hip down and clear of the fitting shoulder.
- Lengthen your proper arm out to the fitting, with palm face up.
- If the fitting shoulder doesn’t rather achieve the bottom you’ll shuffle your leg shoulder moderately to the left to assist liberate the fitting shoulder down. Here’s the place you’ll additionally position any other sandbag to assist inspire the fitting shoulders against the earth.
- Keep for 5-8 mins after which repeat at the different aspect.
Savasana model 1
1 sandbag, 1 blanket, 1 belt, 1 bolster
Savasana is likely one of the most simple poses so as to add using a sandbag to. It’s additionally a pose this is executed on the finish of maximum yoga categories, without reference to magnificence taste, so you’ll incorporate this on the finish of any yoga observe. Hanging weight over the entrance of the thighs is helping to anchor the legs and really feel grounded.
Right here is a straightforward savasana arrange:
- Smartly fold a blanket for the pinnacle, with the graceful rounded edge against you.
- Create a loop with the belt and thread your legs in the course of the loop. Convey the strap to mid-thigh and tighten sufficient that it holds the legs in combination hip distance aside.
- Position the bolster to the again of the thighs, simply in the back of the knees.
- When you lie down with the blanket below the pinnacle and neck, the strap across the legs and the bolster in the back of the thighs, you’ll position the sandbag over the entrance of the thighs, slightly under the entrance hip issues.
- Keep for 10-20 mins.
Savasana model 2
4 blocks, 1 sandbag, 1 blanket, 1 belt, 1 bolster
Hanging a sandbag over the brow has a an identical feeling to the use of an eye fixed pillow, then again the sandbag has a little bit extra weight to it. Including weight to the brow can assist to subtly sign to the intellect to quieten and settle.
- Previous to mendacity down for savasana, stack 4 blocks on the best of the mat, simply above your head.
- Position the sandbag on best of the 4 stacked blocks after which lie down for savasana.
- Pull the sandbag down moderately from the blocks till it covers your brow.
- Because the sandbag is huge, just a 3rd of the sandbag will likely be for your brow with the remainder of the sandbag nonetheless resting on best of the blocks.
- Be sure you calmly distribute the burden around the brow.
