HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT YOGA BOLSTER

Pushing your asanas to their physical limits is simply a natural progression of your yoga journey, which you should calmly accept. We encounter the pressure to perform often enough in our daily lives and it has no place on the yoga mat. Instead, with the help of props you can give yourself a little support. Yoga bolsters are especially suited for this purpose! With such a large range of yoga bolsters to choose from, it's often difficult to know which one to select. This guide is here to help you with the agony of choice!

Using a bolster allows you to further intensify your yoga practice or support challenging yoga postures. Essentially, a yoga bolster is also a wonderful aid to relax more easily while stretching.

WHAT IS A YOGA BOLSTER AND HOW DOES IT SUPPORT YOU?

A Yoga bolster is an elongated yoga cushion which you can use for all your yoga support needs. It may come shaped in a rectangular or round form, smaller or larger in size, and with a selction of various cover fabrics and fillers. This varies depending on the manufacturer.

The bolster is generally intended to allow you to stay on it for longer, making it easier to use for this intended purpose rather than relying on a classic block. Unlike the block, the yoga cushion is not only significantly larger, but also softer and therefore ideally suited as a resting surface. A bolster relieves your body on so many levels: Back, neck, shoulders, abdominal wall, hips, legs, head and even your thoughts.

But you can also use the bolster as a seat pad to gently push yourself into an upright position. Place your pelvis with crossed legs on the short edge of the bolster so that it almost tilts. This ensures that your pelvis also moves forward and your spine straightens up.  

There are many more Asanas (especially in Yin Yoga) that you can practice with a bolster. Instructions or inspirations are best given by a yoga teacher that you trust.

HOW DO I FIND THE RIGHT YOGA BOLSTER?

1. THE RIGHT SHAPE

Lotuscrafts offers two different shaped yoga bolsters. Most yoga bolster are rectangular, the round shape is usually called a yoga roll.

To choose the right yoga bolster you should ask yourself two questions. Firstly, do you like the look and feel of your bolster? You should enjoy practising on and with it, otherwise it will not give you the needed support during your practice.

Secondly, what will you mainly be using the bloster for? The advantage of the rectangular bolster is that it won't roll away. It therefore offers a stable balance, good back support for lying positions and comfort for the spine and hips. This is why this shape is the better choice if you primarily do exercises with pressure applied to the back.

The round yoga bolster (yoga roll) is highly suitable for yoga asanas in which the chest is opened with a bend in the spine. Here a good example would be the supported bridge pose. You can also use a yoga roll as a weight to help you perform your exercises. For example, when you sit down and bend forward, put the yoga roll on your knees. It is also great as a support for supporting limbs, for example under bent knees.