5 methods to make use of a sandbag – Weblog

I completely LOVE utilizing sandbags in my yoga observe. As somebody who has an anxious thoughts and tends to over fear, it’s in all probability no shock that I gravitated in the direction of extra grounding practices like restorative yoga. With its emphasis on utilizing numerous props to assist the physique and lengthy holds (postures are held between 5-20 minutes), restorative yoga permits for a gradual downshifting of the nervous system to assist relieve the stresses for day by day life and depart you feeling replenished and renewed. 

Sandbags have been a staple in Iyengar yoga, which is the place the restorative yoga observe has its roots. Including weight to the physique, by way of using sandbags or eye luggage, can assist to supply an expertise of grounding, bringing you out of the enterprise of the thoughts and into your bodily physique. It supplies a delicate soothing sign to the mind-body connection that it’s protected, like a swaddle can soothe a child, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (our relaxation and digest response). This creates a sense of calm and safety, which helps to ease emotions of stress and nervousness. 

Right here fellow restorative trainer, Yogamatters August co-host and my pricey good friend, Yvonne O’Garro, and I exhibit 5 methods to include sandbags into your restorative observe. 

Enjoyable truth: it was really our mutual love of sandbags that first bonded Yvonne and I after we first met! 🙂

Reclined certain angle 

4 blocks, 2 bolsters, 2 bricks, 2 eye pillows, 2 sandbags

A basic restorative posture, reclined certain angle or supta baddha konasana, sandbags might be integrated into this pose to assist floor the thigh bones. 

• Place one cork brick horizontally on the prime of the mat. Add a second brick vertically angled on prime of the primary brick and place the bolster on prime. This will likely be to assist the backbone.
• Add a neatly folded blanket for the top.
• Come to take a seat on the mat together with your again to the bolster and produce the soles of your toes collectively, permitting the knees to open extensive.
• From there place two blocks on both facet of the leg. The primary block will lay flat with the second block angled to assist the outer thigh. Repeat on the opposite facet.
• Lie again alongside the bolster, ensuring the top and neck have the assist of the folded blanket. Launch the pores and skin of the shoulder blades down the again and lengthen the tailbone down in the direction of the toes. 
• Place the sandbags on both hip to floor the thigh bones. 
• Possibility to position a mini bolster over the tops of the toes for grounding (as proven within the picture). 
• Keep for 10-20 minutes. 

 

Downward savasana 

2 bolsters, sandbag, small rectangular bolster

Inserting weight alongside the sacrum (the again of the pelvis) in any downward going through posture like youngster’s pose or downward savasana, can assist to create size alongside the decrease again in addition to launch rigidity.

• Place one bolster vertically on the prime of your mat and the second bolster horizontally throughout the width of the mat.
• The bolsters ought to be touching creating an the other way up ‘T’ form. 
• Use a small rectangular bolster (as proven within the picture) or a rolled up blanket on the backside of the mat to assist the toes. 
• Come onto all fours (arms and knees) and place the tops of your toes over the mini bolster/rolled blanket. 
• As you carry your self down onto your bolsters, the decrease stomach will relaxation on 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 facet feels most snug.
• Enable the forearms to relaxation onto the bottom, with the elbows barely away from the physique to assist launch throughout the tops of the shoulders. 
• From there place your sandbag over the again of the pelvis and barely pull down in the direction of your backside to create a sense of size. 
• Keep for 10-20 minutes.

 

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 have got at your disposal. As you possibly can see within the picture above, one sandbag is positioned over the precise hip, with the load of the sandbag barely drawing down away from the physique to assist anchor the hip down and create extra size alongside the precise facet physique. The second sandbag is positioned over the precise shoulder, which is especially helpful in serving to to attract the precise shoulder down in the direction of the ground to assist deepen the twist. 

• Take a folded blanket and create a small roll, which can assist the pure inward curve of the neck. 
• Place two blocks, in portrait orientation, facet by facet, to the left hand facet of the mat after which place the bolster on prime.
• Come to lie down on the mat with the top on the blanket and the small roll underneath the neck. 
• Bend your knees and produce your toes to the ground. From there elevate your hips and shift them over to the precise. 
• Straighten your left leg down and hug your proper knee in in the direction of your chest. 
• On an exhalation draw the precise leg throughout the physique to the left, inserting the decrease leg onto the raised bolster. 
• The best knee ought to be roughly according to your hip, guaranteeing that the entire of the decrease leg from the knee to the foot is supported on the bolster. Possibility to position a bolster alongside the outer proper hip to assist minimize the hip down and away from the precise shoulder. 
• Prolong your proper arm out to the precise, with palm face up. 
• If the precise shoulder doesn’t fairly attain the bottom you possibly can shuffle your leg shoulder barely to the left to assist launch the precise shoulder down. Right here is the place you may also place one other sandbag to assist encourage the precise shoulders in the direction of the earth. 
• Keep for 5-8 minutes after which repeat on the opposite facet. 

 

Savasana model 1 

1 sandbag, 1 blanket, 1 belt, 1 bolster

Savasana is among the easiest poses so as to add using a sandbag to. It’s additionally a pose that’s carried out on the finish of most yoga courses, no matter class fashion, so you possibly can incorporate this on the finish of any yoga observe. Inserting weight over the entrance of the thighs helps to anchor the legs and really feel grounded. 

Right here is a straightforward savasana arrange:

• Neatly fold a blanket for the top, with the graceful rounded edge in the direction of you. 
• Create a loop with the belt and thread your legs by way of the loop. Deliver the strap to mid-thigh and tighten sufficient that it holds the legs collectively hip distance aside. 
• Place the bolster to the again of the thighs, simply behind the knees. 
• When you lie down with the blanket underneath the top and neck, the strap across the legs and the bolster behind the thighs, you possibly can place the sandbag over the entrance of the thighs, slightly below the entrance hip factors. 
• Keep for 10-20 minutes.

 

Savasana model 2 

4 blocks, 1 sandbag, 1 blanket, 1 belt, 1 bolster

Inserting a sandbag over the brow has an identical feeling to utilizing a watch pillow, nonetheless the sandbag has a bit extra weight to it. Including weight to the brow can assist to subtly sign to the thoughts to quieten and settle. 

• Previous to mendacity down for savasana, stack 4 blocks on the prime of the mat, simply above your head. 
• Place the sandbag on prime of the 4 stacked blocks after which lie down for savasana.
• Pull the sandbag down barely from the blocks till it covers your brow. 
• Because the sandbag is massive, solely a 3rd of the sandbag will likely be in your brow with the remainder of the sandbag nonetheless resting on prime of the blocks. 
• Be sure to evenly distribute the load throughout the brow.