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 direction of extra grounding practices like restorative yoga. With its emphasis on utilizing a number of props to help 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, via the usage of sandbags or eye baggage, will help to offer an expertise of grounding, bringing you out of the enterprise of the thoughts and into your bodily physique. It gives a delicate soothing sign to the mind-body connection that it’s secure, 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 anxiousness. 

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

Enjoyable truth: it was truly 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 may 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 help the backbone.
• Add a neatly folded blanket for the pinnacle.
• Come to sit down on the mat along 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 help the outer thigh. Repeat on the opposite facet.
• Lie again alongside the bolster, ensuring the pinnacle and neck have the help of the folded blanket. Launch the pores and skin of the shoulder blades down the again and lengthen the tailbone down in 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

Putting weight alongside the sacrum (the again of the pelvis) in any downward dealing with posture like youngster’s pose or downward savasana, will help to create size alongside the decrease again in addition to launch pressure.

• Place one bolster vertically on the prime of your mat and the second bolster horizontally throughout the width of the mat.
• The bolsters needs to be touching creating an the wrong 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 help the toes. 
• Come onto all fours (fingers and knees) and place the tops of your toes over the mini bolster/rolled blanket. 
• As you convey 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.
• Permit 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 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 might have at your disposal. As you’ll be able to see within the picture above, one sandbag is positioned over the suitable 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 suitable facet physique. The second sandbag is positioned over the suitable shoulder, which is especially helpful in serving to to attract the suitable shoulder down in direction of the ground to assist deepen the twist. 

• Take a folded blanket and create a small roll, which is able to help 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 pinnacle on the blanket and the small roll below the neck. 
• Bend your knees and produce your toes to the ground. From there elevate your hips and shift them over to the suitable. 
• Straighten your left leg down and hug your proper knee in in direction of your chest. 
• On an exhalation draw the suitable leg throughout the physique to the left, putting the decrease leg onto the raised bolster. 
• The best knee needs to be roughly in step with 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 lower the hip down and away from the suitable shoulder. 
• Lengthen your proper arm out to the suitable, with palm face up. 
• If the suitable shoulder doesn’t fairly attain the bottom you’ll be able to shuffle your leg shoulder barely to the left to assist launch the suitable shoulder down. Right here is the place you can too place one other sandbag to assist encourage the suitable shoulders in 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 likely one of the easiest poses so as to add the usage of a sandbag to. It’s additionally a pose that’s finished on the finish of most yoga courses, no matter class fashion, so you’ll be able to incorporate this on the finish of any yoga observe. Putting weight over the entrance of the thighs helps to anchor the legs and really feel grounded. 

Right here is an easy savasana arrange:

• Neatly fold a blanket for the pinnacle, with the sleek rounded edge in direction of you. 
• Create a loop with the belt and thread your legs via 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 below the pinnacle and neck, the strap across the legs and the bolster behind the thighs, you’ll be able to place the sandbag over the entrance of the thighs, just under the entrance hip factors. 
• Keep for 10-20 minutes.

Savasana model 2 

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

Putting a sandbag over the brow has the same feeling to utilizing an eye fixed pillow, nonetheless the sandbag has a bit extra weight to it. Including weight to the brow will help 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.