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Restorative yoga sequence with props how to#

A small addition to add comfort to this shape is a rolled towel under the fronts of the ankles. A nice alternate can be Crocodile Pose (pictured below), lying on the belly, with forearms stacked under the forehead. This pose can be practiced without props, however, it may not feel comfortable/accessible in all bodies, particularly for those with restriction or pain in the knees, hips or ankles. A block could also be replaced with a neatly folded towel or blanket (or a thick book if your students are at home taking your class online).

or if you don’t have any props, placing fists under the upper thigh can provide ‘prop-free’ support (just be sure not to ‘clench’ your fists, and perhaps don’t hold the shape for as long with this option).Īs the name suggests, this Restorative Yoga posture requires just one block (or two blocks right next to each other if that feels more stable for your body), placed under the sacrum, preferably on either the middle or lowest height for a Restorative practice.

blocks under the thighs/knees (I like to tilt the blocks slightly so that the thighs are resting on a flat surface rather than a sharp ‘edge’ of the block).

Bunching the towel/blanket up the ends can also help create more height/support.

a single rolled towel (or blanket) placed over the feet and then tucked under the calves or thighs (pictured below).

a couple of rolled towels, like mini bolsters, under the thighs (bringing them in closer to the top of the thigh / hip crease will offer more support).

To make this posture ‘restorative’, having support under the knees/thighs is key to avoid a sense of pulling or strain in the groin area. This posture can be ‘lushed up’ with lots of soft props, however it can also be practiced in a ‘minimalist’ way. A yoga strap (or other variation – scarf tied in a loop, or a belt) around the thighs can also add a greater sense of stability in the lower body.

*Optional props – a folded blanket or towel draped over the knees can give a sense of ‘grounding’ in this shape. Find that ‘sweet spot’ distance between your buttocks and your heels where you feel as though your shin bone and thigh bone are resting against each other like two cards in a house of cards, releasing tension from the psoas.

To set up for Constructive Rest, lie on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor and hip-width apart. This can be a potent Restorative Yoga posture, with minimal or no props required. With that in mind, here are my go-to Restorative Yoga postures which don’t require elaborate prop set-ups to be supportive, accessible and nurturing for the body, mind and nervous system: Constructive Rest Pose Perhaps you teach in a community setting, workplace or school where props aren’t available? Maybe you teach online where you have to work with what your students have access to in their home? Or, with consideration of the fact that this blog was written in 2020, perhaps you teach at or own a studio where you have always incorporated lots of props in your classes, but now have to find alternate ways to keep your community safe and supported in their asana practice. Traditional props, although lovely, aren’t however always available or essential for a supportive and nurturing asana practice.

Having trained in Restorative Yoga (with Bliss Baby Yoga’s own Star Despres) and Accessible Yoga, props are a key component to how I teach and practice. I’ll find a way to use it all, and there’s nothing I love more than creating a ‘yoga nest’ of props. Four bolsters, lots of blankets, cushions, a sand-bag, multiple eye pillows (because they can be used in so many ways), a chair, a wall, blocks, straps – the works. I’m personally fairly partial to a really lush Restorative Yoga practice with all of the glitz and glamour.

Restorative yoga sequence with props how to#

Can you still offer students a nourishing, soothing Restorative Yoga class without the use of multiple ‘studio’ props? Bliss Baby Yoga’s Operations Manager and Restorative and Accessible Yoga Teacher, Robyn Bell, shares how to teach more with less.