30 Days of Relaxation - Day 25

Using the Therapeutic Spinal Strip for Shoulder Release + Thoracic Spine Backbend

Many of my classes begin with "Laying on the Spinal Strip." This is based on the therapeutic work of Susi Hately Aldous. We have firm foam strips at the studio but you can make do with a rolled up mat, a tightly rolled towel, or even a swim noodle.


Setting up: Fold your strip in half (or roll up your mat/towel tightly), place it lengthwise on the floor behind you, and then lay down on it. Once you lay down, the bottom edge of the strip should be at about T7 or T8 on your back.

Settling in: If you don’t know what I mean by that here is how to tell: place your finger tips on your breast bone then slide them down to the soft spot just below the breast bone. The spinal strip should be just opposite that soft spot where your finger tips are resting. Run one hand behind you to feel for the spinal strip.

Now notice if you have any discomfort in the low back or if your lower ribs are flaring up. If you notice either of these things, try lifting your hips, elongating your tailbone and laying your hips back down again, keeping the knees bent.

If this does not really help, then you need to lift your hips up again and place a folded blanket under your hips/sacrum area. Keep your knees bent. Notice if this has lessened your discomfort and/or your flaring ribs.



If you still have discomfort or flared ribs, unfold your strip and lay on it in a single layer. Or if you are using a rolled towel or rolled mat, just unroll it a little to make your spinal strip a bit smaller. If you feel like your head is tilting back place a small pillow or thinly folded blanket under your head.



Allow yourself to settle here for at least 5-10 minutes, letting the shoulders settle in around the spinal strip. Focus on your breathing. You might play around with rolling the shoulders or floating the arms overhead (never moving into clicks, cracks, or discomfort).

Coming out of the pose: To come out of the pose, or if at any point laying on the strip becomes uncomfortable, push the blanket out from under you, roll gently to one side, push the strip out of the way and then lay on your back in Savasana.

Enjoy!

30 Days of Relaxation - Day 24

Supported Lumbar Stretch

I learned this lumbar stretch from my teacher Susi Hately Aldous during one of the Therapeutic Yoga Trainings I have taken from her. I'm a bit of a hyper-extender so I was surprised that this pose would be good for me. What it does is lengthen your lumbar vs. kink it - which is a typical move for me in any kind of backbending posture. Here's how it works:

Step 1. Get yourself a felted pad or a firm blanket or even a big towel (like a beach towel) and make a roll that is about a handful for you. Sit on the tail of the blanket if you have extra.

Step 2. Lay down over the roll, supporting yourself on your elbows to ease your body down.

Step 3. As you lay down, lift your seat up so you are in a tiny bridge pose. Adjust your roll so it is at your waist - not your sacrum). You know if it is in the right place if it is centered behind your bellybutton.

Step 4. Now start to lower your seat towards the floor, arching your spine over the roll. When you settle your seat your back should feel like "Ahhhh" not "Ow, ow, ow." You should not look over arched. Your belly is not raised by the roll under your back. If you are not comfortable, lift your seat (into little bridge again) and make your roll smaller until your back is happy. Conversely, if you feel nothing, you will need to lift your seat into little bridge and make your roll a little bigger.

Step 5. Lay here for 5-10 minutes or until you are feeling done.

A nice follow-up pose is a Supported Reclining Twist.

Enjoy! 

30 Days of Relaxation - Day 23

This gentle heart-center opener will help you get rid of that hunched feeling you get after sitting all day.

Setting up for the pose:
The main prop for this pose is a therapeutic spinal strip. If you don't have one of these, you can use a swim noodle, a tightly rolled thin mat, or a tightly rolled towel. You might also need a thin, folded blanket and, if your roll is on the large side, a thick folded blanket.

Coming into the pose:
Sit in front of your therapeutic spinal strip (swim noodle/rolled mat/rolled towel) and then lay down on it at about the bottom of the shoulder blades. Your spinal strip should extend out from under your armpits - you should not be resting your shoulders on your prop. You can experiment with what feels the best to you. If your head is tipped way back or you feel unsupported in the neck, place a thin, folded blanket under the head and neck - not so thick that your head tips forward. Your head should be level with the body or slightly tipped back. If you feel like you are in too big of a back bend, place the thicker folded blanket under your bum.

While in the pose:
Send your arms out to the sides, palms up to encourage the heart center to open. Keep breathing, keep observing the pose in your body, and allow the body to open at its own rate. Commit to the stillness but do allow yourself to adjust your props and your body as you settle deeper in. I like to lay with my knees bent but some of my students prefer to have their legs straight. See what feels right in your body.

Coming out of the pose:
Option 1) Bend the knees, roll to one side, pull the spinal strip and other props out from underneath you, and then lay back down on your back.
Option 2) Bend the knees, press the feet into the floor, lift up the hips to bridge pose, and pull the spinal strip and other props out from under you.
Either way, hug the knees in and take a few sacrum circles or extend out to a full body stretch. A nice follow-up pose is a Supported Reclining Twist.

Enjoy!