How To Expertly Use A Dharma Yoga Wheel For Exercising

Source: DHgate, Tag: Outdoor Sports

Here we have mentioned a number of postures and ways of using the yoga wheel, but make sure you do it under the supervision of a qualified trainer.

Are you progressing in your yoga practice? If yes, then you’re probably ready to try the yoga wheel. It’s going to be a great challenge for you to improve your flexibility and try new postures.
A yoga wheel is usually made of wood or plastic and has a diameter of 12 inches. It is used as a support for stretching, balancing, and learning difficult postures. It is basically for training purposes when you’re on the verge of improving your flexibility.
There are several ways of using the yoga wheel. It’s not a prop for absolute beginners, but it has uses for some normal exercises as well as tough postures. An important thing that you need to note is that you cannot use this wheel without the assistance of a trainer. We will show you a good number of postures and ways of using the yoga wheel, but please make sure you do it under the supervision of a qualified trainer.
So, here are some of the exercises where you can use the yoga wheel:
Child’s Pose

We are starting with one of the easiest things you can do to start with – stretching your back while you’re sitting on your heels and just holding the wheel with your hands. This mainly stretches your hands, shoulders, chest, your entire back, thighs, and hips. Now, this isn’t as easy as it looks like – which is why I’ll say that you start with just 3 seconds.
Seated Forward Pose

This, too, is for beginners, where you just spread your legs and sit. You need to hold the yoga wheel with your hands in front of you. You take a deep breath and move the wheel forward as you exhale. Make sure that your legs remain straight while doing so. This ensures the stretching of your upper and lower back, hands, and neck. Do make sure that you do it only as far as your hands can go straight.
Easy Reclining Pose

This is also an easy sitting posture you can take – just cross your legs and keep your hands in that mudra on your lap. Now you bend backwards, with your mid back resting on the wheel. What you need to make sure is that your legs stick to the ground and your chest is stretching. If possible, let the headrest on the wheel.
Reclining Butterfly Pose

You’ve sat on this pose by now, stretching your thighs and hips. You sit in this way and this time you bend backwards. Your upper back and shoulders will be resting on this wheel. This will greatly improve the flexibility of your back, neck, thighs, and hips.
Reclining Hero Pose

Now, your sitting posture gets even tougher – on your knees like in the Vajrasana pose. And this time when you bend backwards using the support of your wheel, your hands go with you. Your palms will be together and your hands will be stretching straight towards the back. You can have your spine and head resting on the wheel.
Easy Pigeon Pose
You sit comfortably with your knees together and feet flat on the ground. Put your palms on the head and lean backwards, with the upper back resting on the wheel. As you start getting the hang of it, you can slowly try bending your elbows and moving your head towards the ground. The yoga wheel will then be supporting your lower back and hips as you rise.
The Monkey Pose

Now that’s a real tough pose – meant for advanced practitioners. Your right leg comes in front, with the knee slightly bent. The left leg and foot go back and rest on the ground. Now, carefully place the wheel on the edge of your right leg, the bottom of your heel resting on it. Once you do so, you join your hand and stretch backwards as much as you can. Your hands move with you.
The Plank

You need to place yourself on the ground or a yoga mat just as you do when you’re doing push-ups. Only here, your legs are not going to be on the ground – they’ll be on the yoga wheel. The lower part of your leg – just above the feet will be rest on the wheel.
To get there, you first place the wheel behind your feet. Then you first tuck in your tummy and then lift one leg at a time and place it on the wheel. Your body needs to be tight and your back, as well as your hands, need to be straight. At the most, you can hold on for a minute.
The Headstand
This is using the wheel to train yourself to get the headstand. You need to place your head against the wheel from the very beginning, and then you start getting up. Hold the wheel with both your hands tightly and then try pulling yourself forward. It’s because of the wheel’s constant support to your head that this might get easier on you.
However, you have to make sure you never do this alone. That’s because if you lose grip of the wheel, you can fall really hard and sprain your neck terribly.
Actually, this applies to most of your postures. Your trainer or supervisor needs to be there to help you and ensure that you don’t fall. Usually, yoga wheels do have a good grip on the ground. However, without the support of your trainer, you could end up with drastic injuries instead of improving flexibility and strength with this amazing yoga prop. So, there are two things you need to ensure – buy a good quality yoga wheel and use it under the supervision of your yoga trainer. This was just a glimpse of easy, intermediate, and some really tough postures you could do with the yoga wheel, but believe me there’s a lot more.