It is very important for you to choose only the best yoga bolster for personal yoga practice because yoga can be very challenging for inexperienced practitioners. In this post, we will try and help you with the choice of the best yoga bolster available in the market today and how you can go about making a decision on the one that is most suitable for you.
Table of Contents
Best yoga bolster – Our top picks
Here are our top picks for the best yoga bolster available in the market today:
Hugger Mugger Standard Yoga Bolster
The Hugger Mugger standard yoga bolster is a rectangular bolster which provides the perfect amount of strength and stability to the users. It has a soft surface and it comes with convenient handles on both ends so that it is easy to carry.
This is a handmade product which has a flat top and bottom surface for highest ability. At the same time it is extremely firm with its foam filling and cotton cover.
YogaAccessories Supportive Cotton Yoga Bolster
This yoga bolster is one of the best yoga bolsters available in the market today with its 100% cotton filling and a cotton cover. The bolster are also comes with a separate cover which is machine washable and it boasts of handles on both ends for easy handling.
The yoga accessories cotton yoga bolster provides firm yet soft and comfortable support. It is a very good addition to your restorative yoga poses and for prenatal yoga. The product is also available in multiple designs and looks.
Bean Products Best Yoga Bolster
This product has been designed for restorative yoga positions. It helps in enhancing flexibility, alignment and stability. At the same time, it offers you confidence to practice the yoga poses without any fear of slipping or falling down.
The products are available in multiple shapes and materials.
Yoga Meditation Buckwheat Bolster Pillow Cushion
These yoga pillows contain buckwheat hull which is a good material that provides the correct balance of firmness and comfort. These products are available in multiple designs and you can choose the one according to your own taste.
Gaiam Rectangular Bolster
Gaiam yoga bolsters are one of the best known yoga brands currently available in the market today. They can be used to support your body in different yoga poses or during meditation. Since these yoga bolsters are filled with natural cotton, they provide superior comfort and cushioning to your body.
They also come with a handle which allows for hassle free carrying. They are also machine washable so the maintenance is not a problem.
Manduka Enlight Yoga Bolster
The Manuka and Enlight yoga bolster is a lightweight round bolster which contains a fiber filling. This filling provides it a firmness that gives superior comfort to the user as well.
The bolster is sturdy and has a easy to carry handle. It has a removable cover that allows for easy cleaning. The manufacturer also boasts of an outer microfiber cover which has made with eQua microfiber fabric that is supposed to be a recyclable synthetic material with a superior performance and durability.
Lotuscrafts yoga bolster
This yoga bolster provides ample support to the different poses like backward bends. It can also be used to provide support to your legs.
These products are made of organic cotton which is died with environment friendly materials. The cover for the yoga polyester is machine washable and easy to maintain.
The SOL living yoga bolster is a meditation cushion which is made from durable organic cotton. It is perfect for your everyday yoga sessions when you need some extra support.
Since the product has a cotton filling, it conforms to the yogi’s body and provides firmness and support at all the required places.
REEHUT Zafu bolster pillow
This yoga bolster pillow is great for yoga practitioners for different yoga poses, meditation and for relaxation. It can also be used as a sleep aid by providing support to spine, neck and limbs.
The product boasts of full sleeve cotton covers which can be removed and are machine washable. It also features grab and go handles that allow for easy portability.
How do you know which is the best yoga bolster for you?
Here are the five selection criteria that you should take into account while choosing the best yoga bolster for yoga practice.
Size
The standard size for yoga bolsters is 24X12 inches. But there are a few bolsters which are as long as 28 inches. For taller people it is better to use longer yoga bolsters since you will need complete support for all parts of your body while practicing the yoga poses.
Most popular yoga posters are the ones which come in the standard size.
Weight
Yoga bolsters vary a lot in their weight depending on their filling and size. Be extremely careful of the weight while choosing your yoga bolster since you will be carrying these with you to the yoga classes and weight will be a very important factor to consider.
Filling
The filling of a yoga bolster is usually made of cotton, foam for fibre. Your objective should be to choose a filing which provides a light, soft and comfortable experience. The goal should be to choose a yoga bolster filling that provides both comfort and strong support.
Cover fabric
Usually the outer covering of yoga bolsters are made from polyester or cotton. You need to choose a fabric which is durable and needs lesser maintenance.
Look
Yoga bolsters are available in a variety of colours and patterns and you can have your choice according to your own taste.
Eco-friendliness
Since yoga bolsters will be in direct contact with your skin during yoga practice, it is better to choose materials which are eco-friendly and non toxic. That is why it will be preferable to choose those yoga bolster which have at least their outer fabric made of cotton or other plant based materials.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can definitely say that yoga bolsters are the perfect prop for you to start your yoga practice since they help in improving its effectiveness immensely.
They are a critical part of your yoga practice. So, it is very important to choose the best yoga bolster so that you can practice your yoga poses without worrying about any injuries and get the maximum benefit out of your hard work.
Frequently asked questions
What are yoga bolsters?
Yoga bolsters are supportive cushioning devices that come in varying shapes like cylindrical, rectangular and round. These are used by yogis to perform various yoga poses and in improving their yoga experience.
Although traditional bolster pillows have been around for a very long time, their use as an accessory for yoga practice was not really popular till the late 1960s.
Shri BKS Iyengar, who was a famous yoga teacher from India, realised the need for the yoga bolsters when he saw that a lot of students were facing problems in doing beginner yoga poses. This issue was more acute amongst starters, pregnant women and people who were recovering from injuries.
Yoga bolsters were conceptualized as a device which will help people in practicing yoga more successfully without worrying about injuries.
We believe that investing in the best yoga bolster will really help you in taking your yoga practice to the next level, especially when you are at the beginner stage.
What is a yoga bolster used for?
Yoga bolsters are used in achieving and holding the most difficult yogasanas in a comfortable manner during your yoga practice.
They also find a wide usage in restorative yoga classes. During restorative yoga sessions, the poses which are advised for practitioners have more focus on relaxation than on stretching and stimulation of the body.
Since the goal of restorative yoga is to calm the nervous system, it is better to provide support to the body while practicing these poses. This ensures that the body muscles are not subjected to undue strain when you are trying to come back from an injury.
A yoga bolster is placed under various parts of the body for a comfortable but firm support aiding in complete relaxation.
A yoga bolster can also come in handy while practicing yoga during pregnancy by providing support whenever required.
What are different types of yoga bolsters?
Although yoga bolsters can be categorized based on their shape, the material used for filling and material of the fabric, we have primarily categorized them on the basis of shape here. Shape is also the most important factor that decides the usage of the yoga bolster.
Yoga bolsters can be broadly categorized as round or rectangular bolsters depending on their shape.
Rectangular bolsters
Rectangular yoga bolsters have a relatively wider surface area and they are able to provide support to the complete back of yoga practitioners. Also, they are more stable and Secure.
This means that the danger of any slipping or rolling while practicing a yoga pose is minimized in this case.
These yoga bolsters are perfect for practicing difficult poses like the headstand/sirsasana.
The only issue is that if you are trying to stretch your body and create a curve this might not be the best options for support.
Round yoga bolsters
The round yoga bolsters are extremely helpful if you are trying to practice a deeper stretch while doing back bends or side bends.
They provide support to the natural arch of the body and encourage deeper stretching.
Round yoga bolsters are also useful when you are trying to sit peacefully and meditate because they can be placed beneath your legs for increased comfort.
What are the factors to choose the right shape of yoga bolster?
Are you looking for a bolster for restorative yoga sessions
For meditative poses, a round yoga bolster might be a better option while a rectangular one might be more suitable for restorative yoga practice.
Before you take a final Decision on the right yoga bolster, you need to decide the shape that fits in your requirements. We have written another post on choosing between round vs rectangular yoga bolster that you can check out.
As mentioned earlier yoga bolsters come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. The decision to choose the right one is not really straight forward.
The first question you need to answer before you choose the best yoga bolster is the purpose of your purchase.
Once you have finalized the shape of your yoga bolster, you need to take into account the following three factors before your final purchase:
Total height of the yoga bolster
The rectangular yoga bolster gives a lesser height as compared to the round bolster. This means that if you don’t want to lift up your body too much during your poses, it’s better to start your practice with the rectangular bolster. It will provide more stability as well.
Amount of stretching required
If you are looking for a bolster which will help with deeper stretches and provide support to the natural arch of your back at the same time, the round yoga bolster will be the right option.
However, the choice here is more subjective in nature and you can choose a product based on your personal preference.
Stability
If you are a part of restorative yoga sessions for a beginner and do not want to risk getting injured during your initial phase of yoga practice, it is better to start with a yoga bolster that provides you lesser height while practicing different yoga poses.
This means you will have more stability in the initial stages of your yoga practice with a rectangular yoga bolster.
What are the benefits of yoga bolsters?
As mentioned earlier, yoga bolsters help in reducing the strain on your body when you are doing the most difficult yoga poses.
They are used for restorative yoga sessions for people who are trying to come back from injuries. These yoga bolsters are a very important addition in the beginners kit as well.
The most important benefits of yoga bolster can be summarized as following:
- They provide support to your body while you are practicing yoga poses. This enables you to practice the most difficult yoga poses without worrying about an injury.
- They help in achieving deeper stretches and provide better relaxation to the body.
- Help in meditating more comfortably
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings