One of the most common complaints I hear as a yoga teacher is to do with low back/ lumbar spine pain, which not only feels pretty crummy but can really affect or limit your ability to do daily activities. The biggest cause of low back pain in today’s society is poor sitting posture and/or not lifting correctly. So whilst these are things to be mindful about as you go about your day, Restorative Yoga can be the perfect opportunity to slow down, stop and allow your body to reset. Here’s a great pose to help you do just that.
Restorative Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana). Honestly this one is a great “all rounder”. If you’re beginning your restorative practice then start here. By elevating the heart above the head and neck you are signalling to your body that its time to relax, tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system (you body’s natural rest and digest response) will allow you to enter a state of relaxation and encourage your body to begin to release held tension.
As Restorative bridge is a gentle back extension it will aid in relieving tension that is caused by poor posture and gently encourage and promote more mobility and flexibility of the spine. This pose is especially good for activating and stretching the oblique muscles (along your side body) which help to stabilize and centre your pelvis and low back. Therefore promoting relief in this area.
How to get into Restorative Bridge pose:
- To do this pose you will need: One yoga bolster (pillow or block).
- Lay on your back, feet hip width apart and knees bent.
- Gently press into your feet as you lift your low back off the mat.
- Place the bolster under your low back and gently lower into the support of your prop.
As our main focus of this restorative bridge is to relieve low back pain I will leave arm placement up to you. Find the most comfortable position for your arms that allows you to focus on releasing and relaxing your low back.
Stay in this pose for 2-10 mins depending on your comfort level. Breath deeply and relax. Feel free to listen to some gentle music or guided meditations (which are available to members of our Living Lotus Online community). Please consider supporting the community with a monthly subscription to get access to that content and much more.