The Yoga Wheel: More Than Backbends
· wheel · backbends · stretching · props
The yoga wheel is not just for heart openers and backbends. It is a full body stretch that makes funky poses easier to reach. Here is how I use it in my classes in Amman.
Most people think the yoga wheel is only for backbends. They see it and they picture a big heart opener and nothing else. That is a shame, because the wheel does so much more.
Wheel yoga is not only for heart and back bends. It is a full body stretch. It brings you easier into funky poses. It is really nice and it is really fun.
What the wheel actually does
The wheel supports you into shapes that are hard to hold on your own. It gives you a base to lean on. It gives you something to press against. That support means you can find a pose without forcing it, and you can stay in it long enough to feel the stretch.
I teach mostly private classes here in Amman, and the wheel is a favourite in these sessions. In a one to one setting I can place the wheel exactly where a body needs it. Under the spine. Under the feet. Behind the shoulders. The prop meets the person.
Why I keep it in my practice
I am RYT-200 certified and I teach many styles. I refuse to stick to only one. I love anything powerful and anything funky. The wheel fits both of those. It adds power to a stretch and it opens the door to poses that look wild but feel supported.
Use it under your back to open the chest. Roll it under your feet in a forward fold. Rest your hands on it in a lunge to sink deeper. Small changes, big difference.
If you have never tried the wheel, start slow. Let it hold you. Breathe. Let the shape come to you rather than chasing it. That is where the fun starts.