A yoga practice is a celebration of all that our body can do. From hip openers that test our flexibility to standing poses that question our balance, every minute of a mat yoga class challenges our corporeal form. However, we all arrive at our mats with our ‘body baggage.’ From tight hamstrings to less-than-perfect posture, every yogi is working through their physical limitations. While many days it may feel invigorating to push ourselves with the help of props such as a yoga cork block, other sessions may leave us crying out for Savasana. Sometimes we must pass over our yoga stretch straps and cork yoga mats and prioritize rest. A cork roller is a great way to lend a yoga hand to your recovery routine.
Read on to discover the best ways to work with a Cork Roller.
Why Use a Cork Roller?
Unsure if you should incorporate a cork roller into your regular stretching and recovery regimen? Whether you are an accomplished yogi, athlete, or runner, a cork roller is an invaluable tool for your fitness practice. Considered both a popular physical therapy and muscle recovery tool, a cork roller has the power to massage muscles, release tension, enhance posture, decrease stiffness, and improve circulation. Proper use of a roller both bolsters yoga prowess and relieves tension from your aching body. Due to its unique, high-density texture the Yoga Design Lab Cork Roller delivers optimal amounts of pressure to alleviate tense muscles in your arms, legs, back, and spine. Ideal for traveling yogis, the roller’s compact size and light weight make it easy “for on-the-go massages and recovery sessions.
Seven Tips to Working With A Cork Roller
Before you can experience the bliss of loosening knotted muscles with your cork roller, it’s important to check in with your body. Take five minutes to center yourself, meditate, and complete a five-minute body scan. Assess your current state and determine if your body is equipped to handle this practice. Keep in mind that massaging with a cork roller provides a much more intense sensation than your typical foam roller. As a cork-rolling newbie, it can be beneficial to prioritize comfort over intensity. Work within your body’s limits as you get used to the unique feeling of the cork.
Follow along with the tips below to discover how to properly put to use your cork roller:
- Tip One: Set the scene! Scout out a comfortable and quiet locale in which to roll. Put your phone on silent, dim the lights, and light a candle. Rolling is an act of self-care, so treat this session as an opportunity to disconnect and relax.
- Tip Two: Select your target area. To optimize your cork rolling session, it is advisable to focus on one specific area to massage. Try to pinpoint where in your body you feel any tightness, resistance, or pain.
- Tip Three: Align your body for optimal balance. Working slowly allows you to gracefully position your aggravated body part onto the roller. Aim to have the center part of the targeted area on the roll, and feel free to use your arms and legs for balance.
- Tip Four: Slow and steady wins the race - take your time with your roller! As previously mentioned, the sensations delivered via cork are far more intense than your average foam roller. Work slowly to find the ideal pressure and rhythm for your body.
- Tip Five: Let gravity work its magic! Rolling is all about release and recovery. Give gravity the reins and aim to do as little ‘work’ as possible, as you let your body fall into the most comfortable position on the roller.
- Tip Six: Utilize your yoga breath. Now is where you can tap into all your yoga training. If the massaging starts to feel intense, help your body acclimate to the pressure with some breathwork. Deep yoga breathing will signal your body to let go.
- Tip Seven: Get ready to rock and roll. Once you have found the ideal body position and pressure you can start to undo those knotted kinks and muscles with a slow rocking motion. Don’t forget to continue with your yoga breathing, and back off if the sensation becomes too intense or painful.
Massages and Postures to Try With Your Cork Roller
Think you have mastered the cork rolling basics? After you have adjusted to the pressure and sensation of rolling with your new favorite yoga tool, feel free to try out some of our favorite massages, stretches, and postures below. Remember this is just the beginning, and there are countless ways to dive deeper into the world of fascia and deep-tissue massage with your roller.
- Thoracic Roll
- Thoracic Twist
- Overhead Extension
- Calf Stretch
- Glute Stretch
- Spinal Alignment
Other Tools to Incorporate Into Your Practice
Pouring into our body’s recovery is an integral part of any physical journey. Without sufficient release and relaxation, it is difficult to deepen our yoga practice or achieve our fitness goals. In combination with cork rolling, it can be helpful to invest in your yoga routine with other tools and props. A properly supportive mat or yoga block cork tool can allow you the freedom to practice more frequently or attempt more advanced poses. Take your practice to the beach with an absorbent yoga towel, or enhance your backends with strap yoga. Every addition to your yoga repertoire will bring more vibrancy, creativity, and power to your practice.
Yoga Mats
Variety is the spice of life and if you’ve been feeling stagnant in your practice, why not change up the scenery? Embrace the grounding nature of Mountain Pose in the great outdoors when you bring along your towel yoga mat for the adventure. The YDL Combo Travel Yoga Mat - 2-in-1 (Mat + Towel) combines the best of both worlds. Or plan for extreme comfort when you pack our beloved yoga pearl towel with a nonslip grip. For extra versatility for the gym and beyond, our infinity design YDL Infinity Yoga Mat is perfect for both burpees and Bridge Pose.
Yoga Blocks
Consider The YDL Yoga Block the spicy cousin to your cork roller. While your roller is adept at working out aches and pains, the block is the ideal accessory to work on alignment and deepen your balance and stability. Cork Blocks yoga can add fun flavor to your routine by assisting your stretches and balance during standing poses.
Yoga Straps
Strap in for a good time! Taking a moment to select an accompanying strap for yoga mat time is so important. The YDL Yoga Strap is an essential tool that can work hand in hand with your roller to help you stretch, lengthen, and align. Thanks to its easy-to-grip and adjustable loops you can work your strap into your forward fold or let it assist you in mastering Bow Pose.
While all physical movement is a blessing, sometimes past injuries or discomforts can leave us feeling less than perfect. Whether you’ve pushed yourself too hard during an energetic Rocket session or maybe slipped out of alignment during a sweltering Bikram class, we must tend to our body’s aches and pains. Learning how to work with your cork roller can open up a world of healing and bolster yoga movements for years to come.
By: Isis-Maya Nissman