I was super excited to receive a complimentary sample of the Dharma Yoga Wheel for review because, well, I´m heavy into yoga lately. However, as soon as I got it, the entire family wanted to test it, from my husband to the kiddos. The result is that since the Wheel found its way to our home, I keep it in a handy place for all of us to lie down on it at the end of a long day.
The ultimate back and chest opener © Viva Fifty Media
I had watched videos online and then purchased the posture sequences from their website. Although many yogis and yogins are using the Dharma Yoga Wheel to practice all kinds of contrived and apparently impossible poses, it´s certainly not limited to this elite of body-benders.
I assure you that as soon as I laid down on the wheel, face up, and simply rolled back and forth on it, my entire spine seemed to adjust. I´ve been to chiropractors a number of times in my life. The Wheel gave me a similar feeling of relief.
No, I´m not resting my foot on my dog. 😀 © Viva Fifty Media
I practice yoga, yes, but I also sit at my laptop for hours on end daily. And every other weekend I commute 4-5 hours round trip when my ex-husband and I meet halfway for the kids to spend weekends with him. That takes a toll on my back.
I had recently purchased a yoga bolster, which is a hard pillow-like device to be used for restorative yoga. And yes, that was and still is a very good prop to use. But I tell you, nothing compares to resting your back on the Dharma Yoga Wheel.
Also read: My yoga journey in my fifties
This is one of the simplest and yet effective postures © Viva Fifty Media
I admit to being pretty flexible, especially when you consider I´m in my fifties. And yet, you don´t have to be super flexible to reap the benefits of opening your chest, back and hips. We store so much tension in these areas, that the sense of relief is immediate. And if you do practice yoga, well, I am amazed at how my wheel posture has improved simply by lifting my pelvis from the Dharma Yoga Wheel instead of the floor!
Lifting off from the Wheel helped me get up higher © Viva Fifty Media
My eldest daughter, 14, skateboards, runs and plays basketball. When she first relaxed on the Yoga Wheel she said it was the best feeling she´d had in a long time. My little one, 11, complains that her lower back hurts after sitting at school all day. And she was so cute saying, “I need this EVERY night!” Even my stepson asks about the Wheel. He´s also a skateboarder and he loves to dance.
Great hip and shoulder opener © Viva Fifty Media
Now the only one who has not been able to reap the benefits of the wheel is my husband. He´s over 6-foot tall and according to the directions, he should be using the larger Dharma Yoga Wheel. For him this is way too small. There was really no way to have him relax, let alone get in any kind of position where he could drop his head. He definitely needs to try the large one.
Otherwise, I can tell you that despite the fact that these photos may LOOK like you need to be super flexible to take advantage of the Dharma Yoga Wheel, it is not so.
If all you can do is lay your back on it, with your arms and legs in any position that is comfortable for YOU, so be it. You will wonder how such an apparently simple device can have such a huge impact on your well-being.
One leg and then the other, to open the hips © Viva Fifty Media
So yes, I´m now a huge fan of the Dharma Yoga Wheel, along with my kiddos. Is it worth the investment of $99 for the basic one (the model I tested)? If you have poor posture, sit for hours, practice sports, and are cleared by your doctor, this device is for you! I´m not saying not to go get a massage or visit the chiropractor, but this handy device will help you feel so much better in the interim!
This is my super-honest and enthusiastic review! If you know me, if I don´t like something, it won´t make its way to my blog or my social media accounts. I really do hope you get to enjoy the Dharma Yoga Wheel soon!
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