Junior Bolsters: Not Kids’ Stuff

Hugger Mugger began making Standard Bolsters in the late 1980s. Since then we have developed and refined them to be the firmest, most stable and longest-lasting bolsters available. Our handmade bolsters are staples in studios and homes around the world.

The design and dimensions of our Standard Bolsters are based on measurements we obtained 30 years ago from the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India, the place where yoga bolsters were born. Our Standard Bolsters still meet the same exacting criteria. This is because for most purposes in yoga practice, the Standard Bolsters fit pretty much every pose and body type.

However, there are special poses and special body types that can benefit from a slightly different bolster design. That’s why we created Junior Bolsters.

Not Just for Kids

Despite how it sounds, Junior Bolsters were designed to be used by adults, although kids can certain enjoy them. If you’re wanting to introduce children to Restorative practice, they’d be a great choice. These bolsters were designed to create an alternative for adults with smaller bodies. In addition, the Junior’s unique size and shape makes it ideal for chest-expanding poses.

Junior Bolsters can substitute for Standard Bolsters in some poses. While Junior Bolsters are the same length and firmness as Standard and Round bolsters, they have a narrower profile. Standard Bolsters are 12″W x 25″L x 6″D, while Junior Bolsters measure 8″W x 25″L x 5″D. This can make them much more comfortable for people with shorter spines in poses such as Legs Up the Wall or Restorative Side Stretch.

Their design is slightly different as well. The Junior Bolster’s top and bottom surfaces are slightly arched, compared to our Standard Bolster’s flatter surface. Because of this, and because of their narrower profile, Junior Bolsters are great for passive chest opening. While the wider Standard Bolsters support the entire torso, the narrower width of the Junior allows your arms and shoulders to relax off the edges of the bolster, creating greater width-wise opening.

I also find the Junior Bolsters to be a great choice for under-the-knees support in Savasana. Because the width is narrower, your legs rest more easily over the bolster’s edges.

Whether you teach Restorative Yoga or just love to practice, adding a Junior Bolster to your Restorative toolbox can give you new options to explore and new ways to accommodate the needs of the varied students at your studio.

Junior Bolsters are available in solid colors or designer prints. All our bolsters are handmade here in our Salt Lake City-based facility. They are filled with cotton batting and covered with sturdy upholstery-grade fabrics.