Small Yoga Trestler vs Big Yoga Trestler: Which One Fits You Best?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What is a Small Yoga Trestler?
• What is a Big Yoga Trestler?
• Small Yoga Trestler vs Big Yoga Trestler - A Comparison Table
• Which One Should You Choose?
• Conclusion

A yoga trestler is a very useful piece of equipment in yoga that provides support to establish alignment and flexibility and maintain stability in postures. It is a prop specially designed for beginners and advanced practitioners assisting in perfecting postures and supporting the body. A Trestler is a firm wooden frame. There are two kinds of trestler based on the size Big Trestler and Small Trestler. The size of the trestler will change your practice entirely, give you different benefits, and support entirely different sets of poses. Let's explore these versatile props, learning about the differences between Small Yoga Trestler vs Big Yoga Trestler and how they might be perfect for your practice.

What is a Small Yoga Trestler?

A small yoga trestler is usually shaped like a sturdy, low, small wooden prop. Small Trestler is designed to help strengthen your back and improve flexibility. It encourages proper alignment and body positioning, allowing you to work on your core strength, balance, and overall yoga prowess. Most people would think of the small trestler as a multi-use supportive tool as its low profile allows for endless versatility for many uses, not just backbends. 

Common Uses for a Small Yoga Trestler:

1. Light Backbends: You can lie over it for a very gentle, restorative backbend which opens your chest without the intensity of a full backbend. This is a great starting point for those who are new to heart opening postures.
2. Strength Building: You can use it for modified plank poses, bridge pose or triceps dips and in doing so, you have added a different element to your strength building practice.
3. Offers Support: The small trestler is a foundational prop that offers gentle support and enhances stability in a variety of seated and restorative poses. It's an excellent choice for beginners, those with limited flexibility, or anyone looking for a versatile tool for a gentle practice.

What is a Big Yoga Trestler?

The big yoga trestler is what people think of when they imagine a "back bending bench." This prop has one clear intent: to deepen supported backbends. 

Common Uses for a Big Yoga Trestler:

The big trestler is ideal for intermediate to advanced practitioners who want to safely deepen their back bending practice, as well as anyone including beginners under proper guidance who are seeking therapeutic relief for a stiff upper back and tight shoulders.

1. Deep Supported Backbends: Its signature application is for Backbends or Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). With the trestler holding your body weight, your muscles can relax; you can passively open your chest, shoulders, and abdomen. It can be very healing and liberating.
2. Opening the Thoracic Spine: Many people carry tension in their upper back and shoulders from spending too many hours at a desk with slumped shoulders or on phones with a forward head position. The big trestle (a mainstay in the Iyengar Yoga tradition) is a wonderful way to counteract all that by offering extension in the thoracic spine (upper/mid-back).
3. Restorative Practice: Even with the intensity of the poses supported by the trestler, holding a pose on a big trestle for several minutes is a restorative and meditative experience. It calms the nervous system while allowing for an amazing degree of physical opening.

Small Yoga Trestler vs Big Yoga Trestler - A Comparison Table

To make the differences crystal clear, here’s a simple comparison table of Small Yoga Trestler vs Big Yoga Trestler:

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice depends entirely on your personal practice, goals, and physical needs. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are my primary yoga goals?

1. If you are focused on building a foundational practice or prefer gentle, restorative yoga, the small trestler is an excellent and versatile choice.
2. If your main goal is to improve your backbends, open your chest and shoulders, and explore deeper expressions of poses, the big trestler is tailor-made for you.

2. What is my experience level?

1. Beginners will find the small trestle a lot more user-friendly and gives access to a wider range of introductory poses.
2. As a beginner, you could probably use a big trestler with some correction, as the form can be changed and not greatly affect the spine, but it is most loved by intermediate and advanced practitioners who practice back bending actively.

3. How much space do I need?

1. If you are doing practice at home and have limited space, the small trestler is easier to store.
2. The big trestler is an investment in space as well as money, so be sure to have a dedicated place for it. It can be a perfect buy for Yoga studios and professional practitioners.

Conclusion

When it comes to yoga props there is no "better" or "worse", only the option that is best suited to the practitioner and the intention. The small and big trestler are interesting and useful comparative examples of that. The small trestler is a multi-purpose prop. It provides fundamental support, increases comfort, and begins the slow, gentle, heart-opening process. The big trestle is a magnificent, specialized tool.

There are several differences between Small Yoga Trestler and Big Yoga Trestler but what matters is that it serves yoga's larger outcome, which is to connect our bodies through working safely and gently with our limitations. It makes no difference if you are choosing the light, welcoming embrace of the small trestle, or the deep opening of being able to rest in supported backbends; you are providing yourself with the complimentary gift of support.