Yoga Barrel: What It Does And How To Make One At Home

Yoga barrel: the short version

A yoga barrel is a short, firm drum that you lie back over, so the chest can open and the back can bend with support. It is a favourite prop in Iyengar classes, and you can make a simple one at home from a piece of PVC drain pipe. This note explains what a yoga barrel does, how Chris made hers, and how to use it safely.

Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. This page sits in our Props notes.

Yoga barrel, in short

• What it is: a firm drum you roll over or lie back over to open the chest.
• Where it comes from: wood is traditional. Chris says Mr Iyengar created it.
• Home version: PVC drain pipe, 30 cm wide by 40 cm high, covered with a used yoga mat.
• What students find: a stiff chest, shoulders and upper back loosen, and backbends feel easier.
• Safety: sand the edges, check the cover grips and go gently.
• Next step: learn backbends from a teacher, in the studio or LIVE online.

What is a yoga barrel, and what does it do?

A yoga barrel supports your back so the chest can open without you having to force it. You can roll gently over it, which feels a little like a firm massage. You can also lie back over it, which is a supported backbend. Chris says that many students find it helps them release stiffness in the neck, armpit and chest area, and that it prepares the back for deeper bending.

Chris owns a wooden barrel and says it has helped her extend her chest and prepare for deeper backbends. In her account, Mr Iyengar created the yoga barrel, along with many other props. The Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States credits him with “the innovative creation and use of props” (iynaus.org). It does not name the barrel, so we give the barrel story as Chris’s account.

How do you make a yoga barrel at home?

Cut a length of PVC drain pipe, sand the edges, and cover it with a used yoga mat. This is how Chris made hers.

1. Get a PVC drain water pipe.
2. Cut it with a hack saw fitted with a blade that cuts hard plastic. Chris’s size is 30 cm wide by 40 cm high.
3. Sand all the cut edges until they are smooth.
4. Cover the pipe with a used yoga mat.
5. Glue the mat on with a good quality glue that is suitable for gluing a mat to PVC.

Chris says it is incredibly cheap and easy to make, and that it works very well. If your pipe is a different size, ask your teacher whether it will suit you before you lie over it.

How do you use a yoga barrel?

Start gently, and let the barrel take your weight slowly. If your back, neck or shoulders are very tight, a barrel can feel strong at first. Chris says that regular use tends to reduce that tenderness, and that you can start by just rolling gently, as you would on an easy yoga massage roller. There are three ways to use it.

• Roll gently. Lie on a mat with the barrel under your upper back, and roll slowly a short way.
• Lie back over it. Bend your knees, keep your feet on the floor and let your chest open. Our note on backbend yoga covers the poses in detail.
• Reach back and hold the sides. When you feel steady, you can reach back and hold the sides of the barrel, as the second picture shows.

Is a yoga barrel safe?

It is safe enough when it is well made and you go gently, but a backbend needs a teacher first. Here is what to check.

• Sand the pipe edges until they are smooth.
• Check the mat cover grips, and does not slide on the pipe or on the floor.
• Test it with your hands first, pressing down on it, before you put your weight on it.
• See a teacher before you use it for backbends.

Tell your teacher about a neck or back problem, osteoporosis (thin, fragile bones) or pregnancy. Our note on yoga for bones and osteoporosis explains what to consider. The Better Health Channel also advises telling your teacher about any pain, a recent injury, or osteoporosis (Better Health Channel). Talk to your yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and your doctor if you wish. See a doctor straight away for numbness or weakness in a leg, or a change in bladder or bowel control.

For more props and how to improvise them, see our page on yoga props. If you are curious about the connective tissue called fascia, see our note on fascia.

Yoga barrel in Darwin and live online

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin and LIVE online. Props, including barrels, are part of how Chris teaches backbends. You can learn to use one with a teacher before you try it alone.

Yoga barrel: questions people ask

What is a yoga barrel?

A short, firm drum that you roll over or lie back over to open the chest. Wood is the traditional material. Chris says Mr Iyengar created it. Many students find it helps release stiffness in the neck, armpit and chest area.

Is a yoga barrel the same as a yoga roller?

They are similar in some ways. Chris says a barrel does much of what a yoga back roller does, but also much more, such as extending the chest and preparing the back for deeper bends.

What is a yoga barrel made of?

Traditionally, wood. Chris also made one from PVC drain water pipe, sanded smooth and covered with a used yoga mat, which she says is cheap and easy to make.

What size is a homemade yoga barrel?

Chris gives the size as 30 cm wide by 40 cm high, cut from PVC drain pipe. If your pipe is a different size, ask your teacher whether it will suit you.

Can I use a rolled blanket instead of a barrel?

Yes, for a gentler start. A firm rolled blanket or bolster (a firm, long cushion) along your spine, with your knees bent, is a supported chest opener. Keep it comfortable, and stop if you feel pinching.

Do I need a yoga barrel at all?

No. A chair, a bolster or blankets can support a backbend too, and a teacher can set them up. A barrel is an extra, not a requirement.

Is a yoga barrel safe if I have osteoporosis?

Check with your teacher before you use one, and tell them about your bones. Talk to your yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and your doctor if you wish.

Where can I learn to use a yoga barrel in Darwin?

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin and LIVE online. Props, including barrels, are part of how Chris teaches backbends. Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree: in the studio, if you have lived in the NT for three months or more, and online, for anyone new.

Practise this at Flametree

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and LIVE online.

• New to Flametree? Your first class is free. In the studio, just come along. Online, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
• Beginners: new students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. See the beginner half price pass.
• Already practising yoga? The same half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, for new students and for anyone away three months or more, is also available as the non-beginner half price pass.
• See every class time, including online classes, on the timetable.

Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.

This article is general information, not medical advice, and it is not about any one person. Learn backbends from a teacher, and talk to your yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and your doctor if you wish before you start. Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and LIVE online.

Sources

• Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio. How to make a yoga barrel, and what it does, from a post on the Flametree Facebook page (December 2024).
• Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States. BKS Iyengar. iynaus.org/bks-iyengar
• Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Yoga: health benefits. betterhealth.vic.gov.au