Three Minute Egg: Healthy Alignment for Yoga

I suppose you could call me a low-intermediate level in yoga - I could be a high intermediate except for some wrist and back problems. That is what led me to the Three Minute Eggs, a yoga prop currently available on Amazon or from www.threeminuteeg.com.

This video is a tutorial that comes with the egg props. At this point it is only available in DVD-R, but I haven't had a problem with mine. The DVD is chaptered by pose so that you can click back and forth with ease, or focus on a specific pose as a restorative, such as the supported Matsyasana. Primarily I use the eggs in my regular yoga and Pilates practices to help with wrists that cannot bend to 90 degree angles, but from time to time I take this tutorial DVD out and without fail, feel wonderful after the 30 minutes are complete. It frees up all the kinks and hijinks in my back muscles that go hand in hand with a desk job and scoliosis, to boot.

About the eggs - they are not just elliptical yoga blocks. They provide support, increase traction, act as alignment guides and of course, ease weak, stiff and "wonky" wrists. I put them in a V-shape and sit on them for prana and meditation, and especially enjoy propping them under the thighs in Supta Baddha Konasana to fully let go and relax into the pose.

Practice breakdown:

~ Seated Baddha Konasana, eggs supporting shins or knees

~ Supported fish pose with eggs under spine - a wonderful heart opener

~ Staff pose, hands pressing into eggs to lengthen spine and further open chest

~ Bridge pose, arms on floor behind head squeezing eggs to engage upper body and bring strength into pose

~ "Knee dips," reclining with an egg squeezed each between thighs and ankles, legs in a table top position, then twisting lower body to floor on either side

~ Supine plank with eggs supporting hands. I cannot do reverse plank without them and getting up into a perfect straight angle is more of a "Victory Pose" for me!

~ Seated forward bend - a favorite of mine. With eggs in hands, you go forward to a comfortable position, roll back on the eggs to straighten the spine, gentle lean forward a little more, tractioning yourself along the mat and rocking the eggs back then placing them forward. I think every yoga studio should have some for students learning this pose.

~ From seated, the model tosses his legs back into Down Dog (which I cannot do) but they might help a more fit person achieve that goal. Instructions are given to either remain in Dog pose with the hands on eggs or slide palms onto mat as eggs support the forearms.

~ Uttanasana, standing forward bend with eggs on tips or rolled down on side as flexibility increases

~ Chair pose with an egg squeezed between thighs and one overhead between hands. I feel the eggs really do help align the pose and squeezing brings more power into the pose.

~ Stand into Mountain Pose, squeezing egg between palms and continuing to squeeze the egg placed between thighs. Again, bringing more strength into the pose.

~ Next the eggs are kept in the hands for Triangle flowing into Side Angle pose, the bottom egg acting as a prop for the lower hand and the top acting as a visual alignment guide. This flows into alternate lunges, hands propped on the eggs.

~ Wide legged forward fold, hands on eggs and then alternatively twisting an arm up and back.

~ Seated wide angle, twisting from side to side using the eggs for traction and stability. While transferring a little weight to the eggs, you can really lengthen the spine and twist a little deeper.

~ Supported bridge pose with eggs on tips, one under each hip - it feels wonderful to achieve such a deep backbend yet be able to treat it as a restorative pose at the same time.

~ A variation with eggs under the heels is shown, then one egg is placed under the head so you can roll the head from side to side, a nice neck stretch and prelude to …

~ Savasana, with an egg under each knee of course.

Written out, it looks like a lot of prop usage and it is - but the eggs are easy to flow with. They're feather light and ergonomic. Egg-onomic? I'm happy they hatched into my collection of yoga props and exercise toys. I appreciate that the practice is 30 minutes and chaptered. There is some yoga music in the background and it is filmed in a log cabin type room that reminds me of a ski lodge. Narration is in voice over.