What are Yoga Straps Used For

Yoga straps are simple yet effective equipment for helping obtain the correct posture and composure when doing certain poses during your session. The reasonably inexpensive straps are especially useful for those recovering from an injury, or with limited balance and flexibility making most poses difficult or impossible to do.

They also offer the added benefit of allowing the user to complete a pose while keeping the spine structurally aligned, thus giving the user the full experience of most poses. They can be used at any level, from beginners to the most experienced practitioners, and enable the user to make the most of their yoga session.

Finding a yoga strap to suit the user is a painless process and one that can be tailored to the likes and dislikes of the user. Yoga straps come in all shapes and sizes, with different fabrics and buckle styles, while there are variations in straps they are all based on the same basic style and uses.

The Basics Of Yoga Straps

Users often use yoga straps in a loop, so be certain to purchase a strap that is long enough to easily hold on each side, even when using it at an arms lengths away from the body as you would in a seated forward bend is important. You don’t need to buy the longest size though. For shorter bodies, a shorter strap is better suited as you will require less slack in the strap.

Before using your strap, first, perform a series of sun salutation poses to help warm up and loosen the muscles in your body. Doing this before using the strap helps minimize the risk of injury due to torn muscles and ligaments.

Think about the types of materials your belt will be made from. If you are doing Ashtanga yoga, a breathable material such as cotton is better suited as it does not become as slippery as nylon when wet. Also consider the location you will be using it in, for example in a group session a plastic buckle will be quieter than a metal one – which will be much appreciated by your fellow students.

Yoga straps can be used to adjust the intensity level of your session. If a pose is too challenging, the strap can offer relief and help support your body weight making a pose easier. You can also use them to intensify a pose and ensure perfect posture when doing so.

Uses When Doing Seated Positions

When performing seated poses, yoga straps can be used around the feet to help ensure that perfect posture is achieved. Your arms should be straight and you should hold on to the strap wherever you feel most comfortable. When using a strap in this way, the pelvis will naturally tilt forwards and bring the body into alignment. This will also ensure that you have an adequate length in the hamstrings.

People don’t often sit in such positions, so you may find that your shoulders slightly creep up toward the ears with the added tension. Try to bear this in mind, and if you find it happening to you, just relax your shoulders back to a more natural position and keep your spine long and your shoulder blades facing downwards.

The strap can also help relieve some of the tension you feel in the abdominal area when doing certain poses, and help prevent your body from shaking when the focus is on the stomach area. By placing it under the soles of your feet and using your arms to stabilize yourself, you will find many poses become much easier to do.

Uses For Standing Poses And Balance

When beginning the practice of yoga, many people find that their core strength is not at a high enough level enough to deal with many of the poses. There are also issues with lack of suppleness and developing balance skills.

The yoga strap can help you to develop your core strength, balance and flexibility while minimizing potential injury caused by loss of balance when trying to achieve a pose.

By using a yoga strap, it allows the user to experience the full effects of a pose while they are still developing their skills. One excellent example of how to use a yoga strap for a standing pose is the dancers pose.

Begin the pose by standing on two feet and place the yoga strap around the arch of your left foot, hold both straps firmly in your hands, and then cross the strap over by switching the straps into the opposite hand (the strap will cross over the top of your foot). With your other foot, step through the strap so that your left foot is behind you. Lift your hands up to above your head and elevate your strapped foot so that it comes up behind you. If you feel that your balance is strong, lean forwards into the pose and hold.

Uses For Supporting And Aligning The Spine

Using a yoga strap for improving the alignment of the back is one of the many uses for the strap. By wrapping the strap around your body, you are prompted to keep composure during a session. People tend to lose posture of time and find that they are hunching over or slouching when they shouldn’t be. This is where straps come into play.

The first thing you want to do is allow the strap to hang down from the back of the neck and down over your chest/stomach, make sure that the hanging straps are of equal length. Next, bring the straps around your side and under your armpit area and cross them over on the back, like an X shape, lastly, you want to bring them back round to the front and tie them together making sure they are nice and tight.

When tying at the front you will feel your spine start to align and become straighter, the tighter you tie the strap, the more intense the effect will be. As your body becomes aligned underneath your shoulders, you will find that your poses become more efficient. Should your body start to slouch or lose form, the straps will dig into your ribs and remind you to gain composure before continuing.