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Posts Tagged ‘yoga props’

Once you’ve found out for yourself the many benefits of using yoga blocks, you won’t forget to put them in your yoga bag before leaving for class. Yoga blocks have plenty of uses, but before we detail what they can do for you, plus the many types that are purchasable, let’s review a bit about Yoga, itself.

What Yoga Practice Can Do for You

Habitual yoga practice will awaken your mind as it stimulates your body! Doing each pose perfectly requires your complete attention, and such focus enhances your mental awareness. Your “outer body” is enriched as each pose nourishes, energizes, and revitalizes every cell, fiber, and tissue through enhanced breathing, flexibility, strength and alignment. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.

Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, particularly when combined with ample time and commitment. A beginner should not give up if they don’t do a pose flawlessly on the first try. But, slowly over time, as you practice and make an effort to perform each pose perfectly, without pushing yourself too far physically or beating yourself up mentally, you will discover that you are developing flexibility, strength, and energy physically and feeling more peaceful and clear mentally.

Choose a clean, graceful space for your practice area, preferably with a bare floor and an accessible wall. Remove any distractions from your yoga environment. Preferably, you should not eat for at least 2 hours before practicing. If this is not possible, then try to eat something light, such as a piece of fruit, but no more than 1 hour before you start your yoga practice.

Remember to be mindful of how your body feels, and stop or pause if you feel any pain or discomfort while trying out a pose. Then try again.

Yoga props and accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even a yoga towel are perfect for benefiting you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing an impeccable pose, and in practicing in a healthful way.

Yoga Prop Benefits:

• Relieve pain and discomfort

• Prevent injury

• Stress relief and relaxation

• Maintain proper alignment

• Ease and flexibility of movement

• Create space in the joints

• Deepen awareness, development mindfulness

Yoga Blocks

Unfortunately, on occasion before a beginner can start to experience the benefits to mind and body that yoga provides, discomfort in attempting to do a few of the yoga poses will make them turn away from a healthy yoga practice. Yoga blocks can aid anyone, but especially beginners, to feel more relaxed during yoga practice because yoga blocks help to improve alignment. Several standing yoga poses involve one hand being on the floor. For a novice, the floor can seem a long way down. A yoga block can supply the difference. Think of a yoga block as elongating your arm. While a beginner is in the process of developing flexibility, he or she will still be able to do the standing poses correctly by situating a hand on a block that’s been set appropriately on the floor. A yoga block is a wonderful transitional aid.  Also, several sitting poses specifically require a yoga block.  Yoga blocks aid with balance, poise, and stability. Who could ask for more from something so “square.”

Yoga blocks come in a fairly wide range of materials. To name a few: Foam blocks are durable and lightweight, an easy add to your yoga mat bag! Wooden blocks are also lightweight and hollow, yet virtually indestructible (even Fido would find one hard to destroy!). And, then there is the eco-friendly cork block.  An added bonus is that the natural consistency of the cork gives some extra traction.

Yoga blocks are usually sold separately but, for versatility, you’ll probably want to buy several.

Tags: Health, nutrition, exercise

Without a question, once you’ve gotten one, you’ll find a yoga strap to be an indispensable “prop” in your yoga practice. However, before we talk about the benefits of using a yoga strap, let’s talk a little about Yoga, itself.

The Benefits of Yoga

Regular yoga practice will stimulate your mind as it enlivens your body! Doing each pose flawlessly requires your complete attention, and such focus cultivates your mental awareness. Habitual yoga practice awakens, energizes, and strengthens the structure and flow of the body. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.

Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, especially when combined with ample time and commitment. No one is a master the first time they attempt to do anything. But, slowly over time, as you practice and make an effort to perform each pose flawlessly, without pushing yourself too far physically or beating yourself up mentally, you will notice that you are developing flexibility, strength, and energy physically and feeling more peaceful and clear mentally.

Try to create a fresh, peaceful space for your yoga practice, with a bare floor, preferably, and a clear wall. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones, during your yoga practice. For optimum function, you should not eat for at least 2 hours before practicing. If this is not possible, then try to eat something light, such as a piece of fruit, but no more than 1 hour before you start your yoga practice.

Always be mindful with your movements, and if you encounter pain or discomfort as you try a pose, pause or stop, and then try again.

Yoga props and yoga accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even yoga towels are made with the intention to assist you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a flawless pose, and in practicing in a wholesome way.

Yoga prop benefits are many, but principally they help to avoid, or relieve, pain and discomfort that sometimes accompanies the more challenging yoga poses, especially in the beginning.

On occasion we all “push” instead of “ease” into a yoga pose, and injury sometimes occurs. Yoga props can give the support and extensions needed to do a pose correctly.

Stress relief and relaxation benefits are an integral part of any yoga practice. Yoga props can provide desired support so you’re not tempted to “stress out” because you’re unable to do a certain pose.

Another dynamic of using yoga props is that they assist you in sustaining proper alignment and, as we all know, alignment is essential to getting the most benefits from a pose.

Yoga props assist in augmenting movement. Certain props create space in the joints and allow the body more fluid movement without causing stress on a particular joint.

And, finally, we get back to one of the extraordinary benefits of yoga, i.e., the development of awareness and understanding. When you are free to focus on doing your yoga poses correctly, rather than worrying about any limitations you might be experiencing, you are more capable to experience the deeper gifts of a regular yoga practice. Yoga props can aid in eliminating any limitations to your doing flawless yoga poses.

Ready to Add a Yoga Strap Prop?

Whether you are a novice and want extra help in your poses, or you simply want to get the most out of your yoga routine, a yoga strap is a extremely useful addition to your “yoga props.” The more flexible you are in your yoga poses, the more you’ll benefit. A rationalization for some people staying away from practicing yoga is that they think that they’re not flexible enough. That’s where a yoga strap can help a lot. It is easily the most helpful yoga accessory for increasing flexibility. In fact, without a yoga strap, some novices will find certain poses impossible.

A yoga strap allows you to grasp your limbs (the ones you can’t otherwise reach) or to hold a pose longer. That is to say, a yoga strap has a variety of useful uses. Case in point, if you hook it around your foot while your leg is held straight, your hamstring stretch will go a lot farther! A yoga strap can also help in bound poses, too, such as cow face, or Gomukhasana, expressly if your hands are not able to typically clasp each other. A yoga strap can also be used to hold your leg in a Trikosana, to stretch your shoulder in the Shoulder Stretch Exercise, and many other yoga postures.

Yoga straps are generally available in materials such as nylon and hemp, and often have buckles on the end to aid in storage and transportation.

Tags: Health, exercise, nutrition