What size yoga strap to choose

Benefits of yoga strap

Their benefits include:

Provide support and form alignment

Straps are lifesavers for people with tight hamstrings and shoulders. A strap can safely achieve poses previously inaccessible. You’ll find yourself getting into a deeper stretch, without compromising your form.

Improve posture.

Use the strap to address your tight areas. Help yourself to stop reaching into poses, tensing your shoulders and rounding your back—big no-nos. Or strap yourself in to restorative poses like Goddess and feel your lower back release.

Get an incredible stretch

Stretching becomes more effective and enjoyable when a strap is involved. There are countless ways to use the strap for your advantage. In seated poses, yoga straps can be used around the feet to hold poses, especially for those with tight hips. In standing poses where balance is key, the strap can also be looped around your foot to increase your flexibility without losing your form. Yoga straps can also be great to get a more intense stretch for your shoulders and chest (see cow face pose below). Lastly, for arm balance poses like downward dog, the strap can be used to keep your elbows from going out. Remember, do not pull your way into postures with force. Always listen to your body!

Yoga strap mistake to avoid

5 common yoga mistakes to avoid

1. Holding your breath

The key to yoga is the connection between mind and body, which happens through the breath.

By focusing on your breath, you’re brought back to the present moment and your mind begins to quiet down.

If you find yourself holding your breath, whether it’s to keep up with your teacher, or because you’re lost in your thoughts, focus your attention back on your inhale and exhale. It’s okay to move more slowly if it means you breathe more freely and easily.

There is nothing wrong about getting help. Set your ego aside and accept that you’re not a pro yogi yet – and might never become one for that matter! And that is totally ok. If you’re in a yoga class, welcome your friend’s or teacher’s comments. And if there’s something you’re struggling with, or if something appears unclear, ask someone about it. Don’t stay in the dark, because you are missing out on an opportunity to improve.

Wrist pain is one of the most common complaints by yoga newbies.

Unless you are already used to doing planks and pushups, bearing your body’s weight on your hands can be really tough. If you are not positioning your hands the correct way, you could actually be doing more harm than good.

Aside from just your wrists, make sure you take care of your joints! Tension is rarely a good thing, especially when it comes to your body.

Your elbows and knees need extra attention; don’t lock them! It could cause pain, injuries and additional “wear and tear”.

Scheduling a yoga class too soon after a big meal is never a good idea. Your digestive system needs time and energy to do its work before you start. By interrupting that process, you could be introducing a number of problems:

• by using up energy in a yoga practice, you are taking away energy from the digestive process and limiting its capacity to digest your food
• The many poses in yoga could have you twisting, bending and compressing your torso, interfering with your gastrointestinal tract (introducing a number of digestive problems)
• having food in the digestive system can also make you nauseous, bloated or gassy = not very good company in a yoga studio
• you might have to interrupt your flow for a bathroom break