Simple Methods for using a Yoga Strap

Yoga straps are helpful for aligning your posture and easing into poses (asanas), particularly if you have tense muscles or are recuperating from injuries. They help you perfectly experience your poses at the same time maintaining structural alignment of your whole body, mostly relating to your spine. The great thing about yoga straps is that you could make use of them at any level – as newbie or expert – and they’re a powerful complement to your practice.

Determining the best strap for you can be easy and quick, but it might also take time if you’re specific about the fabric, buckle, or style. On the whole, these simple techniques can help you use your strap to its full potential:

Yoga straps are usually used in a loop, so ensuring you get a strap long enough to perfectly hold each side, even at arms lengths off from the body (such as a seated forward bend), is very important. But don’t always opt for the lengthiest size. The shorter you are, the shorter the yoga strap can be and the less slack you’ll manage.

Remember to start your practice with some sun salutations before you hop into using your strap. Warm your muscles and tendons, and help yourself to get to your full scale of flexibility to reduce risk of injury.

Consider where you’ll be using your strap, and if the practice is more fitted to a plastic buckle (quieter) than a metal one (can clank around the floor). This isn’t the most significant concern, but one thing you should know.

Yoga straps aren’t just simply used for easing into poses – they can in addition provide more challenging tension. If you feel stymied or less challenged in your practice, working a yoga strap in your routine can add a new dynamic.

Yoga Strap for Shoulders and Back Alignment

General Back Alignment: One impressive use of yoga straps is by wrapping them around the body to build memory for good posture. There’s an inclination to slouch as time passes, with the shoulders lurching over the abdomen. Straps can certainly help fix this. First, drape the strap around the back of your next, with equivalent length hanging from both sides. Then, wrap the straps down and under your armpits, cross then in the back like an X, and draw them out to the front of your body, tightening or tying them as one. You’ll observe that the tighter you make this, the more aligned your back gets – it pulls in your torso under your shoulders. This should be the alignment you stay with through most of your asanas.

Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose): One common pose to open your chest and thoracic spine is with Gomukhasana, or Cow Face Pose. The full stretch can be very difficult – in a seated position, you get to your left arm down and behind your back, and your right arm above and behind your back, trying to grip the two. Tight shoulder stops the full expansion, but by putting a yoga strap the right hand and allowing the left hand catch it, you can gradually crawl the hands closer to each other, bettering your potential to perfect the asana as time passes.

Yoga Strap for Seated Positions

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend): Paschimottanasana is not a simple asana for beginners. The first time you'll I attempt this you’ll realize how un-flexible you actually are. The pose offers a complete extension for the back of the body, from head to toe – your legs are stretched out before you with your hands on your feet and your head close to your knees, laid over your legs. Working toward this, you could use straps around your feet in a loop to draw your body closer and ease into the usually tight stretch. Gradually pull yourself forward and stretch out the hamstrings, but never allow your knees of lift.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose): Trying to stretch the inner thighs, groin, and knees, Bound Angle Pose is not an easy task for people with tight hips. First, sit with your back straightened and your legs stretched out before you. Pull your heels in the direction of the pelvis, pressing the soles of your feet jointly. If you observe that you’re struggling to bring your feet near your body, make use of your strap around the bottom sides of your feet, looped around your body. You could tighten the strap incrementally to help bring your feet nearer to your body thereby making the pose more intense.

Yoga Strap for Balance and Standing Poses

Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Han-to-big-tor pose): Early on, building your core strength and sense of balance are enough concerns particularly with a pose such as this one. Standing, you first take your leg out ahead of you. On the next breath, with your gaze to the left (if stretching your right leg), you bring the leg out to side. At this point, you’re challenged to both balance on just one leg and hand your hand on the tips of your toes on a complete extended leg. Loop your strap around your foot, and make use of the extra length until you can conveniently hold your foot with your hand.

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose): Also referred to as Dancer’s Pose, this tough stance needs serious flexibility and balance. Standing, place the yoga strap around the arch of your foot, cross over the straps and swap the straps in each hand, making a cross on your foot. With the unstrapped foot step through the loop (like a jump rope), placing the strapped foot behind you. With straps in hand, pull-up your foot as you bend your arms and lift them behind your head, it is advisable to place yourself close to a wall for the first few attempts.