When to Use Props

Walking into a yoga class for the first time can be intimidating.  People may be standing (or sitting) on their heads, chanting funny words, or breathing in very peculiar ways.  Luckily yoga is all about acceptance and not at all about competition, so feel free to leave your ego at the door!  

When beginning yoga for the first time, props can be very useful support tools.  They help keep your spine aligned, help you reach deeper into a stretch, and keep proper symmetry when trying a challenging pose.  So don’t shun props or think that only weaklings use them; unless you’re naturally very flexible, all yoga novices should incorporate props into their practice in order to improving their technique.  If you push yourself too hard too soon, you run the risk of injury.  So break out your yoga props, you won’t advance in your yoga practice without them!

A Big Towel

A big towel is a key component of every yoga kit; not only can you blot your sweat with it, it can be folded and placed underneath the hips in seated poses to support the spine, hips, hamstrings, or lower back.  When kneeling, it can be placed under the knees for those with knee issues.  If seated in a chair (another great yoga tool that will be addresses later), a towel can be folded and placed under the feet if they don’t rest comfortably flat on the floor.  It can also be placed on top of the mat for extra grip and cushion.  A beach towel is the easiest to find, but any oversized towel that isn’t too soft will work.

Block

A foam or wooden block is another great, multifaceted yoga tool.  Blocks can offer great support in a variety of ways; they can help you stretch further in difficult positions, effectively lengthening the body and allowing you to touch the ground when you otherwise couldn’t. Blocks can also help keep your feet parallel when sitting or standing with your feet hip width apart.

Strap

A yoga strap is an essential tool for new yogis.  For difficult positions, a strap is helpful for easing your way into a pose.  If you can’t touch your toes, a strap can be placed under your toes when standing to help pull you closer to the floor.  If lying on your back, the use of a strap can help stretch the hamstrings when the strap is looped around the arch of your foot.  Most gyms have elastic bands available for use, which make great yoga straps.  At home, a woven belt or cotton belt would also work.

Chair

Most people have at least one chair in their house.  A chair is a great yoga tool because 99.9% of houses or physical structures have at least one chair inside, meaning you can take your yoga practice anywhere you can find a seat!  An armless chair or standard folding chair work best; these tools can be used for seated breathing exercises and meditation, and it’s highly recommended as an alternative to sitting on the floor.  Chairs are also great when learning inversion (upside-down) poses, they serve as great balancing tools to help steady you if your arms and abs are wobbly.  Chairs also provide a great alternative to people with bad knees; most kneeling poses can be modified to a seated chair position. 

The Wall

Walls are another great tool you can find almost anywhere.  Like chairs, walls are useful for balancing when learning inversion poses.  They also act as an alignment corrector if a teacher isn’t available to correct it for you.  Whatever part of your body is touching the wall, it can act as a support or alignment tool that creates symmetry and balance in a variety of poses.

 

Knee Pads

Knee pads are making their way into yoga classes as individuals with poor knees increasingly turn to yoga for physical therapy.  Soft knee pads buffer sensitive knees from the hard floor, while supporting them in lunging positions such as the warrior series or runners pose.

Know of any other yoga props not mentioned here?  Be sure to leave it in the comment section below and make sure to note how you use it.

Source: Yoga Journal, Yoga Basics

How Do You Know When Your Spine is Properly Aligned?

Having proper spinal alignment is very important.  When your spine is out of whack, pain and discomfort can slowly creep in and throw your weight, balance, and movement off.  Most athletes need these three components to be predictable, therefore having an aligned spine is in their best interest.

In yoga, there is a thing called the plumb line; this line refers to the invisible line that guides the spine’s alignment. Most handy types know the plumb line as a line from which a weight is suspended to determine verticality or depth.  In yoga, the plumb line is the vertical line (pictured right) that connects the earlobe, shoulder, hip, knee, and front of the ankle.  When sitting in a chair or on the floor, the plumb line is measured from the earlobe to the hip.  The straighter the plumb line, the better your spinal alignment.

Despite the plumb line being straight, the spine has its own natural curves.  From the top of the neck to the top of the shoulders lies the cervical curve, which curves inward.  From the top of the shoulders to the middle of the back is the thoracic curve, which curves outward.  From the middle of the back to the base of the spine is the lumbar curve, which curves inward.  These curves in the back are useful for measuring the health and alignment of one’s body.  These curves are important because when they are balanced, they facilitate movement, allowing the spine to deflect stress and weight more easily.  When any of these curves becomes exaggerated, another part of the spine or body must compensate, leading to back problems.  Common problems of the spine such as scoliosis, hump, or a sway back can all be detected and corrected by keeping an eye on and correcting spinal deviations.

Here are a few tips for creating good spinal alignment:

• Balance your weight from the floor up, and from foot to foot or hip to hip
• Adjust your plumb line when sitting or standing
• Focus on your core and holding it tight when sitting or standing to prevent slouching