Yoga Equipment
April 21st, 2007
Useful Yoga Equipment
If you practice yoga you might want to be familiar with some of the more basic types of yoga equipment. As is true when you practice most physical disciplines, having the right equipment can make a big positive difference when it comes to getting the most out of your workout.
If you can afford to only get one piece of yoga exercise equipment then get a yoga mat. Yoga mats help protect your body from being injured by a hard floor. A yoga mat can also provide you with just enough time that you may be able to hold a posture longer. Furthermore a yoga mat is a lot warmer then sitting on a cold floor.
Another reason to use a yoga mat is that it can help you keep your spine aligned. If the floor is crooked at all your spine could fall into misalignment. Also any discomfort you feel in your body from a cold hard or dirty floor is all too easily translated into a bad posture. Doing yoga with a crooked spine defeats the purpose.
If you can try and find a yoga mat that is anti-bacterial or made out of a fabric that is easy to clean or sanitize. This is because human sweat can colonize into infectious bacteria and moulds on your yoga equipment if you are not careful.
If you find holding postures or achieving the stretch or grip of a pose properly to be difficult then you might consider investing in yoga straps. These straps are made of cotton or nylon fabric and you simply grip each end of the cloth with both hands. They can help you balance better and hold a pose if you have weak muscles, bad balance or are dizzy when you try to practice the postures. Straps are particularly useful if your hands cannot reach each other when stretched behind the back or above the head. You can also loop yoga straps around the soles of your feet if you are not limber enough to touch your toes.
If you are pregnant or recovering from an injury you might want to consider investing in what are known as yoga blocks or yoga bricks. These are blocks that help stabilize the spine that can be put on top of chairs or place on top of a yoga mat to make your yoga routine more comfortable. A similar item is the yoga cushion which is a little bulkier but used in much the same way. You can also buy yoga chairs, which allow injured or disabled individuals to do their yoga positions in a sitting down position.
A newer invention when it comes to yoga equipment are the yoga balls. These are thick spheres that come up to your knees. They are used to support spines and other parts of the body when it comes to providing stability and support for holding certain poses. They are also very useful for doing warm up and muscle stretching exercises in general as they help extend your range of motion and help relieve the body of stress in general.
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