Yoga Equipment & Tools
There are a number of props, tools, and pieces of equipment that have been designed to make your Yoga, Meditation, and other practices trouble free, easier and more enjoyable. On the whole, it’s a matter of individual need or personal preference. You may only use those props or tools that are suitable to your Yoga practices. Although Yoga preaches detachment to all things physical, there are certain objects that help in Yoga practices. Important pieces of yoga equipment include yoga mats, yoga blocks, yoga blankets, yoga bolsters, yoga balls and straps.
You may not require yoga equipment, tools, and props as part of your Yoga practices, but they have always proven helpful aids to Yoga practitioners. You should know that it is important to be comfortable and relaxed wile practising asanas (poses). Most of the Yoga equipment is designed to provide extra help and support to get deeper into the asanas (poses) or perform better.
Yoga equipment, tools were primarily designed by Sri B.K.S. Iyengar for his style of yoga that considers proper alignment in all postures as the most important factor. Until one’s body is ready, practitioners are advised to use props that help bring your body into alignment. This is the only way to achieve optimum health benefit and avoid injury. Sri B.K.S. Iyengar’s insistence on props is now adopted by a number of other Yoga styles.
Basic Yoga Equipment
Yoga Mats
Yoga Mats help make Yoga practices more effective and fun. You can use any of the many available at sports stores. However, see that it is a large thick rug or Yoga towel. If you ‘re practicing Hatha yoga, you might need a Yoga sticky mat that provides adequate traction to your feet and hands, facilitates movement and retains different poses, without fear of slipping or falling down. While the mat helps you define your personal space, more importantly, it gives traction to your feet and hands to prevent slipping, particularly when you get sweaty. Yoga mats also provide that essential bit of cushioning on hard surfaces. Especially those who’ve taken up Ashtanga Yoga need a mat with good durability and padding. Likewise, for senior citizens, a mat which is around a few centimeters thick is required to protect their elbows, knees and spine from injury.
Yoga Mat Bags
Yoga Mat Bags are indispensable in travel or when the bag is not in use. This will help extend the life of the mat by a few years just by taking better care of it.
Yoga Blocks
Yoga blocks are either made of cork or foam. These blocks are especially helpful in standing asanas (poses), particularly Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose), especially if your hand is not able to reach the floor. You could also use the block to sit on in poses like Virasana (Warrior Pose). Yoga blocks are designed to make the asana more comfortable and help improve postural alignment, just like blankets.
Yoga Bolsters
Yoga Bolsters help yoga practitioners align the body properly. They also relieve tension from the abdomen, neck, lower / upper back and legs while adding comfort in difficult poses. By offering support to the back, bolsters are particularly useful for those who find it difficult to reach the ground in some of the floor poses.
Yoga Blankets
Yoga Blankets help you feel comfortable and relaxed, especially with a Yoga Mat to keep you warm in a Yoga session. Often, Yoga studios have loads of blankets for their students to use in class. It is wise to get hold of a blanket or two; right in the beginning of class. The folded Yoga Blankets are used to lie or sit on during a Yoga session. For example, sitting cross-legged and placing a blanket beneath the sit bones help elevate your hips above your knees. Yoga Blankets also come in handy for a number of things in Yoga class, particularly when it’s chilly. They help to cover you in Shavasana (final relaxation corpse pose) at the end of class.
Yoga Straps
Yoga Straps are normally made out of nylon or cotton. They aid in some of the poses by facilitating ease of movement and retention of certain poses for longer. Belts or straps help in bound poses; they align and support the back and extend your grasp. Straps also help stretch the muscles. They are very useful when your hands can’t reach each other, and in poses where you have to hold your feet but are not able to reach them.
Optional Yoga Equipment
These include yoga balls, yoga clothing, yoga shoes, yoga paraphernalia such as Incense, Essential Oils, Yoga Jewelry and Yoga Chimes all of which help make the Yoga routine more meditative and calming. Then there are inversion slings, yoga ropes and yoga music, all of which, undoubtedly, help enhance the Yoga experience and help you get immense health benefits with regular yoga practice.
