How to Use a Yoga Strap?

What is the purpose of a yoga strap? If you're new to yoga, you've probably already asked yourself how to use a yoga strap and why. A yoga strap serves three purposes: alignment, lengthening and deepening your asanas. All three are essential for practicing yoga safely and effectively, and for getting the most out of your practice.

Whether you're a beginner or a more experienced yogi, discover without further ado 5 yoga postures to do using a strap to make your stretches safer and more accessible! 👇

The royal pigeon posture (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Sanskrit) 🐦

Halfmoon

The Royal Pigeon is a posture that many people struggle to master due to a lack of flexibility in the quadriceps and a tendency to lean to one side once in the pose. The use of a yoga strap or yoga belt can help you practice this posture safely and progress in your practice.

How using a yoga strap can help you A yoga strap can add length to your arms, while helping to align your hips, which are supposed to point in the same direction (i.e. in front of you). Using a strap will allow you to fully feel the posture and know how close you can bring your foot and hands together.

How to use a yoga strap in King Pigeon :

Get into Pigeon pose. King Pigeon should only be practiced when you feel completely comfortable in your Pigeon pose.

Once in your Pigeon pose, lift your chest, keep your hips in the same direction, and slowly bend your back leg towards you, keeping your knee on the ground. Then wrap your yoga strap around your foot.

Take your strap in your hands and lift it over your head, bending your arms back towards your raised foot. Gently pull the strap towards your body for a deep quadriceps stretch. If you feel pain or discomfort, exit the posture. You can also try moving your hands towards your foot using the strap, while raising your chest upwards.

The seated pincer posture (Sanskrit: Paschimottasana)

True relaxations

The Seated Pinch provides an excellent stretch for the hamstrings (muscles at the back of the thigh), but is often missed due to poor alignment. People often let their backs round out in an attempt to touch their feet. To take full advantage of this posture and progress without injury, the back must always remain straight.

How using a yoga strap can help you Using a yoga strap in the seated pinch position allows you to practice correct alignment by preventing your back from rounding out, allowing a deeper stretch of the hamstring muscles.

How to use a yoga strap in the seated position :

Sit on your mat and bend your knees to place the strap under the soles of your feet.

Bend your feet and straighten your legs. Keep your spine straight and look ahead. Breathe in deeply and exhale, bringing your chest gently forward. Keep your back straight at all times.

Boat pose (Paripurna-navâsana in Sanskrit) 🛥️

Yoga with Uliana

In the Boat pose, your back is straight, your legs are up and straight, and your arms are alongside your legs. If you have trouble keeping your legs and back straight in this posture, you lack core strength. A yoga strap can provide support.

How using a yoga strap can help you Using a yoga strap gives your body minimal support for balance, while challenging your core strength. It also promotes good posture by forcing you to lift your chest.

How to use a yoga strap in Boat Pose :

Place your strap under the soles of your feet, legs bent, and hold both ends of the strap.

Start straightening your legs while keeping your lower back straight.

Push into the strap with your feet, holding onto it to keep your spine straight.

Cow's head pose (Gomukhasana in Sanskrit) 🐮

Yogarove

The cow's head posture can be very difficult for people with weak shoulders. In the full posture, you need to raise your right arm to the sky and bend it towards your lower back, but in many cases, the shoulders simply aren't supple enough to move forward safely into the full posture.

How using a yoga strap can help you Using a strap will allow your hands to "tighten" and move forward slowly, testing your limits. This posture provides a good stretch for the shoulders and is an excellent way to release accumulated tension in this area.

How to use a yoga strap in this posture :

Sit down and raise your right arm to the sky, holding your yoga strap. Place your left arm behind your back and bend your right arm so that it meets your left. Keep your back straight and your chin parallel to the floor.

Bring your hands as close together as you can using the strap. Repeat on the other side.

Four-legged stick posture (Chaturanga Dandasana in Sanskrit)

Ha my yoga

Chaturanga is a difficult posture that requires good alignment. Using a yoga strap is an excellent way of getting your body used to correct alignment.

How using a yoga strap can help you Chaturanga requires strength in the upper body, and many people tend to unconsciously do things to try and make the posture easier, such as spreading their elbows. Using a yoga strap will allow you to keep your elbows at your sides and develop the strength needed to progress in this posture.

How to use a yoga strap in the Chaturanga posture :

Place the strap above your elbows, shoulder-width apart. Keep the strap taut to prevent your elbows from collapsing.

From the plank position, move your body forward, bend your elbows and descend until your chest touches the taut strap.

If this is too difficult, you can always put your knees down, but always keep your elbows tucked in and your chest forward.