Best Yoga Accessories

We've got a yoga accessories list to improve your experience.

Yoga, the union of mind and body, promises to improve your health, reduce stress and improve strength, as well as flexibility. Getting the most out of your practice is important. Each yoga class or session may have a different focus: strength, flexibility, endurance, breathing, balance and even courage.

However, in an effort to improve your form and each move’s function, I’ve found a few new yoga accessories to check out for your own program.  

Here are three unique ideas to include add to your yoga practice.

1. A Better Yoga Block

YogaFit’s, Three Minute Egg is designed to help keep your spine aligned correctly and helps protect your wrists while performing several yoga poses. It’s curved shape offers a more comfortable replacement for the rectangular yoga block.  Instead of a square feeling on the neck, the Three Minute Egg fits easily behind your head where the skull meets the neck while in any supine position. This supports your head and stretches your neck. The benefit of supporting and stretching is releasing tension you have in your neck that gives you neck pains. And, with simple rotation while supported by the curve of the Three Minute Egg, you’ll find relief from the tension that causes neck pains.   

2. Hang on to the Stretch

Not everyone has the ability to be flexible and achieve every yoga pose. The yoga strap is a tool used to help reach such poses. This strap artificially lengthens your limbs so you will be able to approximately reach the full pose. By simply looping the strap around the balls of your feet for seated forward bends and pulling the straps with your hands, you’ll instantly gain more extension in your spine. Proper alignment prevents tension and pain. Once you become more flexible, you can walk your hands closer to your feet until you no longer need the strap for this position. Yoga straps can be used for several positions where flexibility isn’t your strength. They also help improve your posture and release tension in the neck and shoulders.  

3. Root Your Feet

When practicing yoga, many people forget about the feet and toes. It is more important to stretch and strengthen your feet and toes as than the rest of your body.  Having strong toes and feet help align your posture and most knee, hip, and back pain stems from improper foot mechanics.  If you do not have strong feet or toes, you may have balancing issues as well. Toeless yoga socks are open-toed socks that have a compartment for each toe.  If you do not want your toes open, they have closed-toe socks with compartments for each toe.  Injinji toe socks can also be worn withfitness shoes with similar benefits of strengthening the feet.  Along with aiding in having a good posture and balance, these socks also keep your feet warm and help protect your feet from germs if you happen to share a Yoga mat. These socks also come with grips at the bottom to prevent slipping.  You may find the Warrior pose to be easier with a grippy bottom.

Remember, yoga is meant to bring the body and breath together, but if you are having trouble with the moves, a yoga accessory like these may be your solution.

-from womensforum.com