Best Yoga Strap: Ultimate Guide to Getting a Good Practice

Yoga has many forms. And for someone who’s just a beginner, it can get intimidating. Whether you’re aspiring to get a perfect headstand or simply wanting to get this as part of your health regimen, Yoga is a good exercise physically and mentally. Finding the right type of Yoga is one aspect of the journey.

Another part is finding the tools such as the best yoga strap to help you achieve the right form. There are three types of Yoga: Heated, Hatha and Vinyasa with various intensities and requiring different set of skills. Before you do anything else, make sure that you are physically able to do Yoga poses as these will entail a lot of stretching, unlike your regular cardio workout.

Why Yoga?

For many who want to test the waters, going for an open class is a good start. Open classes are intended for a mixed group of Yogis from beginners to advance. Most Vinyasa, also called as ‘flow’ Yoga, are open classes where teachers let you choose the kind of version you are most comfortable with.

It is best to pick a spot between the middle or back of the class so you can follow more advanced Yogis how to properly do a pose. Just like any workout, there is no single strike to get it right.

If you happen to see Yogis who have perfected the forms, chances are they have been at it for a very long time. It would be best to find the kind of Yoga that you’d be comfortable doing for a long time for you to reap the benefits of practicing it in a studio or in the comforts of your home.

You can check out this post for why you should choose Ashtanga Yoga. 

Best Yoga Strap: Types, Purpose, and Use

Yoga straps are born out of necessity with a purpose of ‘extending’ your arms to fill in the lack of flexibility. There will be some poses that might be a bit hard for some students to do normally. So, a Yoga strap will be able to assist students to get the right poses. A common pose called Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) pose may require an extended skill set.

With the Yoga strap, students can emulate the pose properly until such time that they will be able to do it without the instrument. Aside from flexibility, Yoga straps give support especially for poses that require some stretching and strength to give balance.

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose) is an advanced pose that most beginners will have difficulty performing because it will require flexibility to get your arm reach to reach your elevated leg. With a Yoga strap, you can get it to work as your ‘extended’ arm by wrapping it in your leg while holding the ends with both arms and gently raising it up towards your head – and still keep balance.

Another reason is that a Yoga strap keeps you safe when you’re balancing poses. Also called as belts, these instruments are usually recommended for students who have not yet managed to get the right poses and balances.

Since some of these poses are extremely difficult to do, a Yoga strap acts as a safety gear to keep you from overstretched limbs, tearing muscles and even falling. Don’t be surprised if there are straps attached to the walls or ceiling when you’re doing challenging asanas like Vrischikasana.

For Yogis, a Yoga mat is important to keep them from slipping while doing postures. A Yoga strap can also act as a belt. It’s a cost-efficient way of keeping your mat tidied up once a session is finished.

While buying a sturdy bag may do well to keep dust and damage off your mat, a strap can do just as well for the meantime. Some Yogis prefer to keep it simple and have the mat rolled up and opened just as quickly.

When browsing online, you may find that these straps come in different forms, material, and length. So how do you choose the best yoga strap that fits your preference and budget?

Whether you’re an experienced Yogi or a beginner, a Yoga strap is useful for all levels. If you need some assistance with your poses or simply need some extra length for flexibility, then this strap can help you find that balance to achieve the poses.

Yoga straps, depending on quality and use, don’t need frequent replacements. A six-foot Yoga strap is the universal length of choice. However, for taller people, an 8 to 10-foot strap will give enough length to keep in place an outstretched leg without the straining that comes with shorter Yoga straps.

There are three kinds of closure for Yoga straps: buckles, D-ring and those without closures. Choose those that you are comfortable using. It might be an added benefit if you can have multi-purpose use of it such as a sling for your Yoga mat.

For D-ring types of straps, they give you faster and easier wrap around your foot, making it more secure. For some people, buckles offer less risk of slipping compared to other straps. For no closure straps, it gives the user more freedom to maneuver poses.

There are two primary benefits of using a Yoga strap.

Your Best Yoga Strap Options

Overall, the best yoga strap may depend on your preference, skill-level, and comfort of use. The OPTP Yoga Strap may come as a good one-time purchase for keeps especially for those who wanted to practice Yoga as part of their routine. Though you may need to stretch your budget a bit, this instrument does the job for various kinds of poses or stretching without sacrificing comfort. This strap also comes with a 10 feet length suitable for taller people. It also has multiple loops for easier access whether you’re new or advanced Yogi looking to practice on harder postures. It does have its own setbacks such as loopholes being too small for bigger foot sizes but overall it’s made of quality materials that may not entail you to keep purchasing a new one for a long time.