Using a strap in your yoga practice has so many benefits, it’s a great way to move into poses and helps to avoid straining especially for beginners or those recovering from injuries. Yoga straps help by extending the length that your arms can reach, making it easier to maintain good alignment in poses.
Extended hand to big toe pose
It’s good to use a strap here if you’re wanting to take this pose a bit further but hooking the big toe might feel too much. This pose is felt in the hamstrings, calves and inner thigh of the lifted leg.
Start by bending both knees, hooking the strap around the ball of your right foot, and bringing your left hand to your hip. Next, stand tall, straighten the standing leg and begin to extend the right leg forwards. Move your hand down the strap, closer to your foot. Once you feel stable, open the right leg out to the side at roughly a 45 degree angle and extend the left arm out in line with the shoulder. Broaden across the chest and when you are ready, bring the leg forwards. When you’re ready to release the pose, lower down slowly and in control and repeat with the opposite leg.
Revolved hand to big toe pose.
Similar to the extended hand to big toe pose we just explored, revolved hand to big toe is a great yoga position for stretching out your hamstrings, IT band, outer hips and the spine during the twisting motion.
Start this pose the same way as extended hand to big toe pose but when you extend the leg in the strap in front of you, grab the strap with the left hand. Place your right hand to your lower back and find your balance before rolling your right shoulder open and twisting your upper body to the right. Push your right foot into the strap while extending your right arm and if you feel balanced, look towards your back palm.
Extended side angle bind option using the strap.
If you want to build flexibility to work towards the bind version of the extended side angle pose, using a strap can be a great tool. This pose will be felt as a stretch in the chest and shoulders with deep engagement in the inner thighs, hamstring and front quad/thigh.
Before getting started with the pose, set one end of the strap on the top left corner opposite your front leg and drag it diagonally across the mat. Assuming you’re starting on the right side, once you get into the pose, start by bending deeply into your right knee and reach for the strap with your right hand. Then, take the right forearm beneath the right thigh and reach your hand towards your right glute. Reach the left arm around the back towards the right glute and find the strap. Bring your hands close enough together to feel tension on the strap, roll your left shoulder back and open your chest towards the ceiling.
4. Cowface (arms)
Using a strap here helps to gradually open the shoulders without straining, and supports a healthy range of motion in the shoulder joint. This pose is felt as a gentle opening in the chest and upper back, a stretch in the triceps, shoulders, and side of the back.
Sit cross legged with your back tall. Hold the strap in the right arm and reach the arm towards the sky letting the strap dangle down the back. Bend your right elbow so the hand comes to the space between the shoulder blades with your palm facing towards your back. Extend your left arm out in line with your shoulder, turn your left thumb down towards the ground palm facing behind you, bend your left elbow and reach for the strap. Once you have the strap in both hands, walk hands a bit closer together, and pull the hands apart slightly to engage the muscles and create some tension.
5. Seated forward fold
One of the best yoga poses for beginners is a seated forward fold with a strap. Using the strap makes it easier to reach towards the feet while maintaining a long spine and encouraging the shoulders to relax and the chest to stay open. This yoga position can be felt in the backs of the thighs, a bit in the calves and a stretch in the low back.
To set up, put the strap around your legs with the middle landing just in front of your feet. Sit tall with the legs together, flex your toes and reach your arms towards the sky. Hinge forwards from the hips and reach down to grab the sides of the strap in each hand with the strap looped about the balls of the feet. Focus on keeping your spine long and tilt your body towards the legs and walk your hands down the strap closer to your feet.
Our yoga straps are available to purchase online (here) or in select studios across the UK.
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