The Tools You Will Need to Help Make Yoga Easier and Safer

B.K.S. Iyegnar is one of the pioneers of the Yoga methods and over time he has developed a method of Yoga that allows people of all levels to participate and develop. This has brought Yoga to a wide range of people and opened up the access to Yoga where before it was closed. One of the ways he has managed to do this is to produce a series of variants on traditional postures that allow beginners to practice some of the fundamentals of difficult poses in a simpler method until they are ready for the full postures.

Another way Iyegnar has achieved so much success in the Yoga industry is to introduce various props and tools that allow the safe and effective achievement of various Yoga postures where the body cannot complete them on its own. As your level in Yoga progresses you will start to need fewer tools to help you. All beginners or intermediate learners of Yoga should invest in these tools to ensure they have a safe Yoga experience and not only that, but you will also find your Yoga sessions much easier to do in general.

The good news for home Yoga enthusiasts is that most of the equipment can be found in the average household. Even if the exact tool is not available it can usually be substituted by something similar found around the home. If you find you have no suitable alternative you may need to buy your tools before you begin as it is vital to your safety during Yoga. These tools include:

Armchair
A firm and strong chair with a back and arms such as a wicker chair are commonly used in postures such as the Bharavajasana variant (see Getting to Grips with Difficult Twists).

Bandage
This protects the forehead in forward bends such as the Virasana variant (see Yoga Postures Made Easy in Three Steps). Wind the bandage around your forehead whenever a posture demands front head contact with the floor or other surface.

Belt
The belt can be used as a prop to help keep elbows inwards or to help catch a foot if you struggle to grasp it with your hands.

Bench
A long low bench or coffee table can be used to support your body in postures such as the Setu Bandha Sarvangasana. This arches the back and opens up the chest. These postures should not be practices if you have a bad back.

Blankets
Blankets are the one tool you should always have with you, it is useful for a variety of reasons and used in a great many different poses. They can help to prevent compression of the neck in poses like the Halasana, they can lift the lower back in sitting poses such as the Sukhasana (see Starting Poses for Absolute Beginners), and to support the head in postures such as the Savasana. Make sure you carefully fold the blankets as creases and bad folds can disrupt your Yoga session later on.