The use of ropes, also called "yoga kurunta" has a special place in Iyengar yoga.
Why use yoga ropes?
The practice of yoga with ropes has many benefits:
- It helps improve alignment, providing direction to the body.
- It releases tension and provides a great sense of liberation.
- It helps lengthen legs, column chest etc.
- It proves highly relaxing in certain yoga poses.
- It "breaks the barriers of the mind", and "helps understand new horizons which open for the body and for the mind"- Geeta Iyengar (see video below).
Overall, it takes your yoga practice to another level, slowly opening, transforming and teaching your body.
Yoga Door Strap, a great replacement of yoga ropes for your home practice
A lot of people practice yoga at home. If you have a room or space dedicated to yoga, you can install a hook on the wall and attach a rope to it (or several hooks and ropes). Some people also use door knobs and a rope/yoga strap as a replacement. I personally find the door strap to be the perfect solution to perform rope yoga at home.
Here are 5 reasons why a yoga door strap is a great alternative:
1- you can use it on any door or fixed bar and it does not require any mounting.
2- You can store it away when you are done.
3- It is easily adjustable.
4- You can take it along with you when on holiday.
5- It is highly durable and does not cost much
Examples of yoga door strap use
In ardha uttanasana (half forward fold): helps you feel the extension from the groins. Using a yoga chair in this pose provides lengthening of the spine and arms. Make it restorative placing your forehead on the chair seat.
In trikonasana (triangle pose), you can use it to ensure your pelvis stays centered and your front leg does not move forward. Alternatively, you can place it around the lower waist, where the body folds.
In parsvottanasana (pyramid pose), the strap helps keep the pelvis back and the hips aligned. In the picture below, the upper body extends from the groins all the way to the hands (with the use of a yoga chair).
In parivritta trikonasana (revolved triangle pose), pulling onto the yoga rope straightens the body, twists and opens the rib cage. You can then release and extend the arm up.
One last example of the use of yoga rope is adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog), where the yoga door strap pulls the pelvis back and up, thereby extending the upper body. It relieves a lot of tensions and feels great.
These are just a few examples of how to use the yoga stretch strap. It is also used in many backbend poses.
I am regularly posting new ways to use the yoga door sling on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anandahum/playlists
Check our online shop for more information or to order the door strap online.