In other yoga forms, practitioners are encouraged to find their own way to the asanas by following and imitating their instructor. However in Iyengar Yoga, Guruji lays great emphasis on precision and alignment which is followed by his students to achieve perfection in any asana. B.K.S Iyengar reports that it is ‘research based experience’ and ‘experience based research’ that has helped him in evolving this technique which is now known as Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar still practises today at the age of 91, and sometimes still teaches today, assisted by his son Prashant and daughter Geeta, at his Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India. Like other forms of yoga, Iyengar yoga is a way of life and can be practised by anybody.

Iyengar yoga is based on the traditional eight limbs of yoga as expounded by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, emphasizing the development of strength, stamina, flexibility and balance, as well as concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). Regular practice integrates the body, mind and emotions by experiencing the wisdom of these sutras.

It is renowned for being extremely beneficial to those suffering from illness, elderly people and those with weight issues. Iyengar also developed extensively ways of applying his practice to various ailments, diseases, and disorders. The use of props such as wooden gadgets, blankets, bolsters, belts, foam blocks, straps and ropes helps the practitioner achieve the correct posture in any asana, as Iyengar gives importance to the physical alignment of the body in the asanas. The belief is that if the body is aligned with precision, then the breath is also aligned with the same precision. If the breath is balanced then the mind, emotions and senses become balanced.

The props are used to move into postures that a practitioner cannot fully access on his or her own, thus helping them deepen their explorations of an asana before they are supply enough to manage it without the aid of a prop. However, one must use the body’s signals as cues to devise new and effective ways of using props to enhance your practice.

Iyengar is a non-fluid yoga form which is lacking in vinyasa flow or the fluid transition between poses, instead poses are held for longer durations while the alignment is perfected. For this reason, Iyengar is not a great cardiovascular exercise, but great for building strength and flexibility. This makes it a great yoga form to begin with for the unfit and unable to do a flowing style practice.

There are Iyengar teachers and institutes worldwide, and and many yoga centers offer Iyengar classes. However, if you can’t find one at easy reach, Iyengar’s techniques are now prevalent in the way yoga is taught worldwide regardless of type, as its alignment fundamentals are so strong. The utilisation of props comes directly from Iyengar.

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Photo credits: MZagid, dynamon2001, domestictimes, Andy Polaine, on flickr

Chair yoga practices a number of yoga poses using a chair as a prop or for seating, in the case of the seated poses. The chair is primarily used to eliminate the difficulty of sitting on or getting up off the floor. This gentle form of yoga is a good way for people with physical limitations like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and hypertension as well as older persons unable to bend and perform complex maneuvers, to derive the many heath benefits of yoga with the practice of this simple yoga.

Unlike other more traditional types of yoga like- Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Iyengar Yoga, chair yoga is not spiritual but purely aimed at the physical and fitness aspects of yoga. It includes postures, exercises, breathing and ways of relaxation with the help of a chair. Apart from just sitting on the chair the chair is sometimes used as a prop to support other parts of the body for certain poses, in this way students with flexibility issues too can use a chair to modify poses until they improve their flexibility gradually.

Instructor Lakshmi Voelker-Binder, benefactor of chair yoga in an interview in 2005 described how she started the concept of chair yoga in the late 1980′s. One of her students developed rheumatoid arthritis at which was so severe that she had difficulty dressing herself or opening a car door — much less doing form poses on her hands and knees. Lakshmi was inspired to devise a modified form of yoga for her student and many like her so came up with teaching yoga poses with the help of a chair.  Over the years it has helped numerous people suffering from health and physical related issues to ease back into health and make gradual improvements in their fitness through the practice of yoga.

Today you will find chair yoga classes on offer all over the United States at senior fitness centers, retirement facilities, adult daycare centers and physical rehabilitation units. So don’t let age or flexibility stop you from practicing this advantageous form of exercise. Take up chair yoga and you’ll be reaping from it’s benefits even in your ripe old age!

*Photo credits: photos by myyogaonline, kahala, GWSA on flickr

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It’s your first yoga class and you’re dressed in the perfect yoga apparel- a trendy yoga inspired t-shirt and comfortable stretchy workout pants. Dressed to stretch, you’re ready to start! While the rest of the class effortlessly bends down to the first asana (yoga pose) of the day, but the easy looking posture proves a lot harder than it seems and you discover that you are about as flexible as a carrot stick. No matter how hard you try it’s hard to get yoga posture perfect the first, second or even third time around. That’s where yoga props come handy..

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Yoga gear and yoga props like – a yoga mat, yoga strap, yoga blocks, yoga wedges or yoga bolsters are not fluff pieces or even a crutch to real yoga. Yoga Guru B.K.S. Iyengar first noticed that due to everyone’s unique body many yoga students weren’t achieving proper body alignment in each posture of Hatha Yoga. He acknowledged the physical limitations people had differed from person to person and one may find certain yoga poses easier than others. A new form of yoga was started by him with the use of certain props to provide the necessary boost to get the body into the right position, making poses more accessible to everyone. Props allow you to completely surrender to the pose and help better your body’s alignment so that you can hold the position longer. It also builds strength and allows yoga students to get a feel of the correct alignment so they can memorize it and attempt to try it without the prop. Contrary to popular belief, props are not only for beginners, but can be used by yoga students of all levels of experience to better their yoga form.

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Here’s a guide to some yoga gear and accessories that will help you get the most from your yoga exercises:

Yoga Mat: Most people know about and recognize yoga mat when they see one. An essential piece of yoga gear, yoga mats also known as sticky mats are the perfect surface for practicing yoga poses as it keeps your feet, hands and elbows from slipping. They also provides some padding for shock absorbency and enough to keep your knees and elbows protected from getting bruised on hard surfaces.

Yoga Blocks: These are essentially lightweight bricks made of materials like foam, cork, wood or even bamboo that can support an adults entire body weight. The foam blocks compress slightly when pressed making them preferable as they are comfortable in poses for which a hard block might otherwise dig in. Yoga blocks enable people to reach poses using the various heights of the block (usually 9 inches long by 6 inches wide or 3/4 inches high), they offer stability and help with posture. Using blocks under your hands or arms for certain poses lifts you higher off the ground, allowing you to execute the posture correctly without your hands touching the ground.

Yoga straps/ Yoga belts: One of the most useful props for beginners yoga straps are simple cloth, cotton or nylon straps with a clasp or buckle that loops the strap securely like a belt. Ranging in length from 6 to 9 feet, they are the most versatile yoga prop and can be used in a variety of ways and for a number of poses. Yoga straps or belts supply extra support, make stretching easier and help with proper alignment. A strap can be used as a connection from one hand to another or between a foot and hand to increase flexibility in order to reach and hold the pose that requires a little extra length.

Yoga bolsters: These are cylindrical, rectangular or round shaped firm cushions to provide support for postures. Especially used for meditation, rest and prenatal yoga postures bolsters provide effective support for difficult positions placed under the belly, back, hamstrings or chest.

Using props in yoga is a smart way of learning the correct postures and poses. They are not only beginners tools of yoga but can help anyone on those less limber days without compromising form or technique. So what are you waiting for? Get some yoga props for practice and perfect that form!

*Photo Credits: photos by apolaine, hint of plum, rachel a. k. on flickr