Anything but mundane, accessories in sweet practices like yoga or Pilates are precious allies for practitioners of all levels. The accessories facilitate the realization of the exercises; allow to improve the positions or to make the training more difficult to progress.
The Yoga Tile
The tile is particularly useful and indispensable in the practice of yoga, it is a support that helps to realize the positions of muscular lengthening of the parts of the body. The use of the tile helps to achieve some positions without pain or to reach the maximum lengthening.
The tile is very useful …
- In standing positions.
- As a support under the head in the forward torso bending positions.
- In sitting positions to keep your back straight and not hinder breathing. The tile acts as a seat to get up and increase, without forcing, the width in the opening of the hips. This position of yoga favors a better oxygenation and we talk about the total opening of the chakras.
The tile can be used on all three sides at different heights and depending on the evolution in the positions, it allows you to progress gently according to your own pace and respecting the body.
The yoga tile is suitable for all practitioners but is recommended above all …
- To people suffering from back pain
- To pregnant women
- To elderly people, to facilitate their support and to perform some movements more easily.
The yoga tiles exist in EVA foam or cork. The EVA is softer and more comfortable, the cork is harder but offers greater stability. Choose the tile according to your needs and preferences.
The Stretch Belt
The strap is very used in yoga or stretching, it is a useful accessory to correctly perform the positions without getting hurt. The strap helps to maintain a position longer and to evolve more easily while maintaining proper vertebral alignment.
Like the tile, the stretch belt serves to facilitate the muscular lengthening of little flexible parts of the body. For example: allows you to reach the feet with your hands when it is normally impossible.
The belt also offers a better perception of elongation for more effective work.
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The Yoga or Pilates Mattress
The mattress is rectangular in shape with a variable thickness of at least 5 mm. The mat does not really have a particular function but is the symbol of the yogi (yoga practitioner).
From a practical point of view, it is used to provide comfort. From a symbolic point of view, it represents the personal space of practice of the yogi. It represents the symbol of this appointment with one’s well-being; it is the companion and the witness of yoga practice.
Some tips to choose the mat …
- Verify that the mat is thick enough and cushioning, essential requirements to protect the back and joints during positions.
- Verify that it has a good adhesion to the ground.
- Check that it is made of natural materials, especially if you tend to sweat or practice in a heated room.
The Pilates mat is usually thicker than the yoga mat, and may have a central line for making positions and for proper body alignment.
The Fitball
The fitball can respond to different goals: accentuate muscle strengthening or relax the muscles of the body, especially the back.
It is an accessory that brings instability during toning exercises, making them more difficult and allowing you to progress more effectively. The use of the ball, due to the round shape, creates a disequilibrium of the body involving the deep muscles intensively (mainly the abdominal fascia). Using a fitball is a great way to vary your workouts and make them more fun.
It is also a good method for relaxing the muscles: resting on it with the belly and stretching the body with the arms dangling in the direction of the ground.
How to choose the right size of the fitball: sit on the ball, feet resting on the ground and heels under the crease of the knees. If the knees form a right angle and the legs are parallel to the ground, the size of the fitball is right.
Inflate it sufficiently for optimal use.
The Foam Roller
The foam roller is a useful accessory for Pilates courses. Like fitball, it provides instability to increase the level of difficulty in performing basic positions and movements.
The foam roller allows to improve and progress more quickly in the work of the deep postural muscles: the back and the abdominals. It also allows you to focus more on maintaining a position because the movements are performed with greater control and precision, improving body awareness.
The advantage of this fitness accessory: the ability to use it to massage your muscles! Lean on the foam roller and roll over to loosen the muscular knots and stretch the muscles.
Practicing yoga, Pilates or a soft gym with accessories allows you to vary your workouts, make them more fun and more effective.
