If you’re looking to take your fitness routine to the next level, look no further than a yoga wheel! This tool is gaining more and more popularity due its beneficial impacts. From releasing tension in the back, improving flexibility or even adding challenge to typical poses – it has everything covered for yogis of all levels.plore the advantages of using one in your fitness regimen.
What Is a Yoga Wheel?
A yoga wheel is a hollow cylinder designed to elevate your yoga practice, improve flexibility, and release tension. The item has gained popularity because it complements many yoga poses and can help people of all levels.
Four Benefits of Using a Yoga Wheel
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It Massages Your Back
A notable benefit of a yoga wheel is that it works similar to a foam roller, but it tends to be thinner and harder which leads to better tension release in the back. To experience this release, you can place the wheel behind your back while having your feet flat on the floor. Once in position, flex and extend your knees to move the wheel up and down your back’s length. You should feel an opening of your upper back and may even experience a few cracks.
You can also keep your hands on the floor for added support and to control how much pressure you’re placing on your back.
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It’s Great For Flexibility
Another notable benefit of the yoga wheel is that it allows you to perform stretches more boldly, leading to improved flexibility.
To expand on the movement from the previous point, we can place a yoga wheel behind our back to roll forward and back. Doing so massages the back, releases tension, and can improve our posture. You can control the level of back extension by keeping your hips in line with your shoulders or dropping your buttocks close to the floor.
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It’s a Fantastic Tool For Core Strength
Though yoga might seem easy, many poses require tremendous stability and balance, which originate from the midsection musculature. A yoga wheel is a fantastic tool for performing activities that strengthen your core, improve your posture, and make it easier to master more advanced yoga poses.
For example, you can get down on all fours and place your shins over the yoga wheel. Flex and extend your knees, rolling the wheel over your shins and down to the top of your feet.
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It Works As a Perfect Addition to Your Yoga Practice
The last benefit worth discussing is that yoga wheels blend effortlessly into your practice. You can transition between poses that require a yoga wheel and those that don’t, strengthening and stretching your entire body.
For example, begin by sitting and performing deep breaths as you move your arms from your sides to above your head in long arcs. Continue by placing the yoga wheel in front of you and putting your forearms over it. From there, lean your torso forward to stretch your back, and roll back.
Once done with these, stand tall and move into the warrior one pose for a bit. Then, take the yoga wheel again and perform child’s pose while having your forearms over the wheel again. Drop your chest to the floor to stretch your back and release, alternating several times.
Lastly, you can introduce gentle squats to open up the hips and strengthen your lower body. Keep your hands over the yoga wheel, squat as low as possible, allow your back to round, and move up, never losing touch with the wheel.
