The Yoga Wheel is a circular device designed to loosen and release stress in your body, but I traditionally use it for my back. As you know, reducing tightness in one area can positively influence other muscular systems, so I consider it a wide-ranged impact on your body. However, it can have many different uses to help stretch hamstrings, core muscles, and the shoulder, so I would encourage researching stretches you can complete with this device. It is an excellent aid for stretches and, with practice, can have advanced uses to enhance flexibility across your whole body. 

Elle constructed an article called “7 Reasons Why The Yoga Wheel Will Be 2018’s Most Popular Exercise Prop,” which addresses numerous benefits from this device. One advantage of this device is that it can help achieve difficult stretches safely. For example, backbands can be incredibly dangerous to do with someone monitoring you or solely trying yourself. The device allows people to safely complete the stretch helping release tension in the back area. The tool helps prevent injury from stretching along with increased flexibility to avoid injuries in the future. The device gives you support that you do not have when doing traditional yoga poses or stretches. Since it prevents injuries, it ensures that you can perform physical activities with a reduced risk of cramping or muscle damage. The fact that it is safe gives people more confidence in reaching that deep stretch to enhance flexibility. With flexibility, your body will be able to perform far more physical activities. The positive impacts on your body explain why stretching, in general, is essential in anyone’s life. 

Many people attribute yoga well to relieving pain and aches in their bodies. When you have pain or cramping, I recommend doing light stretches to help facilitate recovery to prevent further muscle damage. It is impressive to ease back pain and massage the length of your spine without a massage therapist. Once again, reducing tightness in the back can help maintain a better posture, which would stop other muscles from tightening to fix incorrect posture. Depending on the way you use this device, it can reduce tightness and pain almost everywhere. Getting in positions to stretch your body can lead to muscle growth in your body, which occurs with me due to the dystrophin I have in my genes. Stretching positions can require balance showing another way that it can enhance strength and stability. Also, by reducing tightness and inflammation, you can perform physical activities longer to boost muscle growth.

The article speaks about four essay stretches you can perform with the yoga wheel. The four stretches are called the spinal stretch, the forward fold, the child’s pose, and open your sides. The spinal stretch involves you placing the device in the middle of your back, bringing your arms to the side, and letting your arms rest to the side of you. The forward fold involves you sitting on the yoga wheel, putting your feet wide with your toes facing outwards, lean forward (keep your back straight) with your hands clasped together, and hold a position in which you feel a stretch. The video also states that you can move the wheel back and forth if that helps you feel a stretch. For the child’s pose (something I described before), you want to kneel on the floor with your toes together and knees about your hip’s length. Lean your glutes, attempting to reach your feet and position your arms in front of you, resting on the yoga wheel. Using the yoga wheel, you can roll back and forth or hold the child’s pose position for a stretch. Lastly, the open your sides pose includes positioning the yoga wheel to your side and placing one arm on the yoga wheel and leaning to your side. A video called “Quick Chest Opening Yoga Wheel Video,” between 1:50 and 3:45, gives a visual representation of the stretch. The Yoga Wheel is a useful tool that can help reduce tension in various parts of your body. Due to the possible impacts, I recommend using this device as it is a safe way to stretch your entire body. The device helps me release tightness in my lower back after a long day at school, explaining why I value the tool to a high degree. I use the gentle size (12 inches) of the Chirp Wheel, which you can find using this link.