Bare
Feet or Footware?
Should
you wear shoes during your yoga practice?
Some teachers insist on bare feet during class to make sure
you are practicing yoga the traditional way and also to aid
you in gripping the floor and keeping your balance during
the postures. Other teachers may allow shoes for hygiene reasons
as long as they are flexible like the slides from Gaiam shown
below. When in doubt, ask your teacher
before class. Of course, at home you are in charge of your
own practice and you can wear whatever feels most comfortable.
J-41
Yoga Slide
Order
from Gaiam
(Click the above link for price and more
information)
Vegan,
corduroy upper; Jeep® memory foam insole. Rubber sole includes
recycled rubber. Velcro® closure.
Colors
Available:
Sizes
Available: 6 - 11. Some half sizes.
Yoga
Sandals
Order
from Gaiam
(Click the above link for price and more information)
In
black. Designed to separate your toes for improved flexibility
and alignment.
Sizes:
Women's sizes M (6-7.5), L (8-9.5), XL (10-11.5).
Contact
Information for Gaiam -
Gaiam,
Inc.
833 W South Boulder Rd.
PO Box 3095 Boulder, CO 80307-3095
Phone
Number: Toll-free: 1-877-989-6321
Canadian
customers: 1-800-254-8464.
Phone
Hours: (Weekdays 7a.m. - 7p.m. Mountain Standard Time)
Tips
- Yoga Poses for Your Feet
According
to Jean Couch, author of The Runner's Yoga Book, virasana
(hero pose) "balances the feet. It also relieves fatigue
in the legs and is therapeutic for the hips, knees, and feet."
1
For
fallen arches or flat feet, Mukunda Stiles, writing in Structural
Yoga Therapy, recommends the following postures2
:
- Tadasana / Mountain
(balance on toes)
- Virasana /
Hero
- Darnikasana
/ Fetal
References -
1
Couch, Jean. The Runner's Yoga Book. Berkeley: Rodmell
P, 1979. p. 58.
2. Stiles,
Mukunda. Structural Yoga Therapy. Boston: Red Wheel
/ Weiser, LLC, 2000. p. 266.
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