A few years ago, when she was living in Los Angeles and teaching yoga on Venice Beach, St. Louis-based instructor Rose Pelosi discovered a problem that yogis of all skill levels tend to have.
During yoga sessions, people tend to shift their body weight toward the heels of their hands rather than using their index fingers and thumbs to achieve optimal support. Doing so can create unnecessary strain and prevent yogis from building strength. Most people don’t even realize they’re not properly positioned, so Pelosi was determined to find an easy and economical way to solve the issue.
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The solution? Pelosi developed Yoga Rocks to make classes easier and more beneficial for those who practice. The rock-shaped silicone adhesives stick to the mat to allow yogis to get the most out of each session. They’re meant to help with finding and maintaining the proper form each time, and by directing body weight toward the index finger and thumb, Pelosi says they can help to properly engage muscles and minimize injury to the wrist.
“I knew the general shape that was necessary,” Pelosi says of Yoga Rocks’ rock-like appearance. “Something just tall enough to have a bit of grip.”
At first, Pelosi experimented with various tools, including bouncy balls that she cut in half and stuck on her mat. But after collaborating with an engineer, Pelosi found the ideal size and shape. It was something that created “a functional and ergonomic shape comfortable for all hand sizes,” she says. “By gripping them between your pointer fingers and thumbs, [you] will immediately activate the muscle groups of the hand and forearm that are oftentimes passive.”
Yoga Rocks are meant to be placed approximately shoulder width apart on the mat, and they take roughly 24 hours to bond to the surface. To remove them, douse them in boiling water and pull them off. But once they’re on the mat, Pelosi says Yoga Rocks will prevent slipping and also help folks advance to more challenging postures.
“Yoga Rocks are especially helpful for any pose where you are bearing body weight with the hands,” Pelosi says.
They work best on rubber or cork mats. Best of all, Pelosi says, they’re meant to be helpful to people of all experience levels, sizes, and ages—even children.
“We did our best to test them with all different hand sizes and body shapes from little kids to really large male practitioners,” Pelosi says.
Locally, Yoga Rocks can be purchased at Blue Sky Yoga, Barre STL, and at Procure at City Foundry STL (Pelosi is an instructor at Blue Sky, and also leads classes at Barre STL). For Pelosi, it was important to develop something that enhanced the experience for yogis of all levels.
“The benefits of the practice go far beyond the physical movements,” Pelosi says, “oftentimes lending way to an emotional and therefore energetic shift.”
