yoga on the ropes

The latest issue of Outside magazine features 3 dream home gyms - one is called the Zen Studio and features yoga wall ropes, along with a rowing machine and pilates reformer.

Some of the yogalilans have experimented with making their own wall rope systems for cheap and others have negotiated their way to good deals on high end rope systems. Still others have used them at their yoga studios. Here's all we know about yoga ropes so far:

A good, serviceable DIY yogawall can be made with plywood and some hatch handles and rope from your local hardware store.  The hatch handles are nicer than the eye hooks that are often used because they lay flat when not in use, making the wall still useable for inversions, etc.

Katie went deluxe and made a full yoga wall with really nice plywood and handles at 4 different heights:

Sophie made a yogawall using a full sheet of plywood and 9 hatch handles:

Lianne used a quarter sheet of plywood to make a set of high ropes:

And here's a close up of the hatch handles in use:

(Click on any picture to enlarge.) Other helpful resources include directions for tying the rope knots and measurements for the placement of the hatch handles.

Lisa went the luxury route and got herself a deal on a Yogapro wall rope set.

The Yogawall is another great highend wall rope system that some of us have used in studios.

Not sure what to do with yoga ropes? Well, play, hang like a bat, use the rope as the yoga partner you always wished you had. Chris Saudek's book Yoga Kurunta is a good resource as is a google image search for yogawall and yoga ropes. You'll be hanging around in no time.

Comments

[vivage]

Lianne, OOOOO, I just had my first ropes class not too very long ago. It was wonderful and I've signed up for a workshop coming up in April. I have a feeling I'm going to have to get my carpenter friend to come over and install a set a ropes for me. :-)

[Dana]

Could you please give me the size of rope I should use? How thick and how long? Thank you so much!

[Lianne]

Dana - I don't have time to measure the length right now - but I think it's 3/4 inch soft braided nylon or poly rope. Soft is important. The length can vary according to what feels good to you, but the top ropes are generally longer than the bottom ropes.

[Susanne]

What a wonderful array of information on creating a rope wall. We are planning on installing a rope wall in the studio we've just built at our guest ranch and want to know where you got the hatch handles.

We're installing the walls in our beautiful new yoga yurt, anyone have any experience with intalling wall ropes in a yurt? Our plan is to bolt the plywood onto studs which are attached to the yurt rafters and the floor. We'll then attach the hatch handles through the plywood and into the studs.

Thanks for your advice and great photos.

Namaste,

Susanne

[dr. ted fratto, d.c.]

hi. i am a chiropractor in san francisco with a background in exercise rehabilitation. i am also a yoga enthusiast. i have installed a ropes wall in my exercise studio at the office. I do both active and passive therapies with the ropes. i have had some excellent results incorporating them into my treatments. My question to you: is there a definitive guide on the use of the rope system. my patients love them but i'm running outof ideas. thanks for your help.

[Lianne]

The best book I've found is the one by Chris Saudek mentioned in the post - Yoga Kurunta. Cool that you are using it with your patients. Would love my D.C. to have a yogawall!

[Michele]

I love the exemplaryoga wall people have built, but where does one find those hatch handles?

[Edmara]

Hi
Ih is possble icam article abour yoga on the hopes ) books and article
Next year i woul be im my clinic yoha on the hopes, and is need nor the price equipmet
plese returned email to freitasedmara@hotmail.com
Tanks

[polly wolly]

??????I can't figure out the idtance the bottom ropes should be from the top ropes for from the foow. could you help.

[Kali Durga]

Please recommend some good books on stretches to do with the yoga ropes. Peace

[diana]

Yoga props also makes a set of yoga ropes http://www.yogaprops.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=yp&Category_Code=4_ropes#strengthen

[Terri]

I bought my hatch handles at Home Depot, as well as the nylon rope

[Paul Wooding]

Another really good book with a section on using wall ropes is Props & Ailments by Bobby Clennel. Iyengar teacher who gives lot of ideas for working therapeutically with yoga & props

[Dave]

These homemade yoga walls look great, but any advice on how to mount them to the wall and what hardware to use to do it? Same thing with the hatch handles. Should you use bolts, screws, or other? Anyone?

[sophie]

hey Dave, I just noticed your comment. For the DIY one my husband installed for me, he screwed the plywood directly to the studs, and routed out a depression in the plywood to sink the hatch handles flush with the wall surface. Because he likes to overbuild things he also reinforced the back of the wall behind the hatch handles with a small piece of plywood which gave a greater depth for the screws to sink into. The wall is about four years old now and still holding up great. We also use it for bodyweight strength work as well as yoga, which tells you that it's sturdy enough to hold up to use even by my >250 lb husband.

[randy]

a word of caution. those "handles" aren't rated to support human life. You can take your chances at home with your personal rope wall. But if you have a business and are liable if someone cracks their head open with handles from the homedepot I hope you have a good disclaimer.

[Lou Martin]

Yoga Karunta by Chris Saudek - I have googled and googled but cannot find anywhere to find this book. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! The link above does'nt work.
Would also be interested in knowing of any other Ropes books/dvds you would recommend.
Thanks a mil.
Lou from Dublin, Ireland

[Lianne]

Hi Lou,

Chris Saudek's book is available for order online from her studio website:

http://www.yogalacrosse.com/merchandise.html

[John]

@randy

Unless you're a 300 lb. lineman I think those hatch handles by themselves will adequately suppost human weight. The weak point one must be aware of is how the plates are screwed into the wall; the strength and length of the screws and the material they're screwed into. For each plate I used 4 no.10 3in. screws through 3/4" plywood and 2x4's which in turn were bolted into the wall studs with thick lag bolts. So far no cracked heads!

[Rit]

Great article that has staying power over the years. I agree that the 'hatch handles' are not built to withstand the repeated weight. Eye hooks/bolts secured into the wood wall studs, in the center, are structurally sound.
You might also check out:

www.sacralweb.com

[Jbirdsd1]

I used bought similar wall mount rings at HomeDepot & mounted straight into my wall w/o plywook - just found the studs and went straight in. Works fine and easier to disguise in an average apartment.

here's how to do one w/o screwing into walls at all but going over the door: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZADkDVvpb8

How to tie the knots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOi_P3pTWv4&feature=related

As for a book on poses: Yes Yoga Kurunta but there's lots to see on youtube too.

This week I'm making a yoga swing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOi_P3pTWv4&feature=related
(walmart hammock $19, "GoFit Replacment Handles" $8/pair, rope + hooks = total cost of less than $50)...I'm mounting mine in a doorway on a pullup bar. Awesome spine traction!

[Honor]

thanks for all of this info. the pics are really interesting - really good to see the walls in action :)
i can't get into the link on spacings/measurements of the handles. i'm planning a wall in my home studio but am finding it hard to get measurements. would you post the addy please... thank you. blessings.

[emma London UK]

Hello I'd be really grateful if anyone could tell me where I could purchase some purple wall ropes as in your picture. Thank you Emma