yoga hair--styles??

[Darkhorse1]

Hey all!
I've started taking yoga (hatha, not hot), and I'm finding a bit of a problem.

I started with a plain english braid that I bundled like I do when in competition with horses, but the minute we are doing movements on our backs, my heads can't lay flat due to the bunching of my hair. it's too thick and pushes my chin down/head forwards.

Is there any style that many of you use that will keep the hair off my face (I'm almost past tailbone), but will allow me to lay with my head flat? The only style I can think of is a perimeter braid, but I can't figure out how to secure it without using something that would fall out.

I do love yoga though ;)

[Lexy]

I usually put my hair up until I get to the floor work, when I let it loose. When it was longer I did a braided bun and let it loose into a braid for the floor work.

[Amraann]

A high up bun?
Like up on the top of your head not on the back?

[Carolyn]

I do a single English braid or a single French braid. It can get annoying when it swings around and hits me but I can't think of anything else.

[GRU]

How about pigtail braids?

Or a topknot bun (or topknot braid put into a bun)?

[Alcenaia]

Perhaps Heidi braids, anchored with small pins or possibly hair screws?

[eternallyverdan]

Here's mine:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/forevagreenearth/yogabraid.jpg

The trick to it is to put the band low enough that you can move it to the side so that it doesn't get in your way for shoulder stands or shavasana, and it also helps to start the braid just slightly to one side or the other so that it's out of the way. This is the only thing I've found that works for any pose that I try. I'll sometimes have to readjust the elastic if I'm doing something really energetic, but it usually stays put. Good luck with your yoga!

ETA: My concern with a perimeter braid would be that it would get in your way with headstands, and that it would be hard to remove if you needed to switch styles for a new pose.

[Islandgrrl]

I teach yoga. The best style I've found yet is a single side braid. If it's long enough to step on when you're doing sun salutations, then I suggest twin side braids (same side, that are twisted and rope braided to eat some length. Another option would be pigtail braids with the same modification as the single side braid if you find yourself getting your feet into them. :)

Good luck!

[Gulbahar]

I used to do a single braid but wasn't really happy with it. Lying on the back was fine - for me it's more while bending forwards that the braid annoys me.
Now I found that making a high bun like I do for sleeping is the best way to keep the hair up without it getting in the way when I lie on my back.

[shwankie]

Only thing that works for me is double Dutch braids, which I then put into loops. This keeps it secure, off the back of my head, and out of my face when I am doing down-dog, etc.

[SlightlySoprano]

Have you tried two french braids?

[Finoriel]

Single braid mostly, it does not really bother me when it flops over my shoulder. I´m probably somewhere else with my mind when doing yoga so I tend to not notice hair things at all... Except when I once stepped on it :p but that was just a one time accident and never happened again since then *knock on wood* oww.
Sometimes I also do a fake crown braid. Works well for me, too.

[Quixii]

I do a sock bun for gymnastics. It may seem counter productive since it's one of those bigger buns, but the sock squishes so that I find I can lay my head much flatter than some of the buns I've tried in the past.

[Darkhorse1]

Thanks SO much ladies!
When I exercise, I sweat buckets, so I want my hair up. I could do any style, but when we do this move...shoot, I don't remember what it's called---baby rocking? Where you are on your back and rocking your spine? Then, you try to put your feet over your head. Anyhow, I had trouble using my core for that because I couldn't lay my head flat--it was pushed forwards due to my hair.

I don't remember the poster's name, but the braided loop is really good! That would work for my hair length/thickness.

I haven't done too many head stands yet...the most I did was that one where you are resting your thighs on your knees and lift your feet off the ground. Mother of god, that was fun! I lasted a split second ;) It was my first class though :)

The long english braid, even at the barn, gets me mad when it hits me in the face when I bend over. Hahahha.

Thanks ladies! I'm really loving yoga, and just wanted a simple style/no pins. The loop braid will be my next style and hopefully it'll work.

[tofuowl]

I found that a single bun, placed very high (not necessarily on top of my head, but high enough not to get in the way of laying flat) worked best for me.

I experimented with all sorts of braiding at first, but I found it distracting and irritating when they'd go fuzzy (which happens quickly for me, especially doing floor poses--those mats are static machines). I also hated how any sort of braid would dangle in front of my face during certain poses.

A high bun might look a bit dorky, but I don't really consider spandex pants to be high fashion either ;P I figure it completes the look somewhat.

[Darkhorse1]

High buns don't work for me. They just pull too much and piling all that hair, it just shifts about and pulls more ;) But thanks for the suggestions.

The loop braid is the style I'll try next, then a permiter braid :)

[bumblebums]

Here's another, older, longer thread that discusses various options.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=39605

Maybe the mods can merge this one in?

[morguebabe]

I ussually do a really high braid. High enough so that if I hold it up and lay down the back of my head can lay flat.

[AllwaysLovely]

I'd think a bun anywhere near the back of your head could be very frustrating, especially in poses like "Fish Pose" (http://www.myyogaonline.com/community/blog/yoga-pose-of-the-month-matysasana-(fish-pose))

French/pig tails? I've always done yoga in pigtails, but my hair is not nearly as long as yours.

[Morgaine]

I've started yoga recently and I though I should post my findings in case it helps someone :)

At first I tried a single side english braid and also twin side braids. Those are great, but it still distracted me sometimes.

So I tried a french braid with the length of the braid tucked under and it is my winner hair-style for yoga! It's easy enough when you get the trick with french braid and I don't think of my hair a single second when I practice yoga anymore :)
As my hair is hip length, I can't put the whole braid under the french braided part so I leave the remaining length af braid in my back, it looks like a french braid on much shorter hair.
I use either a scrunchie or a medium clip on top of my head to secure this updo better and it's quite confortable.
I just found a picture from another member that show exactly what i'm talking about : http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=102

Hope it helps!

[Elenna]

I've seen people with longish hair do ponytails with an elastic. It's convenient to either take off the elastic or slide the elastic down to a low pony for the last part of yoga on the floor.

[jennyjb]

A plain old French braid works for me (an English braid would probably be better, except that I hve bits of hair at the sides that won't stay in). My hair is only just waist length though, so I might need something else when it gets longer. A bun on top of the head might work if you don't do headstands (and if you do, wow I'm impressed!)