Yoga props, do you use them all the time in your practice or do they not really figure? If they’re not showing up on your mat it is likely to for one of two reasons:
- You may want to use them but don’t know how
- You may feel like they are a sign of “weakness” in your practice and you don’t want to use them
Well, I’m here to dispel both of those myths and hopefully inspire you to prop your practice
Why should I be using yoga props?
There are lots of different types of yoga props and types of yoga practice but broadly speaking props help you to find space in your practice. This may be space physically in the body or it could be space within the breath due to using props alleviating strain and helping you to breathe a little more deeply. It may also be space mentally, by taking support you are more able to ease yourself into your practice rather than striving.
For me it is that word strive that we are trying to move away from by using props. Yoga props can help us find our way into a pose in a more intentional way. For instance by placing your hand on a block in extended side angle rather than actively striving for the floor it gives you the chance to explore how that feels, stay within the posture feeling stable and then if it feels right on that day make the informed decision to maybe reach for the floor.
Of course props also help us when our proportions are different and maybe there are certain postures that our bodies cannot move into what is seen as the traditional alignment without some additional support. The question of alignment within yoga asana is a personal one and I would encourage you to explore how things feel and move towards what feels right rather than what looks correct. By using props to explore this you may end up with a block under your knee in janu sirsasana or a strap joining your hands in a bind which is not what the traditional alignment would look like but is what feels good and works for your body.
What yoga props could I use in my practice?
I’ve previously written a beginners guide to props that you might find in a yoga class but I thought here I could break down what props might be useful to explore in different styles of practice.
Flow style classes
The more flowing styles of yoga like vinyasa and mandala tend to have a little less space to bring props into them as holds in poses are less common. If I were teaching or heading to a flow style class then I would be taking three props with me to find that support
- A yoga block – perfect for making my arms longer in revolved lunges or extended side angle and can also be sat on for seated postures if I need to raise my hips
- A yoga strap – useful for any binds we might do or for looping around the feet for forward folds
- An eye pillow – the dream addition to savasana to unwind after all that flowing
Hatha style classes
The nature of a hatha style class having more time to hold postures means that you may well be able to use props a little more widely and the teacher will probably cue the use of them more as well. For a hatha class I would suggest the same yoga props as flow style class but with the addition of :
- An additional yoga block – great if you are holding postures such as lizard or half splits
- A meditation cushion – there is likely to be a slightly longer seated practice in this style of class. If you find sitting on the floor uncomfortable then a meditation cushion is your best friend
- A blanket – perfect for making savasana extra cosy but can also be used folded under your knees when they need a little more padding
Restorative style classes
Arguably restorative style classes are the ones that lend themselves to the most props. Styles such as yin and restorative yoga are much slower in pace and feature long holds of postures rather than flowing between them. For these styles there is really no end to the list of props you could be using so I’ll pop below which I think are the minimum for a dreamy restorative practice
- Two yoga blocks – used to either prop your bolster up with or to use to prop the body itself
- A blanket – obviously great to get cosy with but also works as a weight on the body in certain postures
- A yoga bolster – the main prop in a restorative practice, your bolster will be used to support the body in any number of postures
- An eye pillow – great to help the mind settle when in supine positions laid on your back or as a weight on the body
Seated classes
Seated practices such as meditation and pranayama can often get forgotten when discussing props but there is nothing worse than trying to focus our mind and only being able to think about how uncomfortable you are. My recommendations for a sitting practice are:
- A blanket – to wrap around you to keep warm and to have the gentle, comforting weight on your body
- A meditation cushion – sitting up on something really makes a difference to the openness of our hips. By elevating them the lower back lengthens and you should be able to sit that little bit more easefully
After more tips on how to use yoga props?