Once you convince yourself to be bold enough to try out yoga, sticking with it can be challenging when it seems hard to keep up, or when progress seems elusive. A group class can be overwhelming: Does everyone else actually know what this teacher is saying? Am I the only one who cannot touch their toes/”float” into low plank/bend their spine that way? Here are some ideas to give you the insider’s edge: a list of my five favorite props and tools that I would recommend to any fellow yogi.
Disclaimer: No, I do not receive any compensation for purchases made via the links below. I am simply sharing the good karma vibes here.
First, I’ll mention the not-so-obvious-yet-should-be-obvious tool: Find the right yoga teacher for you. And then, whether your aim is to relax deeply, gain strength and mobility, or feel truly connected and grounded, I bet you’ll find at least some of the tools on this list can help you make progress toward your goals.
Progress on the path of yoga means different things for different people… Yoga serves the individual.
T.K.V. Desikachar in The Heart of Yoga
Sometimes props are used to help with alignment or grounding (e.g. blocks are essential in forward folds if you cannot easily touch the floor yet) because even the tightest of bodies will unwind and gain flexibility much faster when aligned and grounded. (Insider tip from a teacher: hanging into gravity in a forward fold when you cannot easily touch the floor actually impedes your ability to gain flexibility because the body does not like – and unconsciously resists, actually – hanging into gravity.) Other props are used to help intensify challenge and help with strength training. (Second insider tip: weak muscles also resist stretching – or moving at all in any direction, actually.) Whatever your intentions for practicing yogasana (physical postures), there are some basic tools that are useful in most every style of yoga.
#1. & #2. The Basics
Manduka eKO® Yoga Mat and unBLOK Recycled Foam Blocks
Can’t you practice yogasana anywhere – no mat necessary? Yes. Yes, you can! I frequently do. However, when learning new postures, rubber mats are great for traction and stability as well as padding for tender joints. Maduka eKO® mats are my personal favorite for both stable traction and padding. These actually are available in the largest variety I’ve seen, from 1.5mm thickness (ultra lightweight and easily folded to stuff into a pack for yoga and hiking) to 6mm thickness (to be über -cushy on your joints). All are made with sustainably sourced, all-natural rubber, which means you’ll have enough stay-put-ness in your poses to actually make mat towels unnecessary even in the sweatiest hot classes.
Bonus: the thicker mats are solid enough when rolled up to stand in as a round bolster for restorative asana.
The second must-have on my list (and in my classes) is always a set of blocks, which give you options to make any asana more or less intense. In general, I am a fan of foam blocks because their density makes them sturdy while their lightweight means they can easily double as a tool for strength work: Try your next few rounds of surya namaskar (sun salutations) keeping a block held between your calves in each pose, or marinate in virabhadrasa I (Warrior 1) with a block hugged between your palms overhead for a minute. You’re welcome!
I am a fan of Manduka’s unBLOK in particular because I love the curved edge for more comfy supported yin and restorative poses like salamba matsyendrasana (supported fish pose).
#3. The Best I’ve Used
While Manduka is my go-to for the basics of mat and blocks, Hugger Mugger takes the prize for best supportive bolsters. There are dozens of uses for their standard bolster. And if you are looking to become a restorative yoga aficionado or taking your meditation practice to the next level, then check into all the different bolsters and meditation cushions they have available.
#4. For Your Best Self-Assist
Sandbags are a must-have for grounding anxious energy in restorative poses such as balasana (child’s pose) or vipariti karani (legs up the wall pose). These also happen to be really handy for gentle self-assists to facilitate deeper stretching with yin poses such as supta baddha konasana (supine butterfly pose).
#5. Not Your Granny’s Yoga Strap
An 8-foot, buckled yoga strap (that is, one that buckles with D-rings) is definitely useful in so many poses for alignment and proprioceptive learning. So, yes, I do often teach with these traditional, long belts. But for my personal practice and classes with more experienced students it’s the Infinity Strap for the win!
No buckle to fuss with. No extra length of tail tangling around your limbs. It’s sort of a grab-and-go prop when you just need a few more inches of reach to work on a bind, or a quick band of support for your arm balance practice.
Bonus: Two untraditional tools for a better yoga practice
- Resistance Loops can be a fantastic addition around the thighs or upper arms to build strength during surya namaskar A & B (sun salutations).
- Massage Roller Gloves are a great way to help hydrate sticky fascia before you hit the mat, and facilitate recovery for tired muscles after practice.
Honorable Mention: Two free props I use a lot
- The wall: Books can be (and a few actually are) written on the subject of using the wall to support and advance your practice. Needless to say, it might be my most used prop – more so than a sticky mat even – in my personal practice.
- A kitchen chair: The stability offered by this unassuming prop allows you to stay in a pose much longer than anyone otherwise could, which allows plenty of time for weaker muscles to build needed strength (think virabhadrasana III, warrior 3) or stuck muscles to gradually unwind (think ustrasana, camel pose).