As we continue to adjust the new normal of living during a pandemic, we constantly strive to make our new routine similar to our old, pre-pandemic routine. For a lot of us, our old yoga routines consisted of attending studio classes. In our new practice, we miss out on what really makes a studio class stand out — PROPS!
Yoga props are the things other than our mats that we use during class to make certain poses more accessible. Different studios have different props. However, most studios have the basics: blocks, blankets, straps, and bolsters. There are other props out there, too, but we’ll focus on basic props for now.
Props are a fairly new idea in yoga. Traditionally, yoga is done with just you, your mat, and the floor. Each pose is designed to be performed in a certain way and you do it that way – no exceptions. This was the tradition for millennia, until a yogi named B.K.S. Iyengar (1918-2014) came along. Mr Iyengar’s philosophy was that a yogi should use a prop to assist in a pose that the yogi cannot complete his/herself. In doing so, the yogi decreases his/her chance of injury and increases progression through the pose itself. I have found this to be true. I promote it during class and in my home practice.
With this in mind, here are The Yoga From Home Props.
Level 1 – Blocks and a strap
These two are the peanut-butter-and-jelly of a yoga practice, and primarily assist with the more active yoga styles. Blocks help with maintaining balance and developing forward-fold mobility. For instance, blocks can be placed under your hands when performing a standing forward fold to help you focus on lengthening your hamstrings rather than bending your knees to touch your palms on the mat. When used during a pose, a strap helps two parts of the body come together, as in a seated head-to-knee. When your hands can’t quite reach your feet, you can loop the strap around your feet.
There are many sizes, materials, and brands to choose from when purchasing your props. For yogis that are new to yoga and/or props, I recommend purchasing and using two high-density EVA foam yoga blocks and an eight-foot cotton strap. Here is the pair I recently purchased to get my father started on a home yoga practice:
Level 2 – Blankets and Bolsters
For the most part, these two come into your routine as you begin to practice more restorative poses. Blankets predominantly support variations in spinal alignment that can lead to pain/discomfort in poses. For instance, placing a folded up blanket under your knees in savasana helps to alleviate lower-back discomfort. Bolsters, on the other hand, assist in propping your body up as you release into a pose. For example, placing a bolster under your hips in a bridge pose allows your muscles to relax and deepen a backbend.
As with the level 1 props, there are many sizes, materials and brands to choose from when purchasing your blanket and bolster. I recommend a bolster that is 24 x 12 x 6 inches, made primarily of cotton. As for the blanket, you can’t go wrong with the industry standard: a Mexican blanket.
Here is a bolster and blanket I found on Amazon that you can use for reference.
Level 1 and level 2 props are what you usually find in a traditional yoga studio. If you are taking one of my personal classes through Zoom, I recommend starting with level 1 to get you started down the right path.
Namaste
