Let’s Discuss About Props in Your Yoga Apply
Props in yoga, something I think many of us have had a troubled past. We can all be honest enough to say that we saw props as a sign of weakness or a sign that we are unable to do something “right”.
Really, they are there to improve your practice, not to take it away. Whether that supports your relaxation or makes a pose comfortable for your body.
What are the most common props in yoga and why should we use them?
blocks
Probably the most common prop and the one most studios and gyms have on hand. The size of the blocks varies from an inch thick and wide enough to sit taller and narrower.
They are a versatile support and can be used to add height, improve balance, activate specific muscles, or aid in a more relaxed, recovery position.
Support often comes when we sit on them or use them to balance posture, while activation brings some resistance against the block. By using the blocks in one of these blocks, we can challenge the body in ways that it may not otherwise be able to achieve.
Some inspirations for you:
– – Try jumping between your knees in the boat pose to fire those deep core muscles
– – Take a supported version of the bridge pose by placing the sacrum on a stack of blocks
– – Find your balance in Half Moon by placing your lower hand on a block so you can focus on this twist of your torso
– – In a sitting position, raise your seat to make twists, folds, and meditation more comfortable
Belts
After blocks and bricks, yoga straps are the prop you are most likely to come across in a studio or gym. If you are practicing from home, they are also pretty cheap and easy to store. No falling over of props with this one.
Yoga straps can vary, but it is usually a 1.5 to 2 meter piece of cotton fabric with D-rings on one end. They have many uses, from making it easier to reach your feet, to helping a release in your hips for a restful position, to build strength, or to encourage the body to relax.
A strap with its variable length and use is a perfect prop to help us remember and appreciate the journey to your practice. It can help eliminate the physical and mental grasping of the pose we slip into so often.
Some inspirations for you:
- Extend your arms by putting a strap around the ball of your foot in a back muscle. The belt allows you to keep your shoulders relaxed and at the same time straighten your raised leg
- Open your chest and shoulders by holding opposite ends of the strap and gradually pulling your arms up towards the ceiling and behind your head, flossing the shoulder joint
- Support your hips in the reclined Baddha Konasana by creating a loop between your lower back and your feet and keeping your feet in place when you relax
Yoga pad
Yoga pillows are often seen in studios or offered for Savasana. Not sure what to use them for?
A yoga pillow is a cylindrical pillow that is used to support the body in poses that are often more restorative. The filling varies from softer hollow fiber cushions to more malleable buckwheat fillings. Regardless of the filling, they can be used in both sitting and lying postures to allow the body to relax or support the body to achieve a more comfortable posture. When lifting the hips, pads can help your lower back. When used to bring the ground a little closer, they help the body in stretches. It is also perfect for exercises like pregnancy yoga or injury-oriented rehabilitation to limit the range of mobility in the body.
Some inspirations for you:
- In Savasana, try placing a pillow under your knees to help loosen the lower back
- Bring some support into the child's posture by placing the upper body on a cushion embedded between the knees
- Place your forearms in Lizard to bring the ground a little closer to you
Eye pillow
An eye pillow is essentially a small bag filled with seeds to add some relaxation to your eyes. These fillings mean they can conform to the shape of your face, completely blocking out the light, and creating calm. Eye pillows are sometimes scented with lavender, others are unscented to use their own essential oils.
The obvious way to use an eye pillow is to relax at the end of the class. This is the perfect way to block out any light and the weighting lets your body know to relax.
More inspiration for using eye pillows:
- Try to strain the posture with them, put your lower back in a child's pose or on the palms of your hands in Savasana
- Relieve pressure on the downward facing dog's wrists by placing the heel of your hand on an eye pillow to raise the wrist and decrease the degree of flexion
What to use when you don't have props
Props are a nice thing to invest in for your practice, but for many of us it is financially or geographically impractical. But good news, you can make most of these props from things you already have around the house.
Yoga blocks – Depending on what you're told to use it for, you can always replace a thick book (think a dictionary or Harry Potter).
Yoga bearer – A bathrobe tie / scarf would do the job in most postures.
Yoga pad – They can often be replaced with a rolled duvet or even a couple of pillows from your bed that are folded and wrapped in a blanket.
Eye pillow – A folded scarf or blanket is perfect to put over the eyes in Savasana and create a nice, weighted feel.
Georgie is a British yoga teacher and founder of the yoga business Yogipod This brings together their love for textiles, yoga and travel. Previously in the fashion industry, Georgie now spends her time sewing hand-block printed textiles into yoga upholstery covers and other props, and helping people explore and play their yoga practice. She believes yoga is really a practice for everyone and hopes to give students the confidence to move about and connect with their bodies.
Follow Georgie further Instagram and check out her work on the Yogi Pod website.
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