Yoga props and home substitutes

The year 2020 forced many of us to trade in our in-person studio practice for an at-home virtual practice. Whether you are an experienced yogi or a newbie, you may not have traditional props for your home practice that you might have used in the studio. Particularly if you're new to yoga and you're not sure if you like it well enough at this point to invest in props, you may find the following list of substitute props helpful.

Yoga blocks (2)

Examples of how blocks are used:

• to sit on during sukasana, centering or meditation

• to bring the floor closer to the body in some yoga poses, helping make the pose more accessible

The amount you use blocks may depend on flexibility and/or body proportions; as an example, I use blocks when my hands need to reach the floor in some positions because my arms are short and also because my hamstrings are often tight.

Yoga blocks are relatively inexpensive and a good investment considering how much they are used in yoga practice, particularly for beginners. They last a long time and will adapt with you as your yoga practice leads to greater flexibility. One of the reasons for the adaptation is that yoga blocks have three heights so over time as you gain flexibility you can shift from tallest, to intermediate to shortest height before graduating to not using blocks at all. Certainly that is an advantage over many of the home substitute props suggested below. And even when you get to be super flexible, you may want to use a block to help with alignment, as in squeezing a block between the knees or thighs during bridge pose to keep the thighs engaged and to keep proper spacing with the knees. Blocks are used in such a broad variety of ways that you’ll be sure to get your money’s worth out of them! That said, here's a list of home items that you may be able to substitute for a while at the beginning of your practice while you decide if you want to keep going.

Home substitutes:

• 2 stacks of books of approximately equal height

• 2 large cans of tomatoes or beans or soup; not so good for sitting on if using for Sukasana

• 2 stacks of towels of approximately equal height

• 2 stacks of folded sheet sets of approximately equal height

• Durable plastic storage containers about the size of bricks or cinder blocks

Yoga blankets (up to 4 twin/throw size firm blankets, not plush)

If you have yoga blankets, they make a great substitute for yoga blocks. No yoga blankets? No problem! You've probably got some kind of blankets lying around the house that will do the trick. Thermal cotton blankets, quilts, picnic throws, beach blankets or towels will all work.

Examples of how blankets are used:

• folded or rolled, a blanket under the sit bones is perfect for raising the hips just enough in Sukasana (Easy Seat)

• cover up during Savasana (Corpse pose); the body can cool quickly and it's nice to be comfortable during Savasana

• rolled or folded, blankets can be used as a substitute for blocks to support you or body parts in certain poses, and they provide softer support (such as under the knees if they hang in the air during Easy Seat)

• rolled or folded together, a group of blankets can substitute for a bolster (see below)

• folded and placed under the knees in kneeling positions, a blanket can provide a bit of extra cushion for bony knees

Home substitutes:

• bath sheets

• beach towels or picnic/beach blankets

• folded bed sheet sets

Yoga strap

A yoga strap is particularly handy for yoga beginners or even very experienced practitioners. They can help develop flexibility and help with adapting for body proportions that make some poses more challenging. A yoga strap is primarily used as an extension of arms or hands in many different asana, stretches or movements such as:

• Reclined Leg Stretch or Gupta Padangusthasana - place the strap around the ball of one foot, lifting the leg into the air pressing into the heel while lying on your back

• Cow-face arms - use the strap to connect the hands behind you as you reach one arm down the back from over the same shoulder while the other arm reaches up the back from the other side

• Flossing the shoulders - gently pull the strap in both hands with arms extended in front of you a bit wider than shoulder width apart, raise both arms above the head, lower the arms and strap behind the head

• Dancer's pose - loop the strap around the foot bring the long end of the strap over the same side shoulder; bending the knee of the strapped foot and shining the heart forward as you arch the back, use your hands to gently pull the long end of the strap up and slightly forward

Home substitutes:

• a belt

• an old scarf or tie

• a hand towel or tea towel

• an old tee-shirt or tank top

Yoga bolster

If Restorative yoga practice is your jam, you may want to invest in a yoga bolster because Restorative yoga makes ample use of a bolster in many of the poses. I've also used it occasionally to support me in Yin practice. Examples of how a bolster is used:

• To support the torso in a Restorative wide-legged Child's pose (under the belly, chest and head)

• To support the torso in a Restorative inclined Corpse pose (propped with blocks into a incline, the bolster supports your back and head)

• During a more traditional Savasana (Corpse pose), it can be used to elevate the feet or as support under the knees.

• To raise the hips in Sukasana (Easy Seat) or Hero's pose (instead of a block or blanket)

Home substitutes:

• a couple of firm blankets (see above) or beach towels stacked and rolled together

• a body pillow

After practicing various kinds of yoga through a few different classes, see how well the substitutes are working for you. You may decide to stick with home props for the time being or forever! Regardless of what you choose, until you know you want to practice yoga regularly going forward, there's no need to spend money when you can find perfectly suitable options around the house.