Short Definition

Yoga props are equipment used to support, modify, and deepen poses—including blocks, straps, bolsters, blankets, and wheels that make the practice accessible and safe for every body.

Why Props Matter

Props bring poses to you—rather than forcing your body to conform to an idealized shape. A block raises the floor. A strap extends your arms. A bolster creates space for complete surrender. These aren't crutches or training wheels. They're intelligent supports that let you experience each pose as it was meant to be experienced, regardless of your flexibility, strength, or body proportions.

B.K.S. Iyengar pioneered the systematic use of props in yoga, recognizing that bodies differ and poses should adapt. His insight transformed the practice: what once excluded anyone who couldn't touch their toes now welcomes every body.

Essential Props

Yoga Blocks

Rectangular blocks—typically foam, cork, or wood—serve as extensions of your limbs. Can't reach the floor in Triangle pose? The block brings the floor to you. Need more height under your hips in seated poses? Stack one or two beneath you. Most practitioners benefit from having two blocks.

Yoga Straps

A strap extends your reach when shoulders or hamstrings won't cooperate. In Seated Forward Fold, loop it around your feet when your hands can't reach. In Cow Face pose, bridge the gap between hands that refuse to clasp. Straps typically measure 6 to 10 feet with D-ring or cinch buckles.

Bolsters

These firm, supportive cushions—round or rectangular—transform Restorative yoga and Yin practice. Drape yourself over a bolster in Supported Fish and your chest opens without effort. Place one under your knees in Savasana and your lower back releases.

Blankets

The most versatile prop—folded for height under hips, rolled for neck support, draped for warmth in Savasana. Traditional Mexican yoga blankets offer the right combination of firmness and fold-ability. They replace blocks, cushion knees, and pad bony surfaces.

Beyond the Basics

• Yoga Wheel—A plastic or wood circle about 12 inches in diameter for deeper backbends
• Eye Pillows—Small weighted pouches that deepen relaxation in Savasana
• Sandbags—10-pound weights that anchor limbs in Restorative practice
• Meditation Cushions—Zafus and zabutons that support extended sitting

Using Props Well

The key to props is experimentation. A block under your hand might feel supportive one day, unnecessary the next. Your body changes—props let your practice change with it.

Don't wait for teachers to offer props. Grab a block before class starts. Keep a strap within reach. The practitioners who progress fastest are often those who prop most generously, because they can actually experience proper alignment rather than straining toward it.

Props also intensify practice, not just simplify it. A block between your thighs in Bridge pose activates inner leg engagement. A strap around your arms in Downward Dog prevents shoulder collapse. Advanced practitioners use props to refine what they already know.