Creative Alternatives for Yoga Props
One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that you need to be flexible to do it. Quite the opposite, yoga will help you increase your flexibility! You don’t need to have bendy joints and hypermobility to start. One of the best ways to ease yourself into poses you find particularly difficult is with props. Yoga props are wonderful additions to a practice that you can use for everything from the most powerful of flows to restorative practices. But we don’t all have the same resources a yoga studio would to supply your practice with blocks, straps, and bolsters. Here are some creative alternatives for yoga props you can use in your home studio without spending a dime.
Raid Your Bathroom
Towels work great as yoga props. We all have towels in our houses! Grab a few of varying sizes and they can become every single item you need for a well-rounded practice. Use a bath towel as extra padding under your knees or roll it into a log to lay along your spine for a shoulder opener. A beach towel makes a good substitute for a mat in a pinch for your friend or partner who wants to practice with you but doesn’t have their own mat.
Fold small hand towels into squares to transform them into blocks. Blocks made with towels are best for restorative poses and yin yoga because they won’t be as sturdy as a normal block to support you in balances like revolved triangle and half-moon or sugarcane pose. Put towel-blocks under your knees in cobbler’s pose for extra hip support, or slide one under your sacrum in a restorative bridge for a relaxing inversion.
Super Supportive Blocks
Where softer towel-based blocks won’t provide enough support, look to your pantry to find the perfect height and sturdiness to aid your practice. Larger canned goods, laundry detergent containers, and rolls of paper towels will help bring the floor to you. If the top of your chosen object is less than comfy, layer a folded hand towel on top. Stacks of books are also a good option in a pinch.
Bolster Options
Bolsters and meditation cushions are a fairly specific piece of yoga equipment, but don’t let not having one dissuade you from doing restorative yoga at home. Stuff an extra pillow into an old pillowcase (really squeeze it in there!) to create the right amount of resistance. Alternatively, grab a cushion from your couch. Sofa cushions typically have a firmer padding than most pillows and can be pretty great props.
More Creative Prop Ideas
Straps are probably one of the easiest things to find a substitute for; old neckties or the tie to your bathrobe are both comfy options. Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of household items that can sub in for a really long strap, so if you’re used to working with something a bit longer it may be worth the money to invest in a proper strap with D-ring.
Some things can be assembled at home. If you have a small cloth bag or mesh laundry bag, fill it with flaxseeds or rice to make a DIY eye pillow (test the weight on your eyes beforehand and adjust it to your preference). If you’re handy with a sewing machine, microfiber suede cut to fit the size of your mat is great for catching the sweat from a powerful workout. For workouts with weights, fill up a water bottle. You can adjust the weight by adding more water, or make your weights lighter by drinking during your class!
When it comes to creative alternatives for yoga props, it’s easy to find almost everything you need around the house. Your home studio might not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but it will serve you well and may even inspire greater creativity. Using props during your practice is a way to increase your enjoyment of the practice. They will help you find more length and strength in your poses instead of struggling to touch your fingertips to the mat just to keep your balance. And while it’s totally possible to do a restorative practice without any props, knowing that you’ve got options when it comes to props will help you transform any home practice into a studio-worthy experience.
Do you have go-to alternatives for traditional props? Let us know in the comments!