Yoga is a profoundly beneficial form of exercise that is good for the mental and physical health of people of all ages and levels of health. Yoga props are generally considered to be any tools used in the practice of the exercise such as mats, blocks and pillows, and may be selected to fit the needs of the person using them.
While the use of Yoga props can be beneficial to everyone, the need for them may be reduced, as students gain balance, grow stronger, become more skillful, and are less prone to injury. Simple adjustments and creativity, such as changing the size of a bolster, the thickness of a blanket, or using a longer strap, can improve alignment and performance.
The common thought among students is Yoga props prevent injuries, provide a form of scaffolding for students to work up to harder poses, and give students the confidence needed to progress in their yoga practice. However, my apprenticeship with Aura Wellness Center made me aware that props helped people in the therapeutic sense.
The following opinions about yoga props are my own. My purpose is not to stir up hostility, but to point out a line of thinking that...
Yoga props are a helpful and useful way to introduce beginners to yoga and allow them to hold the correct pose without an excess of...
Whether you're starting out or getting more serious with yoga, having the best yoga mat can be vital to your practice. With all the available options in the market, it's best to find out the key features the mat needs to have before you invest your money in it.
If you are going to purchase one prop a yoga mat would be the first thing to look into. When I started practicing they were expensive and far between. Now you can get a mat pretty much anywhere but before you buy one do a little of research. There are standard sizes for yoga mat's but they work for standard size people.
When I began teaching yoga in the early 1970's, the term, "yoga props," was practically unheard of. When we sat on the floor to practice seated forward bends, people who could not touch their toes simply held onto their lower legs. Then someone had the bright idea to wrap a sock, towel, belt or an old neck tie around the foot to hang onto while stretching forward. While not as versatile as the modern prop known as a yoga strap, these early around-the-house props actually worked quite well!
Some Yoga certification courses devote a day or two to the the use of stability balls for a prop or for therapeutic use. With that said...
