When I first started practicing yoga, I was not aware of a lot of yoga products that could enhance my practice. I had a hand-me-down mat from my mom that was not sticky enough to deal with my sweaty self in a hot yoga class. I had some yoga leggings and a couple workout tops, but they were more geared towards other forms of exercise. I did not own any props and felt like I was missing part of my practice.
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I soon picked up the basic props like two blocks and a strap. I use the purple Gaiam blocks that are a little bit squishy and have some give to them. These blocks are more comfortable for certain poses, like a supported fish, rather than using a stiffer block made from cork. My strap is also a Gaiam strap in deep purple (purple is my favorite color, can you tell?) that is a nice sturdy material. With a strudy strap, I feel like I have better control of the posture I am using the strap for, especially standing postures.
For the mat, I love my Manduka mat. I have the eKO yoga mat in Acai, and love that it is a sticky mat that is not too sticky or rough. This mat has been a great addition to my practice since getting it as a Christmas gift about 3 years ago. It has held up extremely well and also made from biodegradable materials for when it has come to the end of its time. During a hot yoga class, I would suggest still using a yoga towel such as this one from Manduka, which I have used and loved in a hot yoga class.
With those basic props, I was able to find a good home practice as well as take my props with me to a class if I needed to (though, most studios already have props for you to use). As I got more and more involved with yoga, there were a few additional props that I found helpful to have, especially as a yoga teacher and needing to practice my sequences and poses at home.
Some of those additional props are the Manduka eKO Superlite travel yoga mat in Acai. This mat is a fantastic travel mat, though a little slippy. I have brought this mat with me to California, all around New England, Norway, and Denmark and it has allowed me to still get a little practice in while being on vacation or traveling to see friends and family. Again, it is not the perfect substitute for a regular mat, but I still prefer it to using just the floor or a towel.
I also really enjoy having a yoga blanket at home. I use it during my practice as an additional cushion, support, or to sit on to elevate and neutralize the pelvis. Now that I sit on the floor sometimes with my daughter, I will use my yoga blanket because it helps align my spine and keep my back from hurting after sitting with her for a while. Same goes for a bolster that I purchased from YogaOutlet. I bought my bolster in the beginning of my pregnancy since I knew that I would definitely need a bolster for my home practice! And I have definitely used it quite a lot, especially when practicing pregnant. I felt like it elevated my home practice, since a lot of my favorite restorative poses use a bolster.
What are your favorite props to have at home for your yoga practice?
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