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Yoga equipment for home practice – A guide to yoga props

August 26, 2020 //  by Di Hickman//  20 Comments

So many people right now, are realizing how important a yoga practice is. Plus, with studios shutting, and gyms closed we’re all having to figure out yoga at home. Well, consider this post a guide to yoga equipment for home practice. A yoga props 101 if you will. Disclosure: Links in this post may be affiliate links.

5 essential props for Yoga at home & some for fun!

I’m going to start with complete beginner section then move through intermediate/advanced. Whether you’re a newbie, a regular, or you practice daily, there is something for everyone.

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Yoga equipment for home – basics

Before you ask “what do I need for yoga at home?” let’s first agree that there is a difference between need and want. With a sub category of “didn’t know I needed/wanted it till I had it, now I can’t do yoga without it”! Really, it’s going to depend on where you are in your practice, your limitations, and aspirations to where you’d like to take your practice. Here are the top 5 yoga props to have at home.

Yoga Mat

Most people would call this essential, and a no-brainer. But, traditionally, yoga was practiced without a yoga mat. I’ve practiced with and without, and much prefer with. Especially indoors. There is something to be said for having a space to do yoga. Even if all it is, is your mat!

yoga mat

If you have a thick mat that is 1/2″ thick or more, then let me just tell you. That, is NOT a yoga mat! An exercise mat and yoga mat are not always one in the same. Sure the thick mat will be more comfortable laying, and kneeling. But, once you stand you’ll be more challenged.

Demonstrating savasana, tree pose and warrior 1 on a yoga mat

Your feet need to be grounded and fully connected to the earth. Opt for a thin 6mm mat that is non-stick. This will ensure you stay put in your poses!

Yoga blanket

Because the mats are on the thinner side (as mentioned above) I suggest a blanket to pad the boney bits of your body. Maybe under the knees, or hips. Blankets also serve as a little lift in some poses where we may need a boost.

Using a blanket to demonstrate all fours, kneeling, laying, and support in pyramid pose

If you’re a fan of restorative yoga blankets are great to have for supported and soothing. If the weather is cool in your yoga space they also keep the body warm. As an added bonus if you have a dog, they keep the dog on the blanket and off your mat while you practice!

Yoga Blocks

One thing I wish more people would invest in as yoga equipment for home practice, is some yoga blocks! Sure you can use some alternatives but blocks are pretty cheap and a great way to go deeper into your practice.

Di Hickman with 2 yoga blocks
yoga poses demonstrated with blocks: warrior 3, triangle, bridge, supine butterfly, and janu sirsasana

Whether for support, or to bridge the gap between you and the floor blocks are a great way to discover more about your body and your practice. They can also make some poses more difficult, so it’s not all about making things easier!

Yoga Strap

There is something to be said for having the right tool for the job. That is never more true when we think about yoga equipment for home practice. Sure a belt or tie works, but to really explore your body in poses I suggest an 8ft strap.

yoga poses with a strap: lying padungastasana, boat, warrior 2, standing padungastasana, dancer

I prefer the longer strap as it’s more versatile for only a few dollars more. It opens up the opportunity to do more standing poses. Also if you’re on the taller side, or less flexible, get a longer strap!

Bolster or zafu (meditation cushion)

Rounding out my top 5 essential yoga equipment for home practice is a bolster, or meditation cushion (zafu). I got my bolster for home about 5 years ago and never felt so happy about a yoga prop purchase.

yoga poses with bolster: savasana, restorative sage

Great for supporting the body in savasana, or for working in somatic exercises a bolster is a must in my opinion. If you are a fan of restorative yoga (I love adding a restorative pose or two at the end of my practice) then get yourself a bolster to go with the blankets mentioned above.

meditation cushion zafu, seated, and using it as a weight for boat pose.

If meditation is more your style, then maybe opt for a zafu. What’s a zafu? A buckwheat filled meditation cushion. These are versatile and can also be used as a weighted sandbag in a pinch (see below).

7 props to take things to the next level

So, those are the top 5 pieces of Yoga equipment for home practice that I’d recommend. The basics if you will. After that, there are more props for comfort and accessibility and a few for fun.

Tennis ball & massage balls

Flexibility isn’t something that just happens, it takes time and effort. One thing I recommend everyone do is some self myofascial release and somatic exercises with a tennis ball.

multiple massage balls

Using a tennis ball, or other massage tools is a great way to work out the knots and kinks holding us back in our poses. Plus, it’s frankly just a great way to get a cheap massage at home!

Socks, mitts, or towel

If you’re slipping on your yoga mat you have a few options to elevate your yoga practice. Yoga socks are ones with grippy dots on the bottom. For those with sweaty hands there are gloves (mitts) also.

downward facing dog on a yoga towel

If you want to add a little sweat barrier to your mat I suggest a yoga towel. Made of microfibre to absorb sweat, and has the non-stick dots on the bottom. These are great for those in high temperature areas, or hot yoga. I have two that I use regularly when it gets hot here (it was 105°F at the weekend!)

Eye bag

When we think of Yoga equipment for home practice we need to think of props that deepen our practice. One which I HIGHLY recommend is a lavender eye pillow.

savasana with lavender eye bag

Slightly weighted this is a great prop to deepen restorative yoga, or savasana. Since discovering these years ago I LOVE using my eye pillow for my practice. Once you get one, you’ll wonder how you relaxed without it!

Inversion table/headstand bench

One of my absolute favorite purchases (aside from my bolster) is this headstand inversion bench. If you struggle with headstands or handstands, you can use this stool to experience the inversion with very little effort.

headstand bench exercises

This piece of yoga equipment for home practice is one that has come down in price in recent years. These are now pretty affordable for a home practice, and now they come in different styles. The inversion bench can double as blocks when in standing poses bringing the floor up to you. Also, I use it in restorative yoga with the legs supported on top of the bench. Bliss!

Sandbags

While they may seem pretty boring a sandbag is a great way to ground and bring yourself present into your practice. These are great for restorative yoga, or for those with a vata dosha. Personally, I use them in pranayama and restorative.

sandbag exercises and use as grounding for savasana

As this a weighted prop it makes it a versatile yoga equipment for home practice as you can use it as resistance. Sometimes I blend yoga and pilates movements and this is a great prop for some resistance training for the upper body and core.

Yoga Wheel

If you’re looking for some yoga playtime then I recommend a yoga wheel. These can be used so many ways. Whether you want to play in shoulder stands, or explore backbends with less effort.

yoga wheel poses: shoulder stands

In a pinch, a yoga wheel could be used as blocks in standing poses. As support in some restorative poses, when pair with a bolster, and maybe as a strap! Think outside the box, and reinvent the wheel!

Balance Pad

Earlier, I noted that yoga mats should be thin to help balance. However, sometimes we want to challenge our balance. Increasing our proprioception. Working the stabilizer muscles. A balance pad is a great way to do that. Typically 2″ thick these are super cushy and really challenge your balance.

balance pad poses and exercises: chair pose, tree, padungastasana, downward dog, all fours.

Being thick makes them a great option for replacing a blanket under the hands, knees or head. My husband has used this in some home improvement projects when he’s been kneeling a lot. It’s a yoga equipment for home practice that’s moved around the house quite a bit!

Honestly, there are still yoga props I haven’t included in this guide. There are so many other things I could include. From singing bowls, to incense, massage rollers and chairs. While all we need is our own body, sometimes it’s nice to get out the toys and play.

Questions

  • Do you use props in your yoga practice?
  • Are there any new props you discovered in this article?
  • Which of the above props looks the most comfortable to you?
Previous Post: «up the wall 10 minute legs up the wall yoga restorative yoga
Next Post: Gentle twist yoga sequence – 15 minute class twist with blocks»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheeia

    August 31, 2020 at 12:00 am

    You have the best stuff on here! Love following you and learning from you!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      awww thank you!

      Reply
  2. Jules

    August 28, 2020 at 5:23 am

    I never really use yoga props. I didn’t even know half of those things exists for yoga lol I’ve only seen the cubes! Awesome guide.

    xo jules

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:24 pm

      thanks. Yep there are ton of ways to make yoga better. Just because you don’t use em doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try 😉

      Reply
  3. Nkem

    August 27, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    I love yoga props! I just have to be careful because I know I don’t need all of them. I will say, though that during the pandemic, I have been taking many online yoga sessions and having the props at home has been quite helpful. I have a cork block that I love.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      Glad you have block at home, Really are useful for a home yoga practice!

      Reply
  4. Viano

    August 27, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    A very detailed post you’ve got here. Well, to answer your questions, yoga isn’t something I practise– I just do some simple exercise sometimes. I’ve known of some of the props used but I didn’t know about the blocks, wheel, sandbag, and eyebag. Oh wow! That’s a lot.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      yep tons of toys available for yoga and I left a few things out!

      Reply
  5. Kristine Nicole Alessandra

    August 27, 2020 at 3:51 am

    Oh I guess I have to do some shopping soon. I really want to get those yoga blocks and yoga strap. I will check online and order them from reputable sellers. Thanks for the list!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      Definitely for a home practice: mat, blanket/towel, blocks, strap, bolster.

      Reply
  6. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

    August 27, 2020 at 3:33 am

    Wow, that is a good assortment of props for yoga at home. I’d like that lavender eye bag, sounds like it would be ideal to help one relax.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Love my eye bag! highly recommend!

      Reply
  7. Taty

    August 27, 2020 at 3:01 am

    This is very interesting, but I can’t stop laughing imagining myself trying to do this ahahahah…..I’ll be such a disaster!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      The yoga wheel can be challenging. I’ve had many a giggle session on that!

      Reply
  8. Bethan Taylor-Swaine

    August 27, 2020 at 2:44 am

    I love a prop during yoga, especially a bolster! They’re so versatile and nothing beats a little nidra while hugging a bolster. I’ve never tried a yoga wheel but I’d love to, they look so fun!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Bolsters are yummy aren’t they? The supported twist I shared here is one of my favorite poses.

      Reply
  9. Trisha Agrawal

    August 27, 2020 at 12:10 am

    Interesting article. I don’t usually use any equipment other than yoga mats and a thick scarf as a blanket for some padding. There are a ton of new props I discovered in this article.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:20 pm

      I was the same when I was younger. Mat. Now I have a whole box of toys to play with!

      Reply
  10. Aaliziyah

    August 26, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    I never thought tennis ball can acutally be a yoga prop! Thank you so much for sharing this! I really appreciate this post

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 1, 2020 at 4:20 pm

      Yep, great for doing some muscle massage to allow us to stretch more!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Di. A yoga teacher with over 20 years experience in the health and wellness industry. My mission is to give you information so you can be fitter, healthier, stress-free and happier (no, seriously).

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