yoga props

Even the most experienced yoga practitioners believe in the power of props to deepen their understanding of the most common postures. By using a block, you're giving your limbs a little extension, allowing you to sink deeper into the pose and focus on what it feels like instead of what it looks like.

Staff Pose

• Sit on your mat with both legs together so they're straight out in front of you. Place a block on either side of your body, right next to your hips.
• Place your palms flat on the block beside your hips, and actively press into them, keeping your bottom on the floor. Keep both arms as straight as possible, and lengthen your spine, imagining it is a sturdy staff or cane someone would use to walk with. By using blocks, you're giving your arms a little leverage to help elongate your spine and drop your seat into your mat as much as possible.
• Roll your shoulders away from your ears, and tuck your chin. Engage your leg muscles, and flex your feet.
• Stay here for five deep breaths, keeping your belly still and only breathing into your ribs. Then release.

Hero Pose

• Kneel on a mat with your knees together. Separate your feet, place a block right under your butt, and sit down. Using the block takes unnecessary pressure off the knees. Instead of focusing on the pain, it allows you to reap the quad-opening benefits of this pose.
• Use your hands to roll your calves away from your thighs. Curl the arches of your feet around the curve of your bottom, so your toes are pointing behind you and slightly toward one another.
• Rest your hands on your thighs, press your palms together in front of your chest, or raise your hands overhead. Stay here for five deep breaths.

Downward Dog

• Begin on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees underneath your hips.
• Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into the upside down "V" shape we know as Downward Facing Dog.
• Spread your fingers wide, and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Your heels should be slightly wider than your toes, so the outside edges of your feet are parallel with the outside edges of your mat.
• Once you're in the pose, grab your block and place it between the middle of your inner thighs. Using the block will help you learn how to engage and internally rotate your legs, which is essential to eventually reaching your heels to the floor. Hold for five breaths, and release.

While blocks and yoga straps are standard in a beginner yoga class, many students shy away from using a blanket. For one, they're not sure why they'd need to take a nap in class! However, a blanket can be a help to any yoga practice for getting grounded, offering support, and more.

Have a strong seat: Even from your first and final seated meditation postures, sitting up tall on a blanket will help give your spine a little extra lift and your hips a little more room to relax. Sitting on the blanket will help your pelvis tip forward and prevent your back from rounding. Your strong pranayama breathing will move through your body with a new kind of intensity. Once this shift is made, it's hard to go back.

Make space for growth: Whether your knees or hips need a little extra love, beginners or even intermediate yogis will benefit from using a blanket. Instead of focusing on knee pain in Crescent Warrior, the blanket takes the pressure off your joints, allowing focus to be placed on holding the shape comfortably. Using a blanket in Pigeon is another big help. Rolling a blanket up and threading it under a bent leg offers comfort and support.

Settle in Savasana: After a tough yoga practice, there's nothing more luxurious than draping yourself in a blanket during your final relaxation pose. Placing a blanket on your lower body will help you relax deeper into the mat and take some of the edge off of the lower back. If you ever find yourself uncomfortable in Savasana, this shift can make the whole experience more pleasant and restful.

Source: Flickr User lululemon athletica

Straps are one of the most underutilized props in a yoga studio; since many students are fearful of not looking flexible, they won't grab one. If you're serious about deepening your practice, it's time to get serious about trying a strap.

Extend your limbs: Trying to reach for your foot in a pose like Standing Hand to Big Toe or Dancer can be frustrating for yoga newbies or those who are less flexible. Instead of placing all the emphasis on the final expression of the shape, wrap the strap around your foot, and hold on tight. This way you'll get a feel for the pose and focus on the version that suits your body.

Twist deep: Tight backs of legs can make getting comfortable in twisting postures a pain. In any reclining spinal twist, the strap can make a huge difference. Wrap the strap around your foot, hold one end of the strap with each hand, and enjoy the lower back release.

Begin to bind: If you can't fully lock yourself into a bind, grab a strap for help. Instead of overextending your body or pulling a muscle that will force you off your mat, a strap will help you open up. They're absolutely wonderful for big shoulder openers like Cow Face Pose or Intense Side Stretch.

How do you use a yoga strap in class?

Source: Yogitoes