5 Household items you can use as Yoga props!
With the rise of a home yoga practice, due to the global pandemic we are in, more and more people are doing yoga at home and tuning in online for yoga classes. From Youtube, to Instagram and Facebook Lives, to studio and private sessions via Zoom or other video conferencing software, you can find yoga pretty much anywhere now, online.
You can practice yoga without anyone seeing you, just be led through your practice with a guide in the privacy of your own home.
Taking part in yoga online has many benefits, one being the obvious one, you’re doing yoga in the comfort of your home. This at home practice offers more privacy and ease to your yoga session. Especially if you’re newer to yoga, you don’t have to feel anxious or embarrassed or whatever feeling you may have that a “yoga studio environment” may give you. You don’t have to really even shower, as no one will smell you. You can just get up and get on your mat and login online to find a yoga class. Even practicing in your pyjamas is acceptable, just make sure your outfit has stretch in the materials to allow movement. As I’m sure you’ve realized, on social media platforms the teacher doesn’t even see you. You can practice yoga without anyone seeing you, just be led through your practice with a guide in the privacy of your own home.
If you aren’t used to practicing yoga at home, what this may mean is that you may not have all the equipment to practice yoga safely and more with ease. Not to worry though, know that you don’t necessarily need the official props, as you can substitute with basic items in your home.
With a home yoga practice the number one equipment you do in fact need is a yoga mat. The others you can buy as you learn more about the practice and see if its worth investing in. By equipment I am referring to yoga props, like blocks, chip blocks, bolster, blanket, yoga strap and a quality yoga mat.
Don’t have yoga props, the following are some household hacks/items you can use to substitute for yoga props and incorporate them into your at home yoga practice when tuning in to do yoga online.
5 household items around your home to use as Yoga Props
The list of items I note are household items around your home that I think most people probably have around. In using these household items, just like yoga props, they can help enhance your yoga practice and keep you moving safely, moving with ease and prevent injury or maybe even pain you have from an existing injury.
Get CREATIVE and not feel obligated to buy all the props and all the things for yoga that may be sold to you online or through social media.
Using BOOKS as yoga blocks! A big textbook or a thicker book can be used to replace blocks. If you have two of the same book sizes, even better. Blocks are usually placed on the floor, which a book or two books can be used instead, in order to bring the earth closer up to the hands. Especially in a forward fold, if you can’t reach your hands or finger tips to the ground, bring the book to your hands while the book grounds into the earth. Another example, is if you are in low lunge, and same thing where, if you can’t quite reach the earth with your hands or fingers tips, when squaring your front foot. Placing your hands on the book or books can help bring more space in your posture as the ground is higher, as the books become the ground for your hands to be placed on them for extra support.
Using a SCARF as a yoga strap! If you don’t have a yoga strap, not to worry depending what you’re doing in your yoga class you may not need one. But if you do, you can use a scarf. Try to choose a scarf with as little stretch as possible. A scarf like a strap can be looped around your foot, if you’re laying on your back to give yourself a nice hamstring stretch (with one leg elevated other leg is grounded, scarf loops around your foot with your elevated leg straight). Another example if you’re doing dancers pose, a standing balance posture, and you have a hard time grabbing for your back foot, you can always loop around a scarf around the foot as a substitute for a strap. **Added bonus a scarf can be used to cover your eyes when you rest in your final Shavasana (corpse pose, the final rest posture).
Using a WATER BOTTLE or two as yoga blocks! This one mainly works for some balance posture, like half moon or standing split or maybe even warrior three, if you can’t have your arms off the ground or reach the ground with ease. A water bottle can also be used as a block, for example if you were in forward folds preparing to do a half moon posture maybe your hand that’s meant to stay grounded can’t touch the earth, you can always use the water bottle for extra balance and again to bring the earth up to your hand. Instead of straining yourself to try to touch the earth, you support yourself on the water bottle. Some water bottles can be taller than a book you maybe laying around.
A BLANKET or towel or pillow, can be used instead of a Yoga Blanket and/or to replace a foam block (Knee support). By a blanket I mean any blanket it doesn’t have to be a Yoga blanket, the ones that are sold at yoga or fitness shops where they have all those fancy yoga accessories. Just straight up use a blanket, any blanket, or something that can cushion your knee(s). Anytime your knee is being placed on the ground, like in low lunge, place a blanket, or a folded towel or even a pillow underneath your knee, and it will help keep your back knee safe and feeling pain free. **Added bonus, a blanket can be nice during Shavasana (your final rest posture) as the body cools down from your practice, keep your body warm with your blanket.
A PILLOW rolled up in a blanket (or use a foam roller) to replace a Bolster! Here’s where a pillow or maybe multiple pillows wrapped up in a blanket can make a great replacement for a bolster. Maybe if you have a large pillow one may be enough, but if you find that you need two pillows, rolling the pillows and a blanket together, can help you keep the shape of a cylinder bolster. Make sure to roll the pillows tightly with the blanket. If you have a foam roller this can be another great substitute for a bolster. A little harder but good still. A great way to use your “bolster” is to place it under your knees in Shavasana, or laying back on it so that your spine goes along the length of the foam roller.
The point here is to get creative and not feel obligated to buy all the props and all the things for yoga that may be sold to you online or through social media. Especially if you don’t see yourself continuing with a yoga practice long term, I wouldn’t recommend buying all the tools and props for yoga. Don’t get me wrong a mat is a must though! So next time you watch an online yoga class, whether it’s on YouTube or Instagram or wherever grab the five things above to help you practice safely and find certain yoga postures you may be struggling with, maybe now can be practiced with ease.
Keep in mind a yoga prop is intended to enhance your practice. And the point of yoga is not to go to our edge, it is to approach our edge and practice with attention. Noticing what arises for us, moving slowly so we can listen and hear sensations the body is telling us about our movements or in other styles, like yin yoga, where we hold postures.
Enjoy your home practice and trying out different online yoga classes. This is a fun way to really know what style of yoga you like, what teachers you prefer and what feels good for you and your body and mind.
Share with me below on what items in your home you’ve come up with that may differ from my list above, use your imagination find what you can use to substitute those fancy yoga props you may not have. Better yet share a picture with me of your “yoga prop”.
Remember yoga isn’t about pushing ourselves to our edge, it is about approaching our edge and self discovery AND yoga “props” help us with our journey and edge approach.
Practice safely, and with attention.
Namaste,
Marzena
Some other helpful articles/resources:
No Blocks, No Bolsters, No Problem