Practising yoga at home - easy prop alternatives

So as we are all at home for the next few weeks, it seems like the perfect opportunity to start yoga or continue your yoga practise if you had been practising previously. However when you go to your yoga class all the props are there but at home you don’t have them… no problem because today I’m going to show you easy alternatives with stuff we all have at home.

Firstly blocks, the purpose of a yoga is to provide more comfort while practising and help to improve the alignment of the body. They can help you get deeper into poses, protect wrists, ankles etc so they really are quite useful. An easy alternative to this is books. They are solid enough to hold your weight as something such as a pillow wouldn’t be. If you want to make to books slightly softer use a blanket, a blanket will soften it without compromising the benefits to your alignment.

Replacement for blocks - books

Next a bolster, bolsters are great for restorative yoga and gently stretching your back. Also can be used in other posed for various purposes for example our latest youtube video uses a bolster in downward dog. Depending on your use there are two alternatives. If you want a slightly more solid bolster then books with a soft cover over them, we mourn the passing of phone books because they would’ve been ideal. And then next you would probably use more often is a rolled up cushion, if you roll up a cushion and tie a string around it it then is an ideal bolster.

Replacement for bolster - Rolled up cushion (see image)

If you use a block under your head, a book can be too hard and uncomfortable however a big bath towel works great because it is soft but also solid enough to still give you support. \if your chin is poking in the air this can help lift the back of the head so your alignment is improved and it is more comfortable.

Replacement for block under head - Rolled up bath towel

A replacement for straps is probably easier to think of but here are a few ideas. A strap can help soften some poses and lighten others, wonderful invention! Alternatives would be a scarf, a belt or a tie ( a tie can be too short in some cases but if you don’t have the other then it’s worth a try)

Hope you found these helpful if you have any ideas of other alternatives or any questions let us know on our social media.

Namaste,

Laura