5 Ways To Use Props To Enhance And Support Your Practice

The use of props in yoga is a heated topic of debate among yoga teachers and avid practitioners. I’ve heard of some yoga instructors who don’t believe in the use of props, and I’ve witnessed many yoga instructors who treat props like a crutch for students who aren’t as “advanced”.

My approach is different because I’ve seen the power of props when it comes to elevating awareness, increasing accessibility, and creating nuanced sensation in the body. Props can help promote a safe, supported practice that meets you where you are, whether you’re a beginner, healing from an injury, or a regularly practicing yogi who wants to explore their favorite posture in a new way.

For beginners and seasoned yogis alike, incorporating props can help you find more ease, stability, and alignment in your postures. Props don’t make a pose easier—they make it smarter. They invite in curiosity, adaptability, and compassion.

Here are 5 ways you can use props to enhance and support your practice:

1. Bring the Floor to You with Blocks

One of the most foundational ways to use props in your practice is to bring the floor closer to you. In standing poses like wide-legged forward fold or pyramid, placing blocks beneath your hands helps you maintain length in the spine and maintain integrity in your alignment—without overreaching or collapsing into the pose.

Blocks can also offer support in seated or hip-opening postures. Try placing one under your hip in pigeon pose or under your thighs in bound angle to reduce strain on your knees and hips, and help your body release more gently.

Even in poses like downward-facing dog or wheel, placing blocks under your hands can make the shape more accessible. This subtle lift can ease pressure on the wrists and shoulders, offering more spaciousness and stability.

2. Use a Strap to Extend Your Reach

In poses like seated forward fold, bound angle, or happy baby, a yoga strap can act as an extension of your arms. It brings the pose to you, allowing you to explore depth without compromising optimal alignment. You can use the leverage from the strap to keep your spine long and your shoulders soft, even as you move into deeper expressions of a pose.

Straps are also incredibly helpful in poses or variations that require more shoulder mobility, like bow pose or any variation where hands clasp behind the back—like bridge or high crescent lunge.  If your hands aren't able to reach one another, you can hold the strap in both hands to bridge the gap while maintaining alignment.

To work toward increased shoulder mobility, try holding the strap behind your back with both hands and explore slowly walking your hands closer together over time—always tuning into sensation and backing off if you feel any pain.

3. Support Deep Rest with a Bolster

Bolsters are best known for their magic in gentle and restorative yoga, but they’re just as wonderful during the cool-down of more vigorous practices. 

In savasana, try placing a bolster under your knees to relieve tension in your lower back. For even more support, elevate the bolster with blocks under each end–this setup is often called Stonehenge. 

If lying on your back isn’t comfortable, a bolster can help create a deeply grounding experience in savasana. Rest your torso on a bolster in supported child’s pose, or place it between your legs while you lay on your side.

You can also use the bolster in heart-opening shapes like supported fish or reclined bound angle by placing it lengthwise along your spine. These postures gently open the chest and shoulders, making space for emotional release and a sense of inner spaciousness.

Personally, I love using Hugger Mugger bolsters in my home practice—they’re supportive without being too firm, and soft enough to feel truly comfortable.

4. Challenge Your Balance with a Blanket

Testing your balance is essential for preventing falls and challenging your vestibular system. Yoga poses like Vrksasana (Tree pose) and Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III) are just two examples of postures that you can add to your routine to help you build greater stability. 

Place a blanket underneath your standing leg in balancing poses to create an unfamiliar sensation under your foot. The change in texture encourages your body to adapt, increasing proprioception and strength. Embrace the wobbles–they are your body’s training system for better balance!

If you need help staying steady, try fixing your gaze on a stationary object to make balancing on the blanket easier.

5. Find Stability with a Wall, Chair, or Block

Props like a wall, chair, or blocks can help provide a sense of security in balancing poses. By offering a place to rest your hand, you can catch yourself and prevent falling out of a pose.

Beyond support, these props can also be used to create resistance and feedback to teach you a more nuanced expression of a posture. For example, practicing Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) with your heel pressing against a wall can enhance your awareness of the connection between your back heel and front hip. This connection encourages proper hip alignment by giving you the leverage to bring your hips square to the front of the mat.

Whether you’re taking a break in the work day or seeking a more accessible practice, chairs can be a fantastic tool for offering traction and support in seated twists, inversions like downward facing dog, and gentle lateral bends.

Take This with You

Every body is different, and every time you step on the mat, your body is different than the time before. Props offer options to modify, explore, and make changes that support your body, your energy, and your intention on a given day. 

Props help teach us that yoga isn’t about getting your body into a certain shape, it’s about cultivating awareness—of the breath, the mind, and the way we relate to ourselves.

Next time you return to your mat, remember that props are not about doing less, but about teaching you more about yourself.