Props Help You Maximize Poses

The Iyengar style of yoga encourages the use of props. You can use blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, or anything you can think of, in order to help you get the best alignment you can in any given pose that provides extra leverage and stability. If you find that props are helpful in a class, you can buy blocks, straps, and other yoga accessories from many websites or sport and health stores to use at home.

But props have their drawbacks. Don’t get overconfident and go too far in a posture because you have the advantage of a prop; you can still become injured if you go beyond your body’s limits. Also, if you only practice with props, you can come to rely on them, which hampers your progress and improvement. Props have their place, but put them aside periodically and challenge yourself to find the alignment on your own.