5 Yoga Props to Enhance Your Practice

For new and experienced yogis alike, yoga props can be a welcome addition to enhance a pose or take your favorite pose to the next level.
 
Yoga props can be used to stretch yourself beyond your current bodily limits, and overcome obstacles such as pain, pressure, or lack of flexibility. Many of you may already have a strap and set of blocks. But did you know? There is a whole world of yoga props out there that can benefit and empower your yoga experience.
 
Here are 5 yoga props that will enhance your yoga practice:
 

YogaPaws “Elite” Full Set

 

 
Take your yoga practice with you anywhere you go with the YogaPaws Elite Set, a wearable yoga mat for your hands and feet. These padded paws are much more than standard yoga socks or gloves – they are like having grippy and cushioned yoga mats that stay securely in place on the palms of your hands and feet. Say goodbye to your cumbersome yoga mat while traveling and toss your paws in your purse, gym bag or suitcase without taking up much room.

A real game-changer, YogaPaws allow you to experience yoga in new and exciting places – in a grass field at a local park during your lunch break, on a brick veranda, in the middle of a cobblestone road, on a hotel carpet, on wooden or linoleum floors, and anywhere your travels or imagination take you. No matter where you venture, YogaPaws will make you feel strong, solidly grounded, and stable, from crow pose to handstand. During hot yoga, pair them with your yoga mat to ensure more grip and absorb sweat without the need for a clunky yoga towel that often trips you up.

Cleaning YogaPaws is a breeze – simply turn them inside out, place them back on your hands, wash your hands as you normally would with a gentle soap, and then air them out to dry. The paws are offered in maroon, green, blue, black and red in multiple sizes to find the exact fit that is perfect for your body composition. Women can choose sizes XS-L, while men can choose between sizes small and regular. Once you try out YogaPaws, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!
 

YogaJellies

 

 
If you have pain in your wrists, elbows, knees, hips or any other weight-bearing joint, then YogaJellies may just be your new best friend. The small and portable non-toxic silicon-based discs come in a set of two. They provide you with comfort and cushioning where you need it most. Set the pads on your mat for the areas that need added support, and your YogaJellies will stay in place without slipping or sliding.

Try placing one of the discs under your head in Savasana for more comfort and to achieve proper spinal alignment. Use them to support your wrists in downward facing dog, plank or bow poses. Use them in any kneeling pose to reduce the pressure on your joints and achieve the full expression of the pose without knee discomfort. The extra support and cushioning can allow you to hold poses for longer periods without the discomfort you may have experienced in the past. Choose between any color in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and turquoise.
 

T Spheres® Dragonfly Yoga Set

 

 
The T Spheres Dragonfly Yoga Set are small spheres that are infused with geranium and lemongrass essential oils that are released upon contact. The relaxing scents balance the Doshas and alleviate achy joints, pain and exhaustion. Use the purified rubber and toxic-free spheres during restorative yoga or to provide a deep tissue massage during your asanas or meditation practice (see how-to video).

Have tired, achy feet? Before your practice, roll the spheres on the ground along your feet to massage out the kinks and prepare you for the mat. If you have a sore muscle, place the sphere beneath that area and lean into the sphere with your body weight. Breathe deeply and release. Repeat this process until your muscle relaxes and you feel relief.

You can also warm the sphere for deeper muscle penetration. After your practice, massage away soreness and tension, and follow the same bodyweight pressure approach to release tension and muscle soreness. You can even freeze the sphere and place it between your shoulder blades with a pillow beneath your neck to relieve headaches and migraines. Hot or cold, the T Spheres combine aromatherapy with extra support to help ease your pain and find a deeper relaxation on and off the mat.
 

Jevin Yoga Prop

 

 
The Jevin Yoga Prop is an eye-catching, USA-made yoga tool designed to assist its user by attaining proper alignment in the body without compromising the joints and muscles. Uniquely qualified to satisfy all bodies and levels of flexibility, the Jevin’s range in shape cover 6 different lengths from 8” inches to the largest available size of 18” length. Made of an extremely supportive, thin, and lightweight metal structure surrounded by soft and flexible rubber, the Jevin’s flattened U-shape provides more support than the average yoga strap.

Each Jevin assists with alignment during your yoga practice by using this prop as a way to add a few extra inches of reach in hands or feet just like a traditional yoga strap, while providing a little something extra. The Jevin adds “heft” and a flat structure to kick into or hold onto without the uncomfortable strap cutting into your skin. This prop also requires us to apply our own resistance energy in the form of reciprocal forces within the body such as kicking into the Jevin or pulling it towards you. Using it coaxes our muscles and connective tissue to work together as a team. The Jevin also provides the brain with correct feedback for muscle memory and proper alignment cues for future practice.

The Jevin is perfect for all yoga students ranging from new yogis, to those with tight connective tissues and muscles, and also provides seasoned yogis with correct alignment feedback during more advanced poses like forearm balance and binding poses.

The Jevin prop was reviewed and written by Melissa Nordin
 

Infinity Strap

 

 
With the shape of a never-ending infinity symbol, the Infinity Strap is a compact strap without excess materials or hard-to-adjust buckles. You can choose between the Stretch model that has a little give, or the sturdy Cotton model. Both models allow you to explore poses without any annoying extra strap getting in the way.

The strap’s simple yet highly effective design helps you achieve proper alignment and stretch more deeply in challenging poses. With the double-loop design, you can easily slip your hand or foot through a loop with ease, avoiding wasted time and energy fumbling with excess material or bulky buckles. You can choose from one of eight colors and four sizes to find just the right strap to meet your style and body composition.
 

The physical practice of yoga is all about form and alignment. From the brand new yogi to the seasoned yoga veteran, we all need a little assistance in our poses once in a while. The best part about yoga props is their versatility—they meet you and your practice exactly where you are. Whether you’re looking to gain flexibility, improve your alignment, or fulfill your own unique yoga needs, each yoga prop we’ve included are there to help you in just the right way at just the right time. What’s more? They are all YouAligned.

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