Yoga props—including blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, meditation cushions and eye pillows —are valuable tools for your practice. Props are not just for beginners. They assist with alignment and balance, allow for deepening of poses, provide comfort and support in yin and restorative poses, and can also prevent injuries by bridging the gap when we experience restriction in our body or are working on our current flexibility.
Students often inquire where they can purchase their own personal yoga props. Below we’ve shared some links to help you get started. These are to support your personal search and should not be considered recommendations. These are non-affiliated links.
Yoga Mats:
You can find yoga mats at the Dollar Store, Winners and Walmart for $5-$20. BUT, your yoga mat is the most important prop for your practice. Bubble plastic mats are slippery and harder to practice Hatha/Flow styles on.
Things to consider: thickness, stickiness (to prevent slipping in flow practices), quality, colours, environmental considerations and price. Pro tip: 4-5mm thickness is a standard practice mat. 3mm is thin & good for travel. 6mm+ is cushy & good for yin/restorative, padding knees in poses, but is often challenging for balance & heavy to carry.
Here are few suggestions. (These are not recommendations, only suggestions. Please do your own research): Price points $ low to $$$ high
Sola Mats 4mm (Cdn, Female led $$)
Scoria Cork Mats (Canadian $$)
Lulumon’s The Mat 5mm (Cdn $$)
Yoga Bolsters:
Things to consider: Round or rectangular shape, length, density and filling. A good standard bolster for most bodies is round, approx 7-8″ diameter x 22-24″ long. Or rectangular 24″ L x 6″ H x 12″ W. They vary widely in price and there are endless colours and patterns. Price point low to high
Lovemymat.com Canadian Bolsters
Yoga Blankets:
Yoga blankets are great to have for all types of practice. They can be rolled or folded for under wrists or knees, support your neck for reclined or bridged poses, under your glutes to support/assist with seated shapes and forward folds. They can create a soft space to practice beneath you, over blocks or rolled in place of a bolster, plus keep you warm in savasana.
Thrift one! Look for Mexican style blankets Mexican Yoga Blanket (Amazon)
Straps & Eye Pillows:
Straps help support flexibility & balance practices. You don’t need anything specials as you can use your mat strap, a small towel. But there are a few options below. You’ll want a strap without any stretch.
Eye pillows offer a gentle weight over the eyes in savasana or restorative shapes that can encourage relaxation and stillness. They’re also great for under wrists and heels or gentle hand weights for relaxation.
Looped/Infinity Strap (SportChek) ❗
Tune Up Yoga Balls & Props:
Tune Up is a therapeutic fitness format combining yoga, corrective exercise, and self-massage to reduce pain, improve posture, and enhance mobility, created by Jill Miller. One of our teachers, Tomoko, offers this unique practice on Sunday evenings. The props required are specific and crafted in size & density to support the fascia, ligaments & muscles while providing compression.
Tune Up Props from Tuneupfitness.com (US Vendor)
Tune Up Yoga Balls from Amazon
Physiotherapist offices often have Tune Up Yoga Balls for purchase
Bells Corners Community Yoga 