Yoga Supplies

What kinds of equipment can you use in yoga?

Only a few pieces of yoga equipment are actually required in order to start this practice, but more supplies are available for users who want to tackle certain poses, or who may need assistance to maintain certain positions correctly.

The basic yoga accessories include mats and blankets or towels. In yoga studios with hard floors, a padded mat with a certain amount stick to the surface will help to stop slipping, while also protecting the joints from direct contact with the hard floor.

Yoga blocks, wedges, cotton straps, wheels, and bolsters are also available. These accessories are not necessary for yoga practice, but many people find them helpful in increasing flexibility, correctly maintaining poses, and training the body to move in the correct form.

Mats

The most common base for yoga, the mat is available in a range of thicknesses, materials, designs, and colors to suit any user's needs. Practitioners often prefer a certain level of stickiness, specific densities of padding, and certain materials depending on their own unique practice.

Towels & Blankets

Towels and blankets are the second most common addition to a yoga practice. Towels can be used to wipe away sweat or as a roll to help support the neck during meditation or certain stretches. A blanket is helpful to fold up and sit on during meditation if it is difficult to sit flat on the floor with legs crossed. It can also be used to cover up with when lying still during certain poses.

Props, Blocks, & Bolsters

Blocks and wedges are brick-sized pieces of foam that can help with body alignment, supporting you so that you can move into the correct position during yoga flows.

A bolster can serve the same purpose, providing added support to help you train your body to maintain proper posture and positioning, and correct your form.

Straps & Wheels

Yoga straps are made of cotton and are useful for holding poses and stretching, particularly poses utilizing leg stretches. Often, a yoga strap will include a D-ring or quick-release buckle to adjust the length for a proper fit and resistance.

Yoga wheels are designed to support the body, aiding in stretches by providing support for training certain poses and helping facilitate a better stretch through inversion.

Accessories

Additional yoga accessories like bags and clothing are also available to round out the practitioner's needs, offering better comfort and convenience. Bags especially are particularly useful for those who practice in a yoga studio and need to travel between home and the gym. Bags allow you to contain all your yoga tools in one convenient kit for quick, easy portability.