For practicing Yoga, you don’t need any accessories or props. The only thing you need for doing Yoga is your body. Even the clean surface is enough to perform Yoga. Some accessories are there to perform Yoga which is useful for beginners. Even without using this equipment, one can perform Yoga. But some Yoga practitioners make use of a variety props and accessories.
Following are some Yoga accessories and props:
Good clothing should be selected to perform Yoga. Choose cotton clothes which are not too tight and loose because while doing Yoga, you will get lot of sweat in some poses. So choose clothes which gives comfort as well as they are breathable.
Mats: Yoga mats provide you comfortable from surface as well as it serves as a padding for your knees, hips and anyplace where you don’t have your own padding. While practicing Yoga poses, mat can keep you away from slipperiness. In other words, a mat makes ground or floor more comfortable for sitting and lying Yoga poses. There are many types of Yoga mats available such as thick Yoga mats, Yoga towels, long Yoga mats, Yoga rugs, cotton mats and covers, Yoga blankets, mat bags etc.
Wedges and blocks: Blocks provide support for doing Yoga poses correctly when you are unable to stretch your body full. It will help you modify a pose to accommodate your flexibility level. Remember, yoga poses reduce pain but they also reduce the benefits of the posture as well. So, try the posture on your own without any help.
Wedges too provide support. They can be used under the hips in a forward bend, under the heels in a squat, or under the hands to prevent overstretching in poses.
Bolsters and breathing pillows: These soft pillows are used in meditation, restorative, prenatal, and supported postures. To create a gentle arch, breathing pillows are placed under the spine while lying on the back. This opens the chest, making breathing practice easier.
Eye bags and sandbags: Eye bags help relieve tension around the eyes and brows. Whenever you use these bags, you keep it in freezer and use it; you will get coolness to your eyes.
Sandbags can perform a variety of functions. You can sit on a sandbag to get extra height for forward bends, or it can be used under the feet in a hamstring stretch.
Straps: These are essential and helpful in doing some Yoga poses especially for beginners where full flexibility is still developing. Suppose you are unable to complete a certain pose then a strap can help you make the connection and hold the pose longer.
The above are some of the accessories that can help you do better Yoga. These accessories are not required but they are useful. These accessories are created to make you feel better and not to make you feel uneasy.