Yoga Props 101: What Do You Actually Need?
Published by Yoga Republik · Canggu, Bali
Walk into any well-stocked yoga studio and you'll see a wall of props — blocks in different heights, straps coiled in rows, bolsters piled in the corner, blankets folded on shelves. It can feel overwhelming if you're new to practice, or even if you've been practising for years but have always just grabbed whatever was closest.
Props aren't just for beginners. They're tools for practising smarter, going deeper, and protecting your body as you build mobility over time. Here's a clear breakdown of what each prop actually does and whether you need it.
The Non-Negotiables: What You Actually Need
A Yoga Mat
Before anything else, a mat. If you're practising in Canggu or anywhere in Bali, the mat matters more than anywhere else in the world — humidity and sweat demand a surface that grips rather than slides. See our guide to choosing a yoga mat in Bali if you're not sure where to start.
Yoga Blocks
If you own one prop beyond a mat, it should be blocks. Yoga blocks are the single most versatile prop in practice and genuinely useful whether you're a complete beginner or an advanced practitioner.
What they do: Blocks bring the floor closer to you. In standing forward folds, they let your hands rest without rounding your back. In low lunge, they prop up your front hip so your pelvis can actually be level. In supported backbends, they go under the sacrum or upper back.
The progression looks like this: when you can't reach the floor with straight legs, a block bridges the gap. As your flexibility develops, you move the block lower (most blocks have three height options). Eventually you might not need them for that pose — but by then you've found seventeen other uses for them.
Material matters: Foam blocks are the lightest and most affordable — good starter option. Cork blocks are heavier and more stable, which makes them better for weight-bearing poses (like supported handstand prep or balancing). They're also more durable and antimicrobial, which matters in Bali's heat. Wooden blocks are the most firm and traditional, though less common.
How many? Two is the standard. Most poses that use blocks use two, and having a matched pair makes balancing sequences easier. Start with one if budget is a concern, but two is the goal.
A Yoga Strap
Straps are underrated and underused. A strap is essentially a length extension for your arms — it lets you hold poses your flexibility hasn't caught up to yet.
What they do: In seated forward folds, a strap looped around the feet lets you hold the correct alignment without collapsing your spine. In reclined hand-to-big-toe pose, it substitutes for hamstrings that haven't opened yet. In shoulder openers, it creates traction between the shoulder blades.
Straps also provide resistance for strengthening: holding a strap overhead in shoulder exercises, using it for active hip flexor stretches, or creating tension in poses where you need your arms to "push against" something.
What to look for: A strap with a D-ring or figure-eight buckle that can be adjusted quickly during practice. Length of 2.4m is standard and suits most purposes. Cotton straps feel better in the hand than polyester.
The Next Level: Props Worth Adding Over Time
A Bolster
A bolster is a large, firm cylindrical or rectangular cushion used primarily in restorative yoga and yin practice. If you practise in a studio that offers Yin or restorative classes, you've probably used one — they go under the chest in supported fish pose, under the knees in reclined bound angle, or beneath the spine in supported backbends.
For home practice, a bolster enables a whole category of restorative work that's difficult without one. You could substitute a rolled blanket or firm pillow, but neither matches the stability and height of a real bolster.
If you practise mostly Vinyasa, a bolster can wait. If you do any restorative or Yin work at home — or if you're managing an injury — it becomes worth having.
A Yoga Blanket
Blankets are one of those props that seem low-tech but turn up constantly in practice. They go under knees in kneeling poses, under hips to elevate the pelvis in seated forward folds, folded under the head in Savasana, or draped over the body for warmth at the end of practice.
A dedicated yoga blanket (usually a heavy Mexican blanket or similar) is more stable and durable than a regular household blanket. It's also one of the more affordable props on this list.
A Yoga Wheel
The yoga wheel is a newer addition to the prop toolkit, and not essential for most people — but genuinely useful for backbend practitioners and those working on thoracic spine mobility.
A wheel rolled between the shoulder blades creates a gentle supported backbend that's difficult to replicate with other props. It's also used for assisted hamstring openers, hip flexor work, and balance challenges in arm balance preparation.
Cork wheels are the best option — the material grips better than plastic and handles Bali's humidity without becoming slippery. Our cork yoga wheels are the version we'd recommend.
What You Probably Don't Need (Yet)
Knee pads: Useful for very sensitive knees on hard floors, but most practitioners find that folded blankets do the same job.
Inversion stools: Niche tools for headstand and shoulder stand practice. Skip unless inversions are a specific focus of your practice.
Sandbags: Used in advanced restorative practice to add weight and deepen release. A specialist prop that most practitioners won't need.
Building Your Home Practice Kit
If you're setting up a home practice space and starting from nothing, a sensible order is:
A good mat first — everything else sits on top of this decision. Then two cork blocks, which will see daily use in almost any style. Add a strap next for forward folds and shoulder work. A blanket covers a lot of the remaining gaps inexpensively. A bolster comes once you're doing regular restorative or Yin practice.
That's a complete, practical home practice kit that covers most bases without unnecessary clutter.
Browse our yoga props collection online or come into the shop on Jalan Batu Mejan in Canggu — we can help you figure out what makes sense for your practice specifically.
Follow along at @yogarepublik.id for new prop arrivals and restocks.