5 Tuck your toes, engage your core, and pull your hips up and back to Downward-
Facing Dog.
Besides a yoga mat, a few other props can be very useful when you’re
practicing yoga. I personally use straps, blocks, and blankets in my own
home practice. Think about these props as support that you can use when
you need it; they are not crutches or in any way a sign of your not being
good enough. Props can help you better your alignment and also deepen
certain poses in a safe way. Using blocks in the right places means that
you’re smart and focusing on good posture, not that you’re too stiff to
reach the floor. I encourage all my students to use blocks whenever needed.
Yoga straps work great as an elongation of your arms when you’re
working the shoulders or hamstrings or are in standing balances. Blankets
are great to use folded up under your hips for meditation, or to keep your
body warm at the end of practice.