If you follow any of our social media platforms or subscribe to Redefine At Home, you have likely noticed that I frequently use yoga blocks and mats in my series. While these props are not a necessity to complete any of our series, they can be helpful and provide more comfort and ease with the postures.

Yoga Blocks

You may be surprised to hear that this is not one of the categories in fitness equipment where I think spending more money yields a more useful product. I have used dozens of types of yoga blocks, and have found that each serves their purpose in helping me support a posture. I love the Hugger Mugger foam blocks (listed for $16.99 each on most sites), and we use these at the studio that I teach at. I used to have my own pair until my baby Vizsla Miles decided that they were his new favorite chew toy and he destroyed them.

Not wanting to invest in another $40 of yoga blocks while Miles was a puppy (and puppy Chase would soon be coming) I went online and got an inexpensive set for $4.99 each from Sunshine Yoga. This was 6 years ago and I still have them. They are featured in many of my videos! I honestly do not feel any more value in the more expensive brand if you are on a budget or unsure of how often you will use them.

I prefer the foam blocks, I know some people like the cork ones. If I have a choice I always reach for foam. I find the cork ones heavy and more bothersome to move around during my practice, and I also feel like they are too hard for some of the restorative postures. I also prefer the 4 inch blocks vs the 3 inch. I find that they offer more stability and support in my practice.

Yoga Mats

This fitness equipment category is one that I do believe that spending the extra money is beneficial. I am a big fan of the Manduka Pro Mat.

https://www.manduka.com/the-black-mat-pro-black-71.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=(ROI)_Shopping_USA_Branded&utm_term=%7c&utm_content=314332498792&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2IrmBRCJARIsAJZDdxBdjqJ7iBROCcTrCbW4ieryeQBL-JJBgmLjs6vPHTyunVYZT6LOPgcaAuUgEALw_wcB

This mat is on the pricier side of yoga mats but I think it is worth the price. I began my yoga practice on a $10 yoga mat from Target when I was 25. It was terrible. My first studio was on concrete and I quickly realized that this mat was too thin and shifted around way too much during my practice. I upgraded to the $40 Lululemon mat and used that for a year or two. It broke down in many spots and was still too thin and shifty. At that time in my life, I was drowning in student debt, so I stuck with this mat for a few years. When I did teacher training, my parents generously gifted me the Manduka Pro. It’s amazing and completely changed my practice. It is thicker, more stable, and has great grip. It takes a few months to break it (slippery at first) but I have had this mat for over 5 years and it is still like new. I have tried the Pro Lite, and completely prefer the Pro version.

For travel, I love the Manduka travel mat.

https://www.manduka.com/eko-superlite-yoga-mat-charcoal.html?___store=default&refSrc=587&nosto=nosto-page-product1

It has good grip for its lightweight nature, and can fold up into my backpack when I travel. I have had this mat for 3 years, and like the Pro, it is still like new. It has traveled all over the country with me for the past year and a half, and it has held up amazingly. I love spreading it out in airports or on vacation and catching a quick practice.

These are a few of my favorite things! Hope that they can help support you in your personal practice!

Chase and Miles showing off the yoga blocks