Beyond the basics: How Yoga Props Transform Your Practice with Stephanie Tencer

In the yoga world, props are often misunderstood—dismissed as crutches, shortcuts, or tools reserved for beginners. But what if props were actually the gateway to a more intelligent, intentional, and transformative yoga practice?

In this powerful episode of Let’s Talk Yoga, host Arundhati Baitmangalkar is joined by certified Iyengar yoga teacher Stephanie Tencer to unpack the true purpose and potential of yoga props. Far from being optional add-ons, Stephanie explains how props can reveal alignment, improve proprioception, and deepen your asana from the inside out.

This is not just a conversation—it’s a masterclass in adaptable, creative, and alignment-based yoga teaching.

We dive into:

• Why props are essential for every body—not just beginners or those with limited mobility
• How to use props to teach alignment, awareness, and breath integration
• Intelligent sequencing strategies that incorporate props purposefully
• The impact of body proportions and individual variation on pose adaptation
• How to break down complex poses and rebuild them using props with intention
• Ways yoga teachers can use props to support diverse students while elevating their teaching skills

Whether you’re a student curious about deepening your practice or a teacher looking to refine your sequencing, observation, and prop usage—this episode will shift how you see and use props forever.

Perfect for:
Yoga teachers, Iyengar yoga practitioners, yoga teacher trainees, and students wanting to explore alignment, anatomy, and the art of teaching yoga with props.

🎧 Tune in now and elevate your teaching and practice through the power of props.

Beyond the Basics with Yoga Props Episode Highlights:

• Understanding why props aren’t just for beginners or modifications, but for deepening learning
• How props can highlight specific actions, create feedback, and reveal imbalances
• Why using props skillfully requires experience, creativity, and clarity in teaching
• The impact of body proportions on practice and how to observe them as a teacher
• Strategies for deconstructing a pose to teach its parts before moving into the full shape
• Clarifying the roles of different props: straps, blocks, bolsters, blankets, chairs, and walls
• Common misconceptions around chair yoga and how chairs can enhance complex poses
• Creative ways to use the wall as a prop, especially to support balance, alignment, and resistance
• The importance of teachers practicing with props themselves to offer better instruction
• Teaching the same pose with and without props to develop insight and precision
• The difference between how you practice and how you teach, and why both can evolve

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• We’re Hiring: Join My Team as a Social Media & Digital Content Specialist (Remote, Part-Time)
• Stephanie’s YouTube channel
• Stephanie’s on-demand class library
• Discount code for her on-demand membership: LETSTALKYOGA
• Join our mailing list
• Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube
• Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube
• Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!