How To Use Yoga Blocks

The yoga block, a humble but mighty prop, has the facility to rework a torturous yoga session into an accessible and refreshing train. As an alternative of reaching for an additional inch, when you neglect to breathe and your face turns into pink, convey the bottom nearer with a yoga block. Such a easy modification, but groundbreaking, I do know!

Yoga blocks may also help you discover steadiness in standing poses, deepen stretches while you need to push your self a bit additional, make tough asanas extra accessible, and even construct energy by offering resistance.

Let’s study extra about yoga blocks and methods to incorporate them into your every day observe.

The Historical past of Yoga Blocks

Now a staple in trendy yoga practices, yoga blocks, additionally referred to as yoga bricks, have an fascinating historical past that aligns with the evolution of yoga into a world phenomenon. The precise origins of the yoga blocks are considerably hazy, as yoga practitioners have used comparable objects for assist and to deepen their stretches for hundreds of years. 

Nonetheless, B.Ok.S. Iyengar is commonly credited with the introduction of the yoga block as we all know it and use it right now. 

Within the twentieth century, Iyengar started utilizing yoga bricks as props in his lessons to assist practitioners get into tough asanas with out straining themselves. He was an enormous advocate for using props, together with yoga blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters, as a result of he believed that correct alignment is essential and that yoga ought to be accessible to all, no matter age, flexibility, or well being circumstances.

His revolutionary strategy was detailed in his seminal guide Gentle on Yoga, first printed in 1966. It has since turn into a type of bible for yoga practitioners worldwide.

Supplies, Dimension, & Form

Initially, these blocks had been made from wooden. The advantage of picket yoga blocks was that they supplied additional assist and sturdiness however on the similar time, some practitioners discovered them too exhausting and uncomfortable. So, it’s not stunning that over time, as yoga’s recognition grew, producers started producing yoga blocks from varied supplies, together with foam and cork, to cater to completely different preferences and wishes.

Foam blocks are frequent and reasonably priced today. They’re additionally extra snug to be used underneath arms, ft, or as a assist for the again. Nonetheless, they will not be your best option when you plan to primarily put weight on them for assist throughout steadiness poses. Foam blocks are perfect for newcomers and for individuals who observe extra restorative or mild yoga kinds. 

Nonetheless, not all foam blocks are made equal—particularly once we take into account the surroundings. These blocks are usually comprised of EVA foam, which isn’t biodegradable. For those who do need an reasonably priced and tender block, you possibly can strive blocks from recycled EVA foam or foam offcuts.  

Cork blocks are an awesome various as a result of their materials is eco-friendly. They’re additionally denser and heavier, making them ultimate for supportive features and poses that require a whole lot of steadiness and energy. They’ve a pure texture that gives additional grip.

On the subject of measurement, yoga blocks are usually 9 inches lengthy, 6 inches broad, and 4 inches excessive, though some variations might exist to accommodate completely different wants and preferences.

The adoption of yoga blocks and different props has been instrumental in making yoga extra inclusive and adaptable, and realizing methods to use them in your observe may also help you immensely!

Listed here are just a few methods you need to use blocks.

How you can Use a Yoga Block…

…to Discover Stability in Standing Asanas

Utilizing a yoga block in standing asanas will enhance your observe by serving to your steadiness, alignment, and depth within the pose. Regardless of the frequent misbelief that yoga blocks are “only for newcomers,” they’re a helpful companion to yogis of all ranges. A few of my favourite asanas to strive with a yoga block are: triangle pose (trikonasana), half moon pose (ardha chandrasana), and warrior III (virabhadrasana III).

To switch triangle pose, place a block on the skin of your entrance foot. As you attain down, relaxation your hand on the block as an alternative of reaching for the ground. This helps preserve alignment in your backbone and permits you to open your chest extra absolutely. For those who can’t get down that far, you can even stack two blocks! 

To switch half moon pose, place a block about 6-12 inches in entrance of your standing foot, on its longest facet. As you elevate into half moon, place your hand on the block. It will provide help to stay steady when you concentrate on opening your hips and increasing your chest.

To switch warrior III pose, place the block in entrance of you, on its longest facet. As you lean ahead into the asana, put each arms on the block. 

…to Make Tough Asanas Extra Accessible

Accessibility is an important facet of all yoga practices. It’s not unusual to see newcomers intimidated and questioning whether or not they’re too stiff or rigid to begin working towards yoga, however, as trainer Julia Crouch emphasizes, that’s like saying, “I’m too soiled to take a bathe!”

No matter your health degree, energy, or flexibility, you possibly can undoubtedly do yoga! For the tough asanas, nicely… that’s what yoga blocks are there for. With yoga blocks, you possibly can modify the postures to make them accessible to your present skills.

Listed here are just a few examples of how:

• Seated ahead folds (paschimottanasana): place the block in your thighs, and as you fold ahead, enable your brow to relaxation on the block. This modification will lower the stretch in your hamstrings and decrease again, making the pose extra achievable whereas giving your neck a break. 
• Crow pose (bakasana): place the block in entrance of you on its longest facet. The place of the block ought to be such that while you do a crow pose, you possibly can simply relaxation your brow on the block. This time, the block works as a security internet that forestalls you from falling in your face (the most typical concern of everybody who’s studying bakasana).
• Pigeon pose (eka pada rajakapotasana): place the block underneath your bum, on the facet of your entrance, bent leg. This modification will scale back the depth of the stretch, easing off your knees whereas your hips stay correctly aligned.
• Bridge pose (setu bandhasana): place the block underneath the sacral space of your decrease again in a restorative model of the bridge pose. You’ll have the ability to open your chest and stomach whereas minimizing the pressure in your again.

While you’re utilizing the yoga blocks to make tough asanas extra snug, experiment with placement and top till you discover what works greatest for you. Nonetheless, whereas doing this, all the time hearken to your physique, concentrate on alignment, and be affected person.

…to Deepen Your Stretches

For those who’re like me and also you like to push your limits, then yoga blocks may also help you too. Similar to how they’ll make a pose simpler, they’ll additionally make it tougher.

Only a phrase of warning earlier than we get right down to it: don’t power any stretch, be very current within the second, and all the time hearken to your physique! If it hurts, again off. Feeling slight discomfort and tightness is normally okay, however ache by no means is.

Anyway, Right here’s methods to make that occur:

• Standing ahead fold (uttanasana): on the mat, place the block on its broadest facet (or two when you’re hyperflexible) and stand on it. Then, as you fold ahead, conscious of your alignment, attempt to attain the bottom with the guidelines of your fingers.
• Sure angle pose (baddha konasana): put together for the pose, take a block, and place it underneath your ft. This modification will elevate your ft, thus making it more difficult to open up your knees and produce them towards the bottom.
• Low lunge (anjaneyasana): place a block underneath your entrance foot and stand on it when you’re in low lunge. Elevating the entrance leg will deepen the stretch in your hip flexors, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
• Prolonged pet pose (uttana shishosana): there are two methods to deepen the stretch in a pet pose with blocks. A technique is to put them underneath your elbows as you convey your palms into prayer and transfer them towards your again. The opposite means is to put them underneath your palms whereas your arms are prolonged ahead. You must really feel the stretch in your shoulders and again.
• Half frog pose (ardha bhekasana): take a block and place it underneath the shin of your bent leg, which can create a deeper stretch in your hips and groin.

All the time be conscious of the way you place the block—it ought to assist the stretch with out inflicting ache. Intention for gradual development and breathe deeply—chill out your muscular tissues in your inhales, and attempt to go deeper in your exhales.

…to Relieve Stress from Muscle tissues

In restorative classes, you need to use the yoga blocks to use mild stress on set off factors, chill out muscular tissues, relieve pressure, and loosen tight areas of the physique.

As an example, you possibly can place the block between your shoulder blades throughout a restorative session and really feel pressure slowly soften away. That’s undoubtedly one in all my favourite methods to make use of yoga blocks.

Listed here are a number of methods to make use of yoga blocks for muscle pressure reduction:

• Fish pose (matsyasana): place the block underneath your again, slightly below the shoulder blades, on its medium or smallest facet. Lean on it and permit your chest to totally open, whereas your shoulders fall to the bottom. Stress-free your again muscular tissues releases pressure out of your higher again and neck. It’s also possible to use a second block to assist your head if it’s an excessive amount of in your neck. 
• Supported shoulderstand (sarvangasana): place the block underneath your sacrum whereas your legs are up (ft in the direction of the ceiling) and permit your arms to relaxation on the mat. This modification will provide help to chill out your belly muscular tissues and relieve pressure within the decrease again.
• Entrance break up (hanumanasana): take two blocks and place them underneath the glute of your entrance leg. This modification will, first, make the pose a lot simpler, and second, provide help to launch pressure out of your tight hamstrings.

…to Construct Power

Final however not least, you need to use the yoga block to slowly construct energy. Incorporating yoga blocks into your observe for strength-building asanas will make your classes extra intense and provide help to enhance muscle tone and endurance.

Listed here are just a few concepts on methods to use the blocks to construct energy:

• Plank pose (phalakasana): place a block between your thighs and squeeze it as you maintain phalakasana or chaturanga. The thigh muscular tissues improve the activation in your core, which can make the pose more difficult, however your core will thanks for it.
• 4-limbed workers pose (chaturanga dandasana): take two blocks and place them underneath your shoulders. Begin with a excessive plank pose and decrease your self into chaturanga dandasana, attempting to the touch the blocks together with your shoulders. Repeat this motion 5 to 10 instances, just a few instances in your session.
• Chair pose (utkatasana): when you assume holding a chair pose for 5 breaths is difficult, strive holding it whereas squeezing a block between your thighs. This modification engages the interior thighs and glutes. The added resistance strengthens the legs and hips, bettering stability and muscle energy.
• Warrior III (virabhadrasana III): place a block in entrance of you and as you enter into the pose, attempt to contact the block together with your arms with out shedding your steadiness. It’s fairly a problem and the asana requires a whole lot of leg energy, so be ready.

Construct Your Basis, Block by Block

From offering assist and enhancing flexibility to deepening stretches and constructing energy, there’s nothing these mighty props can’t provide help to do. Studying methods to use yoga blocks in your every day observe is helpful no matter whether or not you’re a newbie or a seasoned yogi who’s attempting to deepen their observe.

I like to explain these props because the constructing blocks of your observe, serving to to construct your basis one brick at a time (all puns supposed!)—they add stability, depth, and richness to your classes.

For those who want extra steering on methods to combine blocks into your routine, head over to our web site and browse lessons with yoga blocks. Following alongside is a good way to get snug with utilizing yoga blocks in your on a regular basis yoga routine.