The Benefits of Yoga Blocks

The often physically challenging poses seen in yoga can be overwhelming to a newbie but the good news is, there are some tools that can make your yoga practice simpler and more fun. A yoga block is one of the great yoga accessories that you can make use of to simplify many yoga poses, particularly the ones that have to do with standing stretches. A yoga block is actually a brick-shaped “thing” made from cork, wood or hard-foam. They are generally about 9 x 6 x 4 inches in size.

How You Can Use Your Yoga Block

For instance - if you’re experiencing some difficulties getting to the floor when doing a forward fold or a triangle pose, working with a yoga block will help you rest your hands on a relatively stable surface even though you can’t reach the floor yet. By gradually changing the position of the rectangular block so that you rest your hands on a side that’s closer to the ground, you can discipline yourself to subsequently be flexible enough to reach the floor without having to use it. So you essentially have three levels of difficulty (4, 6 and 9 inches) conditional on how you use the block.

But Hang around, there’s more

Stretching is not the exclusive thing yoga blocks are used for. This yoga prop can also be used for general strength exercise sessions. Placing a yoga block in the middle of your legs or holding one in your hands can easily introduce an extra element of resistance in the course of the strength training, by making the exercise more intense and pleasing. As previously mentioned, a good number of yoga blocks are made of foam, cork or wood which are more affordable. When you do strength exercises - using a heavier yoga block can be more beneficial than using a very light one. More weight implies more work for you.

You can purchase a yoga block for a reasonable price, so they’re not just useful but also quite inexpensive. If you’re just starting out with yoga, you might want to consider getting one, particularly when you’re having issues with stretching or flexibility, which is something that first-time yoga practitioners generally encounter.