How to Use Yoga Blocks?

How to Use Yoga Blocks: Yoga blocks are essential equipment that helps to strengthen your yoga practice by providing support and alignment in performing various movements and Asanas. The usage of these blocks is helpful and necessary for beginners as well as for yoga experts also. These blocks not only provide flexibility in your movements but also act as support systems in strengthening your postures and positions.

Here we will discuss different and unique ways to use yoga blocks, their benefits, and types, and also detailed instructions on how these yoga props could enhance your yoga practicing skills.

What Are Yoga Blocks?

Yoga blocks are simple tools that are designed to help you support your body movements while performing different yoga poses and postures. These tools are made up of foam, rubber, or wood mostly available in rectangular form and usually about 9 inches in length and 6 inches in width.

Their structure is made up in such a way that they can be used on different sides to provide support to the body of a yogi. These yoga bricks provide the necessary help and support in deepening your stretches and improving your alignment. In this way, these yoga blocks provide stability and strength to your skills.

Benefits of Using Yoga Blocks

Stability and Balance:

As discussed earlier, these Yoga Blocks are helpful in offering support in poses and postures where you need to balance your body without straining. It enhances your skills so that you can keep your focus on your alignment.

Flexibility:

Through these Yoga blocks, you can perform your movements with more ease and flexibility. It brings the floor nearer to you which allows you to perform even more complex and challenging poses.

Alignment:

Yoga Blocks can reduce the risk of injury by providing aid in regulating proper alignment so that you can practice yoga more skillfully and safely.

Strength:

In some poses, yoga blocks can make the situation more complex which results in building more strength and enhancement of your learning skills.

Boost Confidence:

These Blocks are very helpful for beginners in achieving postures that might be a bit difficult for them to attain and they might otherwise avoid such movements. In this way, yoga blocks play an essential role in boosting the confidence of a yogi.

Choosing the Right Yoga Block

Yoga blocks are divided into various categories on the basis of the material used and each type has its own advantages:

Foam Blocks:

A type in which blocks are composed of form. These blocks are lightweight and soft. They are less expensive and can easily be used by anyone whether a beginner or an expert. They provide gentle support in performing various tricks but sometimes they prove to be less reliable for the performance of complex poses.

Cork Blocks or Rubber Blocks:

These blocks are a little more firm and rigid than foam blocks, and therefore they are considered more reliable because they are heavier than foam blocks.

Wooden Blocks:

Wooden Blocks are the heaviest blocks that can provide maximum support and stability. They are usually much harder and therefore may be less comfortable for beginners.

You can read out previous piece of content for finding the best yoga blocks.

How to Use Yoga Blocks in Key Yoga Poses

Now, let’s just take a look at how to use yoga blocks more skillfully.

1. Uttanasana – Forward Fold

Forward fold or Uttanasana is the most common pose where yogis use the yoga blocks. Due to lower back stiffness in a forward fold, it is a bit hard to reach the floor. So, at this point, we can use a yoga block for support and to get help to reach nearer to the floor.

How do you use a yoga block in Uttanasana?

Before bending at your hips take place the yoga block in front of you. Now start Stretching your arms forward, and then put your hands on the block. Use the block to provide support so that you can lean into the stretch and relax your muscles.

2. Anjaneyasana – Low Lunge

While doing Anjaneyasana or Low Lunge yoga poses, a yoga block can prove to be very helpful. Because while performing this pose, the most challenging thing is to maintain balance, in such poses, yoga blocks can provide stability.

How do you use a yoga block in Low Lunge Poses:

Firstly, place a block beside your front foot. Then lunge your hands on the blocks for more stable movement. Adjust the block height as needed by you according to your capacity.

3. Trikonasana – Triangle Pose

In Trikonasana or Triangle Pose, the most difficult thing is to maintain proper alignment to reach the floor with stretches.

How do you use yoga blocks in the Triangle Pose:

At first, place a block outside your front foot to provide support to your hand. You can adjust block height as per your flexibility.

4. Setu Bandhasana – Bridge Pose

In Setu Bandhasana or Bridge Pose, it is essential to use a yoga block so that it can provide support to you to maintain your position carefully.

How do you use yoga blocks in the Bridge Pose?

Option 1 (Support):
Place the yoga block under the sacrum area, Sacrum is the area above your tailbone. When you lift your hips then rest of your weight will be on the block. In this way, it will provide you with support.

Option 2 (Challenge):
In this position, place the block between your knees, and then lift the block as much as you can which results in lifting of your hips. This will enhance your inner strength, especially the strength of your thighs.

5. Virasana – Hero Pose

Virasana which is known as Hero Pose is a little bit complex pose for those who have less flexibility. You can feel a little bit of discomfort in the knees.

How do you use yoga blocks in Virasana?

Use yoga blocks to avoid any mishaps. Place the block between your heels and now you can start sitting down on the block, now the blocks will provide support to your weight and you will be safe from any problem.

6. Bakasana – Crow Pose

Bakasana which is also known as Crow Pose is a pose to maintain balancing positions therefore it requires a lot of strength and effort. In such kinds of poses, yoga blocks can be used to help in attaining the required positions.

How do you use a yoga block in Bakasana :

Before placing your hands at shoulder width on the floor place a yoga block in front of you. Now start placing your head on the yoga block along with try to lift your feet off the ground.

7. Matsyasana – Fish Pose

Matsyasana is a soothing and calming pose also known as Supported Fish. It helps in unfolding your chest and shoulders. We use the yoga blocks in it for support to our spine and head.

How to Use:

At first, just place a block in a horizontal direction under your shoulder blades and lay down on it.

Other Creative Uses of Yoga Blocks

Yoga blocks are not only used in particular poses but they can also be used creatively to enhance your yoga skills and practice:

Strength-Building Exercises:

Yoga blocks can also be used for strength-building techniques. You can use them by placing a block between your thighs in certain poses such as a Chair Pose or a Bridge Pose as we have discussed earlier.

Core Work:

Let’s talk about the Boat Pose which is also known as Navasana. This pose involves holding yoga blocks between your hands or legs to maintain the required positions more efficiently.

Deepen Your Flexibility:

In positions like Butterfly Pose or Baddha Konasana, you can place a block under your knees to support your legs. In such poses, these blocks provide intense support and improve your body’s flexibility.

Conclusion:

When you start learning how to use yoga blocks effectively it can open up a new path of wellness for you which enhances your comfort and strength in yoga practice. These simple pieces offer you great strength and help you a lot in making complex positions more convenient.