Using Yoga Blocks to Increase our Reach

Many times we use Yoga Blocks to, as I like to say, increase the length of our arms, or bring the floor closer to us.  When we use our props in such a way, it allows us to focus on more important things in our yoga practice – such as proper alignment.  It brings stability into a pose when, without the blocks, we’d feel unstable if unable to press our hands into the earth.  Using Yoga Blocks, isn’t just for beginners.  We can use them when we challenge ourselves with new poses, or even just to bring more body awareness into a pose.

Here are a few examples of using a yoga block “to bring the floor closer to us”.

Pyramid:  Blocks allow us to focus on squaring our hips instead of hinging fully forward.

Reverse Lunge:  Blocks allow us to practice with a flat back without needing to hinge fully forward to support ourselves with hands on the floor.

Triangle Pose:  Use a block under the hand to provide lift and focus on lengthening through both sides of the body and revolving the heart open.

In Twisting Poses yoga blocks help open our hearts and chest and revolve into the twist with more space.

A yoga block can be used in seated poses to lift our hips and take pressure off of our knees.  Try a block in Hero Pose.

Yoga Blocks under our hands in Scale Pose give us more freedom and space to lift our hips and feet off of the floor.

Use a yoga block under your hand in Half Moon to focus more on rotating our hips open and building a strong core with less effort on maintaining our balance.

Yoga Blocks are generally available in two different sizes:  3″ Yoga Block or 4″ Yoga Block.  They are offered in a variety of materials – foam blocks, cork yoga blocks, yoga blocks made of lightweight Balsa Wood, and even yoga blocks made of recycled materials.  Choosing between the sizes depends on how you prefer to use your blocks – do you want stability (4″ block) or do you just need a ‘little’ lift (3″)?  To choose from the materials ask yourself if weight of the block is important, or price, or do you want eco-friendly, or even more simply, is color important to you?