If you are looking to change your life, yoga is a time-honored practice that can make one of the biggest differences. But what about those who are looking to get more from it? Enter: the yoga block how to use! An invaluable tool for beginners and advanced yoga practitioners alike, yoga blocks can be a perfect addition to exercises with yoga block.
Yoga block uses are infinite for every type of yoga enthusiast, yet when it comes to practicing yoga with any type of yoga block how to use it is so pivotal to help anyone get more out of their practice.
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How Are Yoga Blocks Useful?
Yoga blocks are tools to help people practice yoga in three different ways:
- Making poses more accessible.
- Providing support in difficult poses.
- Adding extra challenges so yoga practitioners can develop strength.
Some people think that when it comes to a great yoga block how to use it properly involves being an expert in the form, but the reality is that it covers beginner yoga block uses as well.
How Are Yoga Blocks Used To Make Yoga Poses Easier?
When it comes to a yoga block how to use it for yoga poses means that they make the poses more accessible. Yoga blocks allow you to practice yoga poses in a far safer method, and for any beginner yoga practitioner that’s trying to get into difficult yoga poses, it can help people to practice the postures safely and with skill.
For example, if you are trying to touch your toes, this very basic yoga practice is not always achievable. One of the main reasons we can’t always touch our toes is a lack of hip mobility or our range of motion isn’t strong enough, so when it comes to the efficacy of yoga block how to use it in these environments can help so much.
When you put a yoga block on its tallest side, you make it easier to reach down while also preventing injury because you are not forcing yourself into a position that your body doesn’t want to go!
The Benefits of Yoga Blocks
On a basic level when it comes to a yoga block how to use it properly involves understanding how they benefit you in the three key ways:
Lengthening
If you are in a pose that you are struggling with, yoga blocks can prevent you from overstraining yourself and get deeper into poses, so you become more flexible over time.
Strengthening
Of the many uses, it can build strength throughout the entire body. Many beginners may not be getting the benefits because they cannot align themselves properly with the proper form or have not built up enough strength.
When we understand the benefits of a yoga block how to use it properly in the right context becomes easier because you can have a little extra support in those challenging poses that demand extra strength from you, so you are building this strength effectively and safely.
Supporting Your Body
Of the many yoga block uses in terms of poses, the fact is that a yoga block doesn’t just provide invaluable support for your body if you lack flexibility, but it can also help give you support in terms of your mindset. As far as yoga block uses are concerned, this is something we can all gravely underestimate. If we are not progressing our yoga practice because we don’t believe we can perform a certain pose, a yoga block can help deepen your poses, reduce tightness, and help you to open up your mind all at the same time, taking away that “fear factor” in a posture!
When you are performing difficult poses where you need to give yourself support or run the risk of falling on your face, you are never giving yourself over to the pose itself. Using a yoga block can give you that mental support you need, either to help you deepen a stretch or if you stumble forward on one of the more challenging postures, such as the Crow pose, you have the yoga block as a little crash pad.
The Poses That Can Benefit From Beginner Yoga Block Uses
Now that we’ve shown you that yoga block uses benefits you in a number of ways, here are some great yoga poses where you could use a yoga block.
Triangle Pose
For those who cannot reach the floor, the yoga block uses in this common pose can be invaluable. The triangle pose can be difficult if you have tight hamstrings. Yoga blocks can help by you grabbing onto the yoga block instead of your ankles. You can do a triangle pose with a yoga block by placing one or two yoga blocks close to your heel.
Camel Pose
This is great for opening your chest, but if you have back pain or tight shoulders, it’s not so easy to perform, but this is where yoga blocks can give you that extra length so you don’t bend over too far and will give you more control and flexibility as you progress. Placing a block at its tallest height means you can gradually go into the move and be safe in the knowledge that the block is there for you. It also helps you go into a milder backbend so you don’t overstretch your back too far, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting down in hunched positions.
Downward Facing Dog
Downward facing dogs are one of the most popular poses that need mastering. For any yoga practitioners that don’t have that flexibility, it is one of those poses that can prove incredibly challenging, much to their embarrassment! A lot of people have difficulty balancing their body weight in this move, either due to tight hamstrings or uncomfortable wrists. A yoga block can help to elevate the upper body so the pressure comes off the wrists to help balance the weight and improve flexibility.
Boat Pose
If you are looking to gain core strength when considering introducing a yoga block how to use it here can be invaluable for strengthening the hip flexors and core. Because many people lack the flexibility in their core so they don’t stay aligned in the middle of a move, this reduces the effectiveness of the pose and can put you into positions where you compromise your lower back. Squeezing a block between the legs forces you to keep your legs straight and reminds you that your core should constantly be engaged.
L-Sit Arm Balance
Some people find that yoga block uses don’t just help with those moves where they are off the ground, but for those people who really need to get the basics right, such as supporting their arms, the L-sit arm balance is the perfect place to begin. Putting a yoga block under your hands means you will have extra height so you can get your body off the ground easier.
Chaturanga
For the beginner yoga practitioner, this is essentially a push-up with the elbows tucked into the sides. So many people cheat this position, even those who are more used to push-ups. It’s important to have a straight back and an engaged core, but if you haven’t got any upper body strength, the yoga block uses for this position can be invaluable.
This position involves you placing two blocks under your shoulders so you are giving them support, and gently guiding your body into the right alignment. This means you can start to focus on engaging your core and building your upper body strength gradually. You shouldn’t be resting on them, but are providing support until you can gain enough strength to go without them.
Hero’s Pose
We’ve focused on poses that deal with the arms and core, but for those people who need to stretch their quadriceps and hips, the hero‘s pose can benefit from numerous yoga block uses. If you put a yoga block underneath your butt, this gives you more comfort in your ankles and makes the stretch softer, so you can stay there for a lot longer. But if it is still uncomfortable, you can add another yoga block.
Fish Pose
If you have a poor range of motion in your shoulders, chest, or back, it can feel difficult to stay in this position. Putting a yoga block between the shoulder blades means the rest of your body can relax so you can break you minimize discomfort. Once you have increased your flexibility, you can get rid of the yoga block.
Child’s Pose
Yoga blocks can also help with restorative postures such as the child’s pose. However, it can be a very uncomfortable position because of where you place the head. You can use two yoga blocks; one for the forehead and one for the tailbone, but you can also put them on your forearms or elbows to deepen the chest stretch.
Are Yoga Blocks Worth It
While many people may think it’s not beneficial to have a yoga block how to use it is really the key. The numerous yoga block uses can be beneficial to all types of practitioners, and whether you are brand new to yoga or you’re looking for something to help you get over some sticking points, yoga block uses can make a big difference to the quality of your yoga practice.