A yoga block can be added to your yoga practice. This will allow you to feel more open, experience the full range of difficult poses, and have fun exploring your body’s limits.
Blocks can improve any style of yoga
- Vinyasa Yoga is a form of yoga where every movement in and out of the poses is linked to the breath. A block can help you feel the fullness of each position by allowing you to take 3-5 deep breaths and pause.
- Gentle yoga, also known as Hatha Yoga, is a form of gentle yoga where poses are held longer than a Vinyasa or Restorative class. A block can help you feel more connected with your body and mind while holding a pose.
- A block is a support tool for Yin and Restorative Yoga. It can help you relax at a deeper level.
You should also know that all styles of yoga can offer deeper relaxation through the use of one or more blocks. They act as a bridge between the body and the breath of their supportive nature.
Let’s now explore the beauty and simplicity of a block using the following sequence. It can be completed between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on how long you want to stay in each pose.
A Yoga Flow to Incorporate Yog Blocks
Easy Position
- Begin by laying down on a block and crossing your legs comfortably. Sitting on a block will naturally lift and lengthen your spine, allowing your shoulders to drop and your chest to expand, allowing you to take deep breaths.
- This is a great spot to meditate, do pranayama and clear your mind before starting your yoga practice.
Child’s Pose
-
- Slowly get off the block to become Child’s pose. There are three ways you can use a block. You can place the block between your knees and then fold it over to allow the block to support your chest.
- You can also rest your forehead on a block to allow a deeper stretching of your spine and neck. This is the best way to do it if your forehead is not touching the mat. Placing the block on your forehead and bringing your forehead up to the mat can increase stress in your neck.
- To get deeper release through your shoulders and arms, you can hold a block in your hands with both your hands.
-
- Use blocks to make the triangle a deeper pose! The block can be placed at the bottom of your foot on your mat. This will allow you to feel the full stretch through your arm and chest. You can also breathe into the pose, allowing for additional release. It would be best if you did it on both sides.
Chair
-
- Place a block between your knees as you sink into the chair position. You will feel more intensity in your quadriceps and glutes. This will help to create new muscle memory and strengthen those muscles.
Seated Straddle Fold
- There are two ways to use a block when sitting on your mat. To help you relax more into the position and feel a deeper release in your neck, place one to two blocks in the middle of your ‘V.
- You can also hold the block in both hands, press your fingers into the block, and then extend your arms straight out. This will allow you to feel a deeper release of your arms, shoulders and spine.
- Lie on your back with your feet hip-distance apart on the mat. Next, lift your hips into a bridge pose. Slide the block under your hips until they touch your lower back. The height of your hips will determine whether the block is placed horizontally or vertically beneath your hips.
- This will allow you to expand your chest, increase your lung capacity, and allow for deeper breaths.
Fish
-
- Place the block on your back with your elbows touching the mat. Then, extend your legs straight out onto the mat. Let your head drop over your shoulders by lowering your head. The block will allow for deeper breathing by allowing your chest to expand.
Savasana
-
- After settling into your final Savasana, you can add a block for your head as a pillow or place a few blocks under your knees. If you feel that laying down too tight, resting your head on a block can help lengthen your neck. Additionally, placing one or more blocks under your knees will elevate your legs and create a deeper opening in the spine.
There are many benefits to including a block in your yoga practice. With mindfulness and precision, a block can help you explore new postures levels. It’s so liberating to feel the poses at a deeper level. Tune into your body-mind connection and find deeper relaxation. Explore each pose playfully and openly to increase flexibility and range of motion.