Yoga Blocks Central

Yoga has found its way from the rich history of the middle east to the cutting edge of western culture. Along the way it has changed, evolved, and combined with other cultures in ways that are at times fascinating, and at times quite physically challenge.

One thing that you will find in common Western practice is the use of a yoga block during a yoga session. Yoga blocks are not essential for some of the most basic yoga poses in most common classes in the U.S. However, as you get into more advanced poses and classes, or if you pursue learning different styles of yoga (such as Iyengar yoga), you are much more likely to come across poses that will use the block as part of the move.

So what does a yoga block help to do? Well, the block is largely a supportive prop. There are any number of props used in yoga, but the most common is the mat. The mat gives support and grip to the feet and hands, allowing the individual to pose firmly without slipping and sliding out of the pose. Most mats are lightly padded, which adds some comfort and keeps the balls of the feet and palms of the hands from getting sore against a hard floor.

The block is the second most common yoga prop. It is used not as an under-support for poses, but as an occasional support for very specific poses. Say you are leaning forward but do not have the flexibility to reach your hands all the way to the ground. Using the block , you can rest your hands firmly without having to over-extend yourself by trying to go all the way to the floor. This is a nice way of modifying a pose so that it is easier to do, while still giving you the solid support to lean on (that will eventually the floor once you get better and have more practice).

In other cases, the yoga block is used to support the head, such as when you are doing a pose that requires you to lay down. You could roll a towel to lay under your head instead, but having an actual block gives you more consistence and more versatility, making it easier to do a number of poses in your personal practice.