Archive for June, 2009

What Is A Yoga Block, and Why Are They Used?

Posted in Articles on 06/14/2009 04:57 am by Susan Matsan

A yoga block is a lightweight, sturdy, but somewhat giving block used in the practice of yoga. There is no single school of yoga, so it is important to note that some schools use blocks, belts, and other props much more so than others. How often you will have need to use a block depends on which type of yoga influenced your instructor, how advanced you are, and what poses you will be doing.

The yoga block is actually used by beginners and experts alike, and this is for entirely different reasons.

Beginning practicers of yoga generally use a block because it helps add much needed support and reinforcement to their poses. If your flexibility is relatively weak, and you have not built up strength by weeks or months (or even years) of yoga practice, a block can help give support if you are not able to reach all the way to the floor, but need to rest your hand or arm on a solid surface to really do the pose well.

In the case of a yoga expert, a block is used in more advanced poses that seem to challenge our conception of gravity, strength, and what the body can do.

There are a few choices you will need to make if you are considering buying a yoga block. First of all, what material would you like it to be made out of? Most of the blocks sold by large chain retailers are made of a substance that is quite foamy. They are generally sold in ‘calm’ colors such as blue, purple, green, and turquoise.

However, there are many more eco-friendly options available now that people are more concerned with this aspect of the products that they buy. You can easily purchase a cork-based yoga block either online or in specialty stores. Cork is considered more eco-friendly than foam rubber because it is a more natural material that requires less processing and no dye, but in some areas, the cork trees are becoming limited due to over-harvest, so do your research before you buy if this is your concern.

If you are buying a block for yoga, the most important factor is to find one you are comfortable with. Then head to your class, and have fun!