Yoga blocks are an essential part of yoga if you’re in need of extra support during your practice. They are often used by new yogis to help them reach further while minimising the risk of injuries. The last thing we want is to perform a pose too deeply or in the wrong way which causes an injury. Before we get into our tips on five unique ways to use a yoga block, we’ll dive deeper into what they help with exactly and what you use yoga blocks for.

What is a yoga block and what do you use them for? 

A yoga block is, as the name obviously suggests, a rectangular block that can be used during your yoga practice to give you additional support. If you’re new to yoga, some poses can be really tricky and you might simply don’t have the flexibility to reach that far yet. That’s nothing to feel bad about, everybody starts somewhere and you will gain more flexibility gradually. If you practice yoga on a regular basis, you will quickly start to notice an improvement in your flexibility, strength and balance. In the meantime, you can use a yoga block to give you that extra hand. 

Yogi Bare offer two types of yoga blocks which both offer great support but in different ways. Whilst Our Bamboo Support Block offers support with its solid structure that can fully support your body weight, our Firm Foam Support Block is a little softer and offers more gentle support for your spine and pelvis in restorative poses.  

5 ways to use a yoga block

If you’ve decided to give a yoga block a try, you might wonder what the right way is to use them. For this reason we have written down 5 unique uses for a yoga block that you might not know already!

1. Adding length to your pose

One of the most important uses of a yoga block is to add length to your body. If you’re a beginner yogi or even if you’re an advanced yogi who struggles with flexibility, a yoga block can be the perfect outcome to help you reach your toes. If this is the case, you can place the yoga block on the floor in front of you, reaching down with your hands and place them on the yoga block. Start off with the yoga block placed vertically and once that is going well, you can move it horizontally. Eventually you’ll improve in flexibility and will be able to touch the floor by yourself!

2. Extra support

Another important way to use a yoga block is to gain the physical support you need in case you’re trying out new yoga poses. If you still lack the flexibility or strength to perform a new pose by yourself, you can use the block as an assistance to ensure that you are doing the yoga pose in a safe way. 

3. Prevent injuries

The absolute last thing you’re looking for is dealing with an injury before you practiced a new yoga pose in an unsafe, wrong way. Using a yoga block can actually help to minimise the risk of pulling any muscles. It also offers you extra support that will prevent you from putting too much weight on your joints or muscles and thus overloading your body. 

4. Yoga poses with correct alignment

When practicing yoga, it’s crucial to mind your posture and make sure that you’re performing poses with the correct alignment. Think of the Side Angle Pose, where you have to touch the ground with one hand and reach up with the other. To ensure your breathing and posture are affected by a pose, you can use a yoga block to give you the correct alignment. 

5. Activate your muscles better

If you’re an advanced yogi and you think yoga blocks have no use for you, you’re in the wrong. Yoga blocks can help to support stretches but they can also be used to deepen your yoga poses and add tension to your existing poses. This will help you to activate your muscles better which will improve your stability, flexibility and balance.