How to use yoga blocks to increase flexibility?
Use Yoga blocks or Yoga bricks with tough to do yoga poses like the warrior pose, handstand, bridges to improve your flexibility. Yoga blocks help you by extending your range of motion to improve your flexibility.
Yoga blocks are a great tool to move forward with these types of poses, where without the yoga blocks you would not be able to do the poses.
Many yoga studios do offer yoga blocks for beginners flexibility.
How to use yoga blocks for stretching
How To Use Yoga Blocks To Increase Flexibility
Yoga blocks are used to reach the Yoga based body positions which are otherwise difficult to do. In this way, you can use yoga blocks for stretching easily. Overtime, you will be able to do the yoga Asana without the yoga blocks itself.
Below are some Yoga poses that you can do for stretching with yoga blocks.
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How to Use Yoga Blocks:
If you are wondering how to use blocks in yoga, then there are many ways’ to use a yoga brick.
Ideally, you will need two yoga blocks and nothing else.
What Are Yoga Blocks For?
Yoga blocks are used to either provide support while you are doing a tough exercise or to increase intensity of a yoga pose.
Maybe a yoga mat made of cork?
Increase Length:
You can use yoga blocks to push to the limit of your stretching position. For example, you can do downward dog with yoga blocks at your feet to increase length.
Or put your hand on the block to help your shoulder blades.
Increase Strength:
You can use blocks for improving strength if you use it with yoga like warrior pose, chair pose etc.
Support
Yoga blocks are mainly used for providing support when doing the tough exercises like Parsvakonasana or any other exercise where you need to have good balance, but presently you are unable to.
Virabhadrasana 2
This is a great pose to strengthen and stretching the legs and arms. This Yoga pose also stretches the groin, shoulders and helps with back pain.
Usually you will not a Yoga block to do this, but if you want to progress and deepen the warrior pose II then you have to use yoga blocks.
Take a Block in the hands, to improve balance and tone your shoulder muscles. Increase difficulty.
Keep the Foot on the block to deepen the stretch if you face problems with doing the yoga on the floor.
This is how you should practice flexibility when doing warrior.
Parsvakonasana pose
This yoga stretch is good for improving flexibility, and it helps with strengthening the legs, ankles and knees. It stretches the groin muscles, shoulders and spine.
This is not a beginner-friendly move unless you are very flexible to begin with.
For this if you use a yoga block under your feet then you will be able to get int the position without any pain. This will improve your yoga pose and will prepare you for the more intense pose without the yoga brick.
Trikonasana pose
This Trikonasana pose helps with core muscle training and stretches the spine. It will ideally help with low back, spine pain and mobility.
You should use one yoga block under the hand which is near to the floor. This will help with achieving the yoga pose. Which with time will improve, and you will be more flexible to do the yoga pose without the yoga bricks.
Chandrasana pose:
This Chandrasana is a one tough yoga pose to do. You are required to balance on one foot and with your arms in some certain position. And this makes this yoga pose a hard one to do right out of the hat.
But if you use a yoga block for flexibility, then place the yoga block under the hand that is near the ground. This will help with keeping the balance. This way you will be able to do the pose better and with time you should be able to balance without any help.
Eka pada rajakapotasana:
This pigeon pose is great for opening up your chest, hip joints stretching and improving hip flexibility.
If you are like me who is not able to do the full pose and having hard time keeping your butt on the ground, then use a yoga block underneath you. This will allow you to stay longer and correctly in the position so that you can improve at this pose.
With yoga blocks and some variations of the Rajkapotasana is my favorite best yoga for flexibility!
Bridge pose
Glute bridges help with training your glutes, which helps with having good knees and low back. Also, glute bridges help with spine health and overall leg health.
This bridge pose is also one of the best yoga poses to increase flexibility for beginners.
You can make this pose easier or more intense using the yoga blocks.
If you use yoga blocks under hips, then it will make your pose easier sine it takes some balancing work away. This way you will be able to do the pose and progress accordingly.
If you wish to train the inner thighs more with bridge pose, then you can try putting the block between the thighs while you hold the pose.
You will feel your inner thighs getting sore after 2-3 sets.
Another way to use blocks is to rest your Foot-on-block bridge lifts. This makes the bridge pose more intense and focuses more on the hamstrings.
Baddha Konasana
Groin stretch anyone? Then do this Baddha Konasana and you will feel a tension in your inner thighs. With time, you will be more flexible to do this, but initially you might want to use a yoga block for more flexibility.
You can place them under your knees/thighs to support your leg. This drastically reduces the inner thigh stretch.
But helps you with doing the pose, so you can improve later.
Supported Chest Opener
A yoga block under your back while you do this opens up the chest real good. And if you have any pain near the sternum, then it will help with this pose.
Using a block with this yoga will increase strength and flexibility. Especially helpful for people who do a lot of desk work.
This should in every yoga flexibility workout that you would do.
Child Pose
Child pose may help relieve back pain and stretches the lat muscles.
To make things a little easy, you can put a block under the forehead. This is how you can use a yoga brick to improve flexibility until you are ready to put your forehead on the floor.
Another way would be to put a block under the hips to make things easy if you are unable to put your back on the floor.
If you want to stretch your lats more, than you should put blocks under your elbows. This also helps with working the mid back. It helps with improving mobility and strength.
Chair pose
Chair pose is like squats and provides all the squat benefits. It will help with core and leg strength development.
Here are some ways you can use a yoga block for chair pose.
If you keep your yoga block in the hands, and you can keep your hands above your head, in front of you and this will tone your shoulders as well.
Another option is to keep the block in between thighs. This puts the focus on the inner thighs and will help you with stronger groin muscles as well.
Another option is to put block under heels, this helps with more ankle movements. And this is also made very popular with the kneesovertoes guy as well.
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Downward Dog
Downward dog is a great yoga pose for hamstrings, back and arms. With yoga blocks, you can make some useful variations on it.
If you want more tension than put your feet on blocks and this will increase the angle, this will help with doing a more intense version of this yoga pose with blocks.
And on the other hand, if you put your hands on blocks then this decrease the distance it will reduce the stretch.
Apart from the above workouts, here are some of the yoga poses where you can use a yoga block.
- Yoga Bicycles
- Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) A
- Step Through
- Stability Work
- Upper Body Strength
- Handstand Hops
- Psoas Release
- Neck Release
What Are The Best Yoga Blocks to Buy?
Click on the image to see the full links
Foam Yoga Blocks: Pros & Cons
Foam yoga blocks are good for beginners, and they are also cheap compared to other types.
They cost less than 600 INR
Materials of the foam blocks can be easily damaged but still works great for home gym / home yoga studio purpose.
Cork Yoga Blocks: Pros & Cons
Cork yoga blocks are very light and easily portable. They can also be used at home gym and studios as well.
The material of the cork blocks is actually a bit hard to damage.
Many do like the look and feel of the cork yoga blocks.
Cork yoga blocks are costly and much heavier than foam made yoga blocks.
How Many Yoga Blocks Do I Need?
Ideally you will only need two yoga blocks, I do not see the need of more yoga blocks than that.
For many people, the number of yoga blocks needed depends on how active they are and how serious about their yoga practice.
Most people who are using only a few blocks for home gym purpose won’t have a problem with overdoing it.
However, those who are using blocks for their fitness and yoga training will need to be more careful about the number of blocks they use.
How to use yoga blocks for back?
hest opener, downward dog, Cobra pose, Bridge pose are good for back and for these yoga poses you can use yoga blocks. These yoga poses with blocks will help with reliving back pain, improve mobility and more.
How to use yoga blocks for splits?
You might use a yoga block or two to support yourself on your knees, so that you can push through the stretch. This helps with the need of strength and flexibility to do a split.
How to make yoga blocks?
The most easy way to make yoga blocks will be using wood. Cut out all the sizes you will need for all the sides of the yoga brick, and you can make your own yoga block.
You do have to polish it and use glue or nails to make it all stick.
How to use a yoga block for lower back pain?
Top two exercise for low back pain could be supported fish and supported bridge. Here you are required to put the blocks or even a strong pillow under your back/hip to support the pose. This will help your stiff body with the pose, and the stretch will help your back pain.
How to use yoga blocks and straps?
While blocks will give you the extra support, the strap will help you with increasing the tension. For example, while doing raj kapotosana you can attach a strap to the leg then you can pull it towards you to improve the stretch.
How to use yoga wedge for wrists?
While doing yoga poses you can grab those yoga blocks in your hands so your grip, forearms and wrists gets stronger. Or for some other yoga moves where your hand is supposed to be on the ground, you can put them under the wrist/palm also.
Ref: Yoga research paper
