If you are taking online yoga classes, you will have to have some supplies on hand to support you in your practice. In addition to a yoga mat, many instructors suggest their students purchase supportive props to use during different poses. One of the most helpful props to use during a yoga class is a yoga block.
What Is a Yoga Block?
A yoga block is a tool you can use to support your yoga practice. With a yoga block, you can modify poses to make them easier, or you can make them more challenging. The amount of support or challenge is determined based on how you position the yoga block.
Yoga blocks come in various materials, including foam, cork, bamboo, or wood. Most yoga blocks are rectangular, lightweight, and soft to the touch. They are available in a wide variety of colors and print designs.
You can find yoga blocks in different sizes. Yoga blocks are traditionally 9″ x 6″ x 4″. There are some yoga blocks that are thicker, while others are thinner, depending on the intended purposes. Beginners should start with a traditional or thick yoga block. Experienced yogis might prefer a thinner block for an added challenge.
Many yoga instructors will suggest having access to at least one or two yoga blocks. Yoga blocks are often used during in-person and online yoga classes.
Yoga Blocks and Online Yoga Classes
Don’t let using a yoga block in an online yoga class intimidate you. Like with in-person classes, instructors in online yoga classes can offer suggestions on how to adjust or modify different yoga poses. They will often suggest using a yoga block to help with these modifications.
Online yoga teachers can help beginners modify a pose to make it easier to achieve the desired position. They can help you use a yoga block to provide additional support or stability during a particularly challenging pose. They can also make suggestions for how to increase the difficulty of a particular pose for more experienced students.
While not every online yoga class will require the use of a yoga block, having a block or two on hand can help you strengthen and grow in your yoga practice. Even without direct instruction, you can incorporate a yoga block into your practice once you learn different modifications.
How To Use a Yoga Block
The way you use a yoga block will depend on the yoga pose you are working on and the reason you are using the block. The three main reasons to use a yoga block are for support, to shorten the space between your body and the floor, and to strengthen your capabilities.
Support
Many yoga poses require you to have some degree of flexibility and balance. A yoga block can help add support if you struggle in either of these areas. Using a yoga block can help you gain balance and allow you to support your body while attempting a challenging or new pose.
Try using a yoga block for support when in bridges or seated cross-legged poses.
Shorten
Yoga blocks are often positioned in a way to help you shorten the space between your body and the ground. Since your yoga block is rectangular, you have three different ways to position the block. For the most support, position the block standing tall. For lower levels of support, position the block on its side or laying flat on the ground.
Try using a yoga block to shorten the distance between your body and the ground in different poses.
Strengthen
While yoga blocks are often thought of as support tools for beginners, they can also help experienced students. There are ways you can use your yoga block to increase the difficulty level of various poses. Standing on a yoga block during certain poses can actually lengthen the space between your body and the floor.
If you are able to maintain balance without the use of a yoga block, try adding it to decrease your useable surface area. Decreasing the amount of surface area you are able to use will help you increase your strength.
Challenge your strength by using your yoga block in boat pose, dancer’s pose, or even in poses with a backbend.
Deepening Your Yoga Practice
Whether you’re taking in-person or online yoga classes, support tools like yoga blocks can help you deepen your yoga practice. The best ways to deepen your yoga practice with the help of a yoga block are to stay consistent, don’t get discouraged, and relax into your poses.
