Block Talk

 Let's talk about the yoga block!  I love that to practice yoga, we do not need a lot of fancy equipment.  A block or two, a strap, and a mat and we are ready to go.  The tools are pretty portable too so we can use them in the studio, at home, or on the road.  If you don't have a set of blocks, I suggest you remedy that! Amazon has plenty- just search yoga block sets.

How are blocks used in a yoga practice?  Let me suggest some ways for you to try out today:

The block can be used as a gentle chest opener.  You can place it along the spine or under the shoulder blades lengthwise.  You will open your chest and heart by letting the shoulders roll back.  Your throat is open, stimulating the thyroid.  Knees bent will release pressure in your lower back.  If your head does not reach the ground, use a second block under the head.

Use the blocks as a guide for alignment in chaturanga.  Placing shoulders on two blocks will help you to feel the angle of elbows and wrists for building up strength in the upper body.

Pigeon pose can be very challenging.  We try to line our bent leg perpendicular to the top of the mat.  This means that the hip may not come all the way to the floor.  So we place a block under the hip so that we can fully lengthen the other leg and feel balanced in the pose.  

Placing a block at the sacrum in bridge pose can lift our body and hold it in place while we relax our muscles.  We can relax our glutes and hamstrings while opening our chest and stretching the front of the body.

Use the block to reach for the floor in standing poses.  Take the ego out of it and enjoy better balance and stability in standing poses by bringing the floor closer to you!

What is your favorite way to use a block?  The options are limitless!!

Get started the right way with Yoga! Download for FREE “Top 10 List for Yoga Beginners.” Link https://yogatraveler.net/top-10-list-for-yoga-newbies

Comments

  1. NatalieSeptember 23, 2020 at 4:26 PM

    I'm not very flexible, so I loved that you never shamed and even encouraged the use of a block. It helped me to feel like it was a normal part of yoga practice! Thanks for introducing me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yoga TravelerNovember 14, 2020 at 3:07 PM

      I am so glad you felt that way! That is always my greatest wish, that people will adapt yoga to their bodies needs. Sometimes when people refuse to use props, I wish to myself that they would let their ego's go and embrace a little support. It would make all the difference. Keep up the good work my friend!

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