You’ll make sure to drop your yoga blocks in your yoga bag once you’ve found out about their many benefits to your practice. But, before we review the many benefits of yoga blocks, it’s a good idea to talk a little about the healthy aspects Yoga, itself.
The Benefits of Yoga
Yoga practitioners have found that habitual yoga practice awakens both mind and body! As you empty your mind to give your undivided attention to each pose, you awaken your “inner body” awareness of the present moment. Consistent yoga practice advances a healthy body through proper breathing for more oxygenation, greater flexibility for ease of motion, added muscle strength for confident movement, and perfect alignment for enhanced energy flow. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.
You’ll need time and commitment, as well as a whole lot of patience, to master a yoga pose. No one is a master the first time they try to do anything. But, slowly over time, as you practice and try to perform each pose correctly, without pushing yourself too far physically or beating yourself up mentally, you will notice that you are developing flexibility, strength, and energy physically and feeling more peaceful and clear mentally.
The best environment for doing your practice is an uncluttered, peaceful place with a bare floor and practicable wall. Remove any distractions from your yoga environment. Ideally, you should not eat for at least 2 hours before practicing. If this is not possible, then try to eat something light, such as a piece of fruit, but no more than 1 hour before you start your yoga practice.
If you should feel pain or discomfort as you try a pose, pause or stop, then try again with more mindful movement.
Yoga props and accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even a yoga towel are made with the intention to aid you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a flawless pose, and in practicing in a healthful way.
Good reasons to consider using yoga props:
- Pain relief and body comfort
- Release tension and provide support
- Encourage appropriate alignment
- Ease and flexibility of movement
- Develop awareness and understanding
Yoga Blocks
Unfortunately, sometimes before a beginner can start to know the benefits to mind and body that yoga provides, discomfort in the effort to do some of the yoga poses will cause them to turn away from a life enriching yoga practice. Yoga blocks can assist anyone, but expressly those just starting out, to feel more comfortable during yoga practice because yoga blocks aid to improve alignment. For instance, when a standing pose includes one hand being on the floor, flexibility issues arise. In other words, the floor can seem a long way down for a beginner. Think of a yoga block as an extra extension to your arm. While a beginner is in the process of developing flexibility, he or she will still be able to do the standing poses accurately by positioning a hand on a block that’s been positioned appropriately on the floor. A yoga block is a wonderful transitional aid. In addition, some sitting poses make use of a yoga block. Yoga blocks help with balance, poise, and stability. Who could ask for more from something so “square.”
Yoga blocks come in a variety of materials. Here are three: Foam blocks are durable and lightweight, an manageable add to your yoga mat bag! Wooden blocks are also lightweight and hollow, yet virtually indestructible (even Fido would find one hard to destroy!). Lastly, there is the environmentally friendly cork block. An additional bonus is that the natural texture of the cork gives some extra traction.
Yoga blocks are usually sold singly but, for versatility, you’ll likely want to buy several.
