Benefits of Cork Yoga Blocks

There is a common misconception that yoga props, especially blocks, are for beginners and once you become a more seasoned yogi, they are no longer needed. I’m here to tell you, that could not be further from the truth. Regardless of your skill level, blocks enhance your practice in so many ways and I’ve my favorite reasons:

Bring the ground closer to you. Touching the floor doesn’t always come easy, specially when you’re getting into more challenging poses like Revolved Triangle or Half Moon. Simply place a block under your “floor” hand or hands and ta-da, the pose just got a little more manageable!

Release tension in your knees. Seated meditation is common in most yoga practices but it can cause stress and discomfort on your knees. By sitting on a block, at medium height, you’ll start to notice you can maintain the pose for longer and benefit from stretching the feet, ankles, and thighs.

Sink deeper into poses. Using blocks can help you achieve a more intense stretch by allowing you to get deeper and maintain postures for longer. Bridge is one of my favorite restorative poses to incorporate a block into. Once you get into the pose, place the block under your pelvis, at the height that feels right for you. From there, relax and allow your chest to open.

Help you face your fears.Crow pose is scary for a lot of people (including myself) and can create an OMG moment that you’re going to smash your face into the floor. A pro trick is to place a block directly on the ground in front of your forehead to create a “pillow” – believe it or not, this really helps eliminate some of the fear the pose brings.

Prevent injuries. This might be the most important reason of them all – using blocks can take a lot of pressure off your muscles when trying to get into difficult poses. I have tight hips so using a block in Pigeon Pose is a classic example for me. Before releasing fully into the pose, slide a block under your hip.