Yoga blocks for beginners: Benefits and uses

Yoga is what everyone is talking about! You may take up yoga because your favourite celebrity practices it or you want to improve your health. Irrespective of the reason, it is an ancient practice that promotes flexibility, strength, as well as mindfulness. If you find the poses to be challenging, you can use props for various asanas. One such prop is yoga blocks for beginners. These can assist you in refining your practice. The rectangular aids made from materials such as foam, cork, or wood will help with proper alignment and minimise the risk of injury. These props can provide stability, support, and balance during your yoga classes.

What are the benefits of using yoga blocks for beginners?

Props like yoga blocks can support the body while performing the poses. They can help people engage in poses that would otherwise be more difficult, as per research published in Alternative Therapies In Health And Medicine in 2021. Here are some of the benefits of using yoga blocks for beginners:

1. Boosts flexibility

Yoga blocks for beginners are perfect for boosting flexibility. They can help you to explore deeper variations of your poses. “By providing support, yoga blocks for beginners can make stretches more attainable, leading to notable improvements in flexibility over time,” says yoga expert Fenil Purohit.

2. Helps to target specific muscle groups

Use yoga blocks for beginners, as they can assist in isolating particular muscle groups. “For instance, placing one of the colourful blocks under your sacrum in Sahayak Setu Bandhasana or Supported Bridge Pose can help open up your chest and shoulders while engaging your hip flexors,” says the expert.

3. Enhances alignment and stability

Achieving proper alignment is important while doing any yoga pose. Use yoga blocks for beginners, as they can help in discovering and maintaining correct alignment. “This in turn enhances stability and minimises the risk of injury,” says the expert.

4. May reduce back pain

Considering our sitting jobs, it’s no surprise that many people have back pain. A 2023 study, published in the Journal Of Clinical Medicine, showed that up to 84 percent of the general population will have an episode of lower back pain during its lifetime. “Incorporating yoga blocks for beginners in seated or restorative poses can promote proper spinal alignment and can reduce back pain,” says the expert.

5. May reduce tightness in hips

Prolonged sitting not only causes back pain, but can also lead to hip stiffness. During a 2021 study, published in Musculoskeletal Science And Practice, sitting for long was found to be one of the main causes of hip stiffness and pain. Use yoga blocks for beginners, as they are effective in alleviating tightness in specific areas like the hip. “Hips often experience stiffness, and using blocks can facilitate their release,” says Purohit.

How to use yoga blocks for beginners?

Here are some asanas utilising yoga blocks for beginners:

1. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

• Stand with your feet positioned wide apart, turning your right foot outward.
• Extend your arms parallel to the ground.
• Bend at your waist as you reach your right hand toward the ground.
• Position a yoga block for beginners beneath your right hand for added support.
• Raise your left arm and look up at the ceiling.
• Maintain this pose for about 30 seconds then change sides.

2. Crow Pose (Kakasana)

• Set two yoga blocks under your feet and lower your body into a squat.
• Place your hands on the mat with shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core and slightly move your hips upwards.
• Shift your weight forward while lifting your feet off the blocks.
• Balance on your hands with your knees resting on your upper arms.
• Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds.

3. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

• Sit on the mat and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Allow your knees to fall open naturally.
• Position a block under each knee for support.
• Keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders.
• Hold the pose for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

• To do the Plank Pose, position two blocks beneath your hands at shoulder-width apart.
• Step your feet back to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Activate your core muscles while keeping your arms extended.
• Maintain the pose for 30 seconds, and ensure you steadily breathe throughout the asana.

5. Wheel Pose (Chakrasana)

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet positioned hip-width apart.
• Place a block beneath one hand prior to lifting into the pose.
• Press down through your hands and feet to elevate your body into an arch.
• Keep your elbows straight and your chest open.
• Hold the position for 10 to 20 seconds before gently lowering back down.

6. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Insert a yoga block between your thighs.
• Bend your knees and lower into a squat.
• Keep your chest elevated and arms extended overhead.
• Gently squeeze the block and hold for 30 seconds.

7. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

• Lie on your back, placing a block under your upper back.
• Allow your head to rest back, elongating your neck.
• Extend your arms and legs outward.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds while breathing deeply.

8. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

• To do the pigeon pose, start in a low lunge with your right knee positioned forward.
• Shift your right shin toward the front edge of the mat.
• Position a block beneath your back thigh for added support.
• Maintain an elevated chest and focus on deep breathing.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds before switching to the opposite side.

9. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

• Step your right foot forward into a lunge stance.
• Place a block beneath your left thigh for support.
• Keep your hands resting on your knees or extend them overhead.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

10. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

• Set two blocks under your hands at their lowest setting.
• Step back into Downward Dog, elevating your hips.
• Ensure your spine is elongated and your heels are pressing down.
• Maintain the pose for 30 seconds while practicing deep breathing.

11. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

• To perform the Cobra Pose, lie face down with your legs extended
• Position two blocks beneath your hands.
• Press into the yoga blocks for beginners to elevate your chest.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the pose for 20–30 seconds.

12. Boat Pose (Navasana)

• Begin seated on the mat with your knees bent and feet resting flat.
• Place a block between your thighs.
• Gently lean back and elevate your legs to create a V shape.
• Maintain a straight spine and activate your core muscles.
• Sustain the pose for 20–30 seconds.

Use yoga blocks for beginners, as they can transform your practice. These are just simple tools, but can help to enhance flexibility, improve alignment and increase comfort.