How Yoga Blocks Can Help With Flexibility
When it comes to enhancing your yoga practice, yoga blocks are among the most versatile and beneficial yoga props available. These simple rectangular tools can transform your experience on the mat, particularly when working on flexibility. Whether you're a beginner struggling to touch your toes or an advanced practitioner looking to deepen your poses, incorporating yoga blocks into your routine can help you achieve your flexibility goals safely and effectively.
What Are Yoga Blocks and Why They Matter
Yoga blocks are firm, lightweight rectangular props typically made from foam, cork, or wood. They come in various sizes, but the standard dimensions are approximately 9 x 6 x 4 inches. These dimensions provide three different height options depending on how you position the block.
The primary function of yoga blocks is to "bring the floor closer to you" when your flexibility doesn't allow you to reach all the way down in certain poses. This simple concept has profound implications for your practice:
- They help maintain proper alignment when flexibility is limited
- They provide stability and support during challenging poses
- They allow for gradual progression in flexibility poses with blocks
- They reduce strain and the risk of injury
- They make yoga more accessible to practitioners of all levels
How Yoga Blocks Improve Flexibility
Flexibility isn't just about how far you can stretch—it's about creating space in the body, releasing tension, and developing a greater range of motion in your joints. Yoga blocks facilitate this process in several important ways:
First, blocks allow you to hold poses longer because you're not straining to reach an impossible position. This extended time in the pose gives your muscles a chance to relax and gradually release, which is essential for increasing flexibility.
Second, blocks help maintain proper alignment, ensuring that you're stretching the intended muscles rather than compensating with other parts of your body. This targeted approach leads to more effective flexibility gains.
Third, using deep stretch props like blocks creates a progressive pathway for improvement. As your flexibility increases, you can gradually decrease the height of the block until eventually, you may not need it at all.
Essential Yoga Block Stretches for Flexibility
Incorporating yoga block stretches into your routine can target key areas where many people experience tightness. Here are some effective poses to try:
1. Forward Fold with Blocks (Uttanasana)
Place one or two blocks in front of your feet. As you fold forward, rest your hands on the blocks instead of straining to reach the floor. This allows your hamstrings to release gradually while maintaining a straight spine. As flexibility improves, you can lower the height of the blocks.
2. Half Split with Block Support (Ardha Hanumanasana)
From a low lunge, straighten your front leg and place a block under each hand on either side of your extended leg. This flexibility pose with blocks provides excellent hamstring and hip opening while maintaining proper alignment in your lower back.
3. Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Place a block under your sacrum (the flat part of your lower back) while in bridge pose. This allows you to hold the pose longer, providing a gentle, sustained stretch for your hip flexors and a passive backbend that increases spine flexibility.
4. Reclined Bound Angle Pose with Blocks (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Place one block under each knee while in reclined butterfly pose. This provides support that allows your inner thighs and groin to release gradually, opening the hips without strain.
5. Triangle Pose with Block (Trikonasana)
Place a block on the outside of your front foot and rest your lower hand on it. This yoga block stretch allows you to maintain proper alignment through your torso and hips while still getting the full benefit of the pose.
Creating a Flexibility-Focused Practice with Yoga Props
To maximize your flexibility gains, consider these tips when using yoga blocks and other deep stretch props:
- Hold each pose for 1-5 minutes to allow for deep tissue release
- Focus on relaxing into the stretch rather than pushing your limits
- Use breath to deepen the stretch—inhale to create space, exhale to release further
- Combine blocks with other props like straps and bolsters for comprehensive support
- Practice consistently—flexibility develops through regular, patient work
Choosing the Right Yoga Blocks
Not all yoga blocks are created equal. Consider these factors when selecting blocks for your flexibility practice:
- Material: Foam blocks are lightweight and affordable, cork provides more stability and is eco-friendly, and wooden blocks offer the most solid support
- Size: Standard blocks work for most practitioners, but those with larger frames might benefit from larger blocks
- Quantity: Having two blocks provides more versatility for flexibility poses with blocks
Beyond Flexibility: Additional Benefits of Yoga Blocks
While we've focused on flexibility, yoga props like blocks offer numerous other benefits:
They build strength when used for modified push-ups or as resistance tools. They improve balance by providing a reference point for spatial awareness. And perhaps most importantly, they make yoga more inclusive, allowing practitioners with different body types and abilities to experience the full benefits of yoga.
Whether you're just beginning your yoga journey or are looking to deepen an established practice, incorporating yoga blocks into your routine can transform your relationship with flexibility. These simple deep stretch props create space for growth, patience, and self-acceptance—qualities that extend far beyond the physical aspects of yoga into our everyday lives.