Yoga Blocks Buying Guide

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise worldwide, and it keeps gaining in popularity as more people understand the health benefits of practicing yoga regularly. The yoga block, a versatile piece of equipment that helps yogis achieve new achievements, is one of the products that may make your yoga experience even better. With so many types and materials of yoga blocks available, it is essential to know which one to purchase. Hence, in this article, we will guide you on how to choose the best yoga block that suits your needs.

Benefits of a Yoga Block

First, let's go through the basic importance of a yoga block.

Supports Flexibility

For yogis who aren't as flexible, yoga blocks provide support for comfort and helps them perform difficult poses with ease. By using yoga blocks, yogis can extend, elongate, and deepen stretches, leading to enhanced flexibility.

Prevents Injuries

Yoga blocks provide stability, prevent slippery surfaces, bring awareness to alignment, and create a more excellent range of motion hence preventing injuries. If you're dealing with an injury, for example, back pressure, or are recovering from a surgical procedure, yoga blocks support you in doing things that you usually would have to avoid or skip.

Helps with Balance

When practicing difficult standing poses or handstands, yoga blocks provide stability for yogis who may be struggling with balance. Having a block can provide additional height, allowing yogis to find equilibrium in their pose.

Multi-Functional

Yoga blocks can also serve as a mini-bench, a meditation seat, or a workout weight apart from the standard support function.

Types of Yoga Blocks: Which One Suits You?

When purchasing yoga blocks, factor in texture, size, and shape as they affect block performance and variations in poses. The following are four major types of yoga blocks you may want to consider:

Cork Yoga Blocks

Cork yoga blocks are eco-friendly, natural, and renewable. They weigh a bit more than foam blocks, and their texture is usually a little bit rough or bumpy, but they provide the highest level of support known. Cork blocks are dense hence the perfect way to steady a pose, like Bound Angle if you want to go deep.

Foam Yoga Blocks

For beginners, Foam yoga blocks serve you well. Soft, lightweight, and fluffy, foam blocks provide added cushioning and comfort, with the grasping surface often smooth and easily gripped. They offer a cozy feeling if you want to rest your head or hands on them during yoga practice. Foam blocks can be found in various sizes and shapes, including flat-top, round, or cylindrical. The feature that distinguishes foam blocks is the different levels of density, ranging from firm to medium or soft.

Wood Yoga Blocks

Yoga practice is about connecting with nature and the self, hence the popularity of wooden blocks in recent years. Made from either bamboo or birch, these blocks offer a strong, stable foundation for experienced yogis. As they're precisely crafted, they have a smooth surface and come with elegant designs to match with bamboo yoga mats. Additionally, they have a natural scent that helps bring about a calm environment for a heightened yoga experience.

Recycled Plastic Blocks

Recycled plastic yoga blocks are good for the environment. These blocks are made from pollution materials from almost anywhere, ranging from water bottles to plastic trays. Recycled plastic blocks can be just as supportive as cork and wood blocks, and they are a bit lighter, with super easy-clean, scratch-resistant surfaces.

Choosing the Correct Size of a Yoga Block

It is essential to choose the appropriate size for your yoga block. Using a bigger, heavier block may not give you enough stability, and holding a tiny block may cause wrist strain, leading to injuries. Here are the three standard sizes:

3" x 6" x 9"

The standard size of most yoga blocks is 3" x 6" x 9". This size usually works best for most yogis and enables some flexibility in most poses. The 3" height provides a stable foundation, and it gives help to those who may have difficulty reaching the ground.

4" x 6" x 9"

4" x 6" x 9" is an alternate size that provides additional height when the 3" height may not fulfill all of the poses. This is the best size if you're using a block that requires height like Half-Moon, Trikonasana, or Virabhadrasana II. Experienced yogis will enjoy performing deeper stretches that need higher ground clearance.

2" x 4" x 8"

2" x 4" x 8" is the tiny block size that is ideal for yogis who are traveling or those with wrist pain. The block's small size is easy to pack, and it applies less pressure to the wrists, which is good when practicing weight-bearing positions for a prolonged period.

Shape of Yoga Block

The type and size of yoga block is not the only thing you should pay attention to when buying one to best suit your practice. The block's shape is also an essential aspect to consider. Here are the top yoga block shapes and their uses:

Rectangular Shape

If you're a beginner, a rectangular yoga block shape is the best option as it's foundational and straight-forward. Beginners should start with a rectangle shape because it provides a larger surface area for supporting poses.

Oval Shape

An oval-shaped yoga block is a great choice for more experienced yogis. This shape offers additional hand stability and can help yogis achieve deeper poses by providing more height when they need it.

Round Shape

A round-shaped yoga block works well for hip and core stabilization exercises. The yogis can balance on them to open the chest, find equilibrium in a tricky pose, or use for round-style poses like Pranayama or Arc Rolls.

Color of Yoga Block

Color is an essential aspect of your yoga block purchasing process since it will affect your yoga practice's aesthetic appeal. Gray, brown, and beige are mostly preferred for cork and wood blocks, while vibrant colors like pink, blue, and purple are excellent options for foam and recycled plastic blocks. If you are looking to match your block with your yoga mat for a cohesive look, go for blocks of the same brand as your yoga mat.

Other Tips When Buying Yoga Blocks

Your choice of yoga block should fit into your overall approach to yoga – hence, the need to consider the following:

Buy Quality

A yoga block should surely provide support, lift, stability during your yoga practice, and last longer. Cheaper and low-quality yoga blocks degrade quickly leading to exposed foam, tears, or punctures.

Brand Name Shouldn’t Be a Priority

Suppose you're shopping for yoga blocks for the first time, and your instinct tells you to favor the big-name brands due to their huge market presence. In that case, you may be overspending since many emerging brands offer decent quality products that might be more affordable.

Buy Yoga Blocks in Sets

Instead of purchasing a single yoga block, consider buying a set of two. A set of yoga blocks allows you to support both sides of your body when necessary for a more extensive range of motion.

Test Before Buying

Testing out yoga blocks yourself is always the best way to find the one that meets your specific needs. Test them by trying out different poses like the Warrior Pose or Triangle, lunges, or even balancing poses like the Half-moon or Tree.

Final Thoughts

Buying a yoga block for your yoga practice can transform the way you approach certain poses to deepen various stretches and achieve new goals. With different types of yoga blocks, including cork blocks, foam blocks, wood blocks, and recycled plastic blocks on the market, you're sure to find the perfect option for your requirements. Don't forget to investigate the size, shape, and color of the yoga block you're considering to make sure you're making the right choice for your yoga practice.