What Are Cork Yoga Blocks & Why You Should Start To Include Them In Your Routines
A Brief Background On Cork Yoga Blocks:
You may not see cork yoga blocks just as much as you should in yoga. Oftentimes, props like blocks, bolsters and yoga blankets are not given enough of a chance. Little do yogi's know the powerful way in which these can help develop their practice.
Cork yoga blocks are not just used in cases where the practitioner needs extra support during a pose, due to flexibility limitations. Oftentimes, cork yoga blocks are used to help better develop or correct body alignment during asanas. This in turn helps the yogi get the very most out of every pose, making it easier to then continue to more advanced asanas and sequences.
Related Article: Yoga Techniques: Stretching With Yoga Blocks
Yes it's true, these props are also effective for novice yogi's within the practice for completing certain yoga poses, but they should not be limited to beginners.
For beginners all the way to advanced yogi's, blocks can be used to help not just with better alignment, but consequently improving strength, helping to prevent injury, and improve balance.
Yoga is not something you rush through, it's a practice noted for deep concentration and focus. This leads to better posturing and mind-body connections. With props like cork yoga blocks, you can challenge yourself, but also build a solid foundation with a focus on proper technique.
They can be used in restorative styles of yoga and others to help practitioners hold poses for longer durations, opening up parts of their bodies and breath (pranayama), sometimes better then without.
Related Article: The Benefits of Having A Yoga Instructor as a Beginner Yogi
What Are Cork Yoga Blocks?
Yoga Journal may say it best, "to get the most out of your regular yoga routines, a mat and stretching band may not be enough".
Props are just that, they enable you to go further then maybe you thought your body could go. They allow you to challenge yourself with advanced poses, maybe even before you thought your were ready, leading to a better ability to master certain asanas.
What are cork yoga blocks, exactly?
With all that being said, even though under-utilized, cork yoga blocks are the most commonly used yoga prop.
As mentioned before, they can be both a way to help reach goals for certain stretches, but also lend in support for certain parts of your body. A cork yoga block is typically a brick-shaped
block which is made out of, you guessed it, cork. There are also blocks made from both a hard foam material, bamboo, and wood.
They are called "blocks" because that's the shape they resemble, similar to a brick in shape, with slightly different dimensions. Their textures are often comfortable and smooth as well as provide good traction.
Cork yoga blocks are typically heavier then foam yoga blocks, which may help with stability, however the one downside compared to foam blocks may just be comfort, with longer restorative-type holds.
Related Article: RESTORATIVE YOGA WITH BOLSTERS OR BLOCKS, ALONG WITH SOME BEGINNER POSES
Key Reasons Cork Yoga Blocks Are Useful Yoga Routines:
Helps in Reaching the Floor/Stretch:
Cork yoga blocks help you with your reach and balance when you want to bend down, but many not be able to quite reach the
ground. Think of these blocks as an extension of your arm in some cases, you can slowly use thinner blocks as you get more comfortable with certain stretches and as you increase your ability to release specific muscle groups.
You can potentially start with a 9 inch block, then move to 6 inch block, and so on. These cork yoga blocks help support range of motion. They essentially bring you closer to the floor during many practices asana's.
· Between Your Legs & Hands:
You can bring
in another element of resistance and create a strength training program for yourself while intensifying your moves. As these are made of cork, they
are also light and easy to use unlike a heavier block.
You can use them for extreme balancing maneuvers (which helps activate smaller muscles groups), exercises like triceps push-ups, or to change your elevation off the ground (like this flying plank) which can help activate the core.
· Excellent for Hip/Back Support:
If you are trying some asanas that need more hip support and your lower body is a bit on the heavier side to support such poses, the large cork blocks can help. With them supporting your hips, you can freely move your legs and do the relevant postures.
You can
also use the large cork blocks to support your back in cases where you are doing any
moves in which your back needs a certain amount of excess support, until pain or flexibility increases.
Quick Beginners Video Guide To Yoga Blocks!
Use the cork yoga blocks where you feel you need them, and get a comfortable position for yourself to be able to perform the relevant poses more easily.
Cork
yoga blocks can be used in a wide array of areas of yoga as we learned. They also make for a nice set of yoga props for beginners as you can buy a set (small to large yoga blocks) and use different set-ups and angles of each block to improve you stretch in a relatively inexpensive way.
There is no heavy equipment here to buy, and they are easy to store as well due to there smaller dimensions.
Uses of Yoga blocks or yoga bricks are truly endless, and you will become more creative using them as you become better with the craft. We hope you have learned something today about yoga blocks that you did not currently know. Please be sure to share our posts and products on your social media platforms.
Thanks and we hope to have you again soon!
Resources:
- https://www.yogajournal.com/osp/best-cork-yoga-blocks/