Enhancing Your Yoga Practice with Foam Blocks

Using a 6’ Essential Studio Strap and 4” Foam Blocks can provide the stability and space needed to modify poses and achieve better alignment in your yoga practice. These props support you in deepening your practice and improving your body awareness, helping you find more comfort and precision in your asanas.

1. Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

To get into Half Moon Pose, press firmly with your standing foot into the mat, extending your floating leg behind you, keeping the foot active and the heel pushing away as if you’re standing against a wall. Open your hips towards the long edge of your mat and use blocks at different heights to keep your body aligned. Stretch your top hand toward the sky, creating a sense of lightness by reaching through your fingertips toward the block beneath your hand. This helps you maintain balance and alignment while opening the chest.

2. Half Lift (Ardha Uttanasana)

The “half lift” is a vital part of many yoga classes but often rushed or forgotten. From a forward fold, press your palms into blocks next to your feet. As you inhale, extend your elbows and lift your torso away from your thighs, reaching as much length as possible from your pubic bone to your navel. Use the blocks as an extension of your arms, pressing down to lift your chest forward and up. You can slightly bend your knees to create more space in the lower back and to maintain a healthy arch in the spine.

3. Runner’s Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Moving into a low lunge or runner’s lunge requires finding length. Grab a set of 3 or 4-inch blocks to bring the floor closer. Experiment with different heights for each block on either side of the front leg. On days when your hips feel open and warm, try lowering the blocks to challenge your flexibility. For days when you need extra support, increase the height of the blocks for more comfort. Make sure your front knee is directly above the ankle, and use the blocks to support the lengthening of the spine. Inhale to find length, and exhale to deepen into the lunge.

4. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

Soothing and cooling, this seated forward fold is an excellent way to slow down the breath towards the end of your practice. If you feel tightness in the hips, use a block under your hips to support your pelvis. Before folding forward, loop the strap around the balls of your feet and find length along both sides of your torso. Keep this length as you tilt from the pelvis and bring your chest forward. Use the strap to help support your torso’s extension, holding the ends of the strap in your hands to ensure a secure grip. With each inhale, find more length, and with each exhale, release tension, allowing yourself to deepen into the pose.

5. Shoulder Stretch (Shoulder Opener with Strap)

If you’re working towards a full shoulder bind, use the strap as an extension of your arms. Stretch your right arm up toward the sky and hold the strap in the same hand. Bend your elbow, bringing your hand towards the upper back. Simultaneously, bring your left hand to the lower back with the palm facing outward. Hold the strap hanging between your hands and begin bringing them closer together, keeping the shoulders relaxed and collarbones wide. This deep stretch helps to open the shoulders and improve flexibility.

6. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

A favorite pose after a long, busy day – Legs Up the Wall is restorative, rejuvenating, and incredibly beneficial! Create a loop with your strap, placing it between your hips and shoulder-width apart, and then slide your legs into the loop. Position your hips a few inches from the wall and extend your legs so your heels rest against it. Using the strap to keep your legs parallel, allow yourself to relax deeper into the pose. This simple inversion can calm the nervous system, promote circulation, and relieve stress.

Conclusion:

Incorporating props like yoga straps and foam blocks into your practice helps support your body in finding better alignment, more stability, and deeper relaxation in each pose. These props can enhance your yoga practice by helping you to stay mindful, extend your reach, and release tension in a safe, sustainable way. Whether you’re deepening a pose, preventing strain, or restoring energy, these tools are invaluable for creating a balanced and comfortable practice.