Why: If the groin, inner thighs and hips are tight, you will feel a pulling sensation as the legs hang in space. Lie down and place your arms at your sides. Place a block in the medium or low position underneath each thigh to support the weight of each leg. Gently let your knees fall open as the bottoms of the feet come together, and draw your heels toward your glutes. Begin seated with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclining Bound Angle Pose | Hip Opener When using the block to aid in balance, you’ll be able to slowly open the hips and reap the benefits of strong ankles, knees, legs and mental focus. Why: The block shortens the distance between the hand and the supporting surface (in a sense, it lifts up the floor to meet your hand), making it easier to lift your torso, expand through the chest and keep your upper body in alignment without collapsing into the side body. Roll the left hip up and back and turn the whole torso so that the entire front of the body is facing the sidewall. Lift the left leg up parallel to the floor. From a high-lunge position with the right foot forward, place your hand on the block and use the block to extend up and out of the shoulder while stepping into the right foot and straightening the right leg. How: Position the yoga block 6-12 inches in front of the standing foot, slightly to the outside and on the highest height level. Why: Lifting the hips above the level of your knees reduces knee stress and discomfort, making it easier for you to sit in this position to reap the benefits of stretching the feet, ankles and thighs.Īrdha Chandrasana or Half-moon Pose | Balance Lengthen the spine, gently engage the core, and keep length in the back of the neck. Slowly shift your body back and sit on top of the block. Place the block between your shins on the medium-height level. How: Kneel with your knees and feet hip-distance apart. Virasana or Hero’s Pose | Seated Meditation Whether you are seated or standing, or have tight hips and shoulders, the following four poses are excellent examples of using a yoga block to enhance flexibility and find greater enjoyment in your yoga practice. Can be placed at the low, medium and high positions to accommodate more or less support.Bring awareness to properly engage and support muscles in a specific pose. Help make yoga accessible to beginners and to those experiencing injury or other physical limitations.Assist in establishing correct alignment.Support range of motion, thereby shortening the distance between you and the floor (“bringing the floor closer to you”). Made from foam, bamboo, wood or cork, the block is often used as an extension of the arms, but can also support the back, head and hips to help the body settle into a pose. One of the most popular yoga props to use in class is the yoga block. Yoga provides many props to enhance your ability to express a yoga pose. Yoga Blocks Purpose: How to Use Blocks to Enhance Your Yoga Poses Of course, all of this is much easier to move toward if you can find a sense of comfort in the poses. While yoga can help improve flexibility, posture and balance, the practice of yoga offers so much more, including self-reflection, the practice of kindness to ourselves and others, and continued growth and self-awareness. September is National Yoga Month-a great reminder to practice yoga and create a more balanced lifestyle.
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