Blocks, belts, blankets, cushions … These are just some of the many tools that you can help with in your yoga practice. In addition to these more classic elements lately there is a boom in the market of newer yoga accessories: a clear example are the yoga wheels .
The world of yoga accessories would give for many posts. Each one of them has innumerable uses, being able to adapt to the practice of all the yogis in an individualized way.
What yoga accessories do you need to practice? Are they essential? What uses can we give to each one?
Let’s start with the basics:
WHY USE ACCESSORIES IN YOGA?
In principle, as the word itself says, it is accessories, that is, none of them is essential for practice. In fact it took me a long time to introduce them because I did not see the benefit.
However all yoga accessories have their advantages , and although you do not have to always use them, in this post I give you three reasons why you should at least try to introduce them into your practice:
3 REASONS FOR USING YOGA ACCESSORIES
DEEPEN THE POSTURES
When we start practicing a new asana it is very frequent that we can not reach the complete movement because we lack flexibility, strength, balance … And although this is fine and is perfectly normal, yoga accessories are a great way to experience all the benefits of an asana . I explain how:
1) YOGA BLOCKS
They serve to maintain correct alignment and support themselves appropriately.
- The height of the bricks makes it easier to reach some postures because they “raise the floor” considerably, for those who can not bend down and touch it with their hands. This makes them especially recommended for standing postures , for example in trikonasana .
- The elevation of the upper part of the torso allows a natural deep breathing, useful in the postures in which the chest opens “heart openers” .
- Push forward as paschimotanasana .
- Balance : many people use it to prepare for the positions of balance of arms and build strength in the core. Some examples? Bhujapidasana and Astravakasana
In this post of Yoga By Candace you will see graphic examples of how to use yoga blocks.
WHAT YOGA BLOCKS TO BUY?
There are many varieties of yoga blocks in the market, everything depends on what you are looking for.
- On the one hand there would be foam , cheaper, lighter (great for travel) and less respectful with the environment.
- For a more eco-friendly option you have the cork ones . Of course, they are much more expensive and absorb more sweat, so they take a peculiar whiff with the passage of time.