Picture this: you walk into a yoga class, and a teacher offers you a yoga block. The questions start filling your mind: Do I need a yoga block? Will I look silly using one compared to everyone else? What are you really supposed to use yoga blocks for, anyway?
Yoga blocks are key tools for preventing injury in any yoga enthusiast, but they're especially good for beginners, people with low levels of flexibility, and positions where you find it more difficult to control your breathing. They can help build upper body strength, practice correct alignment, and push you deeper into your poses than you could go on your own. The skills that yoga blocks allow you to develop are the skills that will protect you from injury while you practice mindful movement.
The key is to listen to your body. It's easy to brush off important signals as nothing important, but you can end up hurting yourself when you do that. Always err on the side of caution. If you're in the middle of a session and you realize your body isn't ready to go into a full pose, it's best to have a yoga block on hand so that you can modify it as needed. Just be careful not to get too attached to the block; yoga pushes you to grow, and you can't grow if you plant yourself in your comfort zone. Use the yoga block as a resource to get you where you need to be so you don't have to use it anymore.
Even yoga masters are human; they have hard days like everyone else and need a little extra support during their sessions. When you're not in the right state of mind, paying attention to your wellness and physical limits can be even more difficult than normal. Yoga blocks are your best bet in making sure you avoid injury on your hard days.
If you're not sure whether or not you need a yoga block, keep one by your yoga mat just in case. It's better to be safe than sorry! And don't feel self-conscious if you need to use one: no one around you will think less of you for protecting yourself.
Namaste.
