10 Ways to Use Yoga Blocks to Release Tight Muscles

Whether you’re new to yoga or trying to ease your way back in, blocks are great tools to use to help you get into poses safely.

Yoga props like blocks are incredibly useful for helping to build strength, flexibility, and improve your alignment. Every single yogi, from someone who has just begun to someone who has been practicing for 25 years, can use them to enhance their practice! The beauty of yoga blocks is in their simplicity and versatility: they can give support to tight hips and even help you find balance in tricky poses.

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In this article, we will breakdown 10 common yoga poses and show you why they are even better with blocks!

Downward Dog

1. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Tuck your toes under, press into your palms, and exhale as you lift your hips up towards the ceiling to make a V-shape with your body.
3. Roll your shoulders out externally so that your biceps begin to face forward. Pull your lower belly up and in so that your core is engaged, and press your tailbone towards the ceiling. Press your chest back towards your thighs and gaze towards your belly button. Hold here for 8 breaths.

With Blocks

With a normal downward facing dog, we often find ourselves overextending the shoulders as we try to lengthen the spine and hamstrings. It is important in this pose to find an external rotation of the shoulders and for most, this is challenging to do while maintaining a strong connection to the floor with your hands. When you add blocks underneath your hands, you have to really press through your palms to keep from sliding forward. This teaches you how to keep a lift through your triceps and shoulders, leading to increased strength in the triceps, stability in the shoulder girdle, and length in your spine.

1. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Slide a block on the lowest setting underneath each hand.
2. Tuck your toes under, press your palms firmly into the blocks, and exhale as you lift your hips up towards the ceiling. For this variation, keep your shoulders slightly forward over your wrists. You should feel your triceps engaged as well as your serratus.
3. Pull your lower belly up and in so that your core is engaged, and press your tailbone towards the ceiling. Look back towards your thighs. Hold here for 8 breaths.

Standing Forward Fold

1. Start standing with your feet hip-width distance apart.
2. Bring a small bend into your knees and exhale as you slowly fold forward, reaching your hands towards your feet.
3. Fold over your legs, bending your knees enough so that your torso rests comfortably on your thighs. Let your head hang heavy. Hold for 8 breaths.

With Blocks

Adding blocks to this pose not only feels amazing but has major benefits for your lower back and your digestive system. By placing blocks over the thighs and supporting the hip bones in your forward fold, you reduce strain in the low back that often comes with a regular forward fold. As the blocks support your abdomen, the lower back has a chance to release. Also, the blocks massage the ascending and descending colon, thus helping to aid in digestive health.

1. Start standing with your feet hip-width distance apart. Place a block vertically down each thigh with the top of the block resting right below your hip bones.
2. Bring a small bend into your knees. Keeping your hands on the blocks, exhale to slowly fold forward, lowering your torso over the blocks.
3. Release your hands to the floor and let your head hang heavy. Feel your low back release and feel the blocks pressing into your colon to help regulate digestion. Hold for 8 breaths.

Triangle

1. Start standing with your feet out wide. Point your right toes forward and turn your left foot to a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms out long and reach through your fingertips. Engage your abs and your quadriceps.
2. With a straight back, inhale, reach your right hand forward, and shift your hips back. Try to slightly spin your chest towards the ceiling and on an exhale, tick tock your arms to 12 and 6 o’clock.
3. Make sure to maintain a straight spine and keep your chest open to protect your low back. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

Triangle pose is a tough one. Even if you are an experienced yogi, chances are that holding this pose for more than 5 breaths can be very challenging. Using a block is a life changer for this pose. By adding a block underneath your bottom hand, you can better stack your hips and open your chest, stabilizing the core and opening your hips and hamstrings more than you would be able to do without the block.

1. Start standing with your feet wide. Point your right toes forward and turn your left foot to a 90-degree angle. Place a block on the highest setting inside of your right foot.
2. Stand tall again and extend your arms out long to reach through your fingertips. Engage your abs and your quadriceps. Then, with a straight back, inhale, reach your right hand forward, and shift your hips back. On an exhale, tick tock your arms to 12 and 6 o’clock.
3. Place your right hand on the block. Make sure to maintain a straight spine and keep opening your chest towards the ceiling to protect your low back. Hold for 5 breaths.

Revolved Triangle

1. Begin in a low lunge position with your right leg forward. Frame your foot with both hands. Step your left foot out so that your feet are hip-width distance apart, and then hop the foot up a couple of inches so that you can press your left heel into the ground, placing the foot at a 45-degree angle.
2. Start to straighten out your right leg so you are in a pyramid pose, keeping the back heel down. If you hands don’t reach the ground, keep a small bend in your knee.
3. Place your left fingertips inside of your right foot and lift your chest a little bit to find a flat back. Inhale and reach your right arm high so that your upper body is in a twist. Reach up through your right fingertips. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

This pose requires an immense amount of hamstring and hip flexibility and core strength. Adding a block allows you to lift your chest and find a flat back so that you can get the full benefits of the twist while maintaining stability in the spine and lower back.

1. Begin in a low lunge position with your right leg forward. Step your left foot up a couple of inches so that you can press the left heel into the ground with the foot at a 45-degree angle.
2. Place a block inside of your right foot. Then, straighten out your right leg so you are in a pyramid pose, keeping the back heel down.
3. Place your left fingertips on the block inside of your right foot and lift your chest a little bit to find a flat back. Inhale and reach your right arm high so that your upper body is in a twist. Reach up through your right fingertips. Hold for 5 breaths.

Child’s Pose

1. Begin on the floor in a tabletop position.
2. Bring your big toes together to touch and take your knees out wide. Sit your hips back onto your heels and walk your hands forward to lower your chest.
3. Walk your hands all the way to the top of the mat and then exhale to let your forehead rest down. Close your eyes and hold for 8 breaths.

With Blocks

Placing blocks underneath the palms helps to open up the front of the shoulders, chest, lats, and triceps. Whether you are advanced or new to your yoga practice, this stretch does wonders for opening tight chests, backs, and shoulders.

1. Begin on the floor in a tabletop position. Place two blocks shoulder-width distance apart at the top of your mat.
2. Bring your big toes together to touch and take your knees out wide. Sit your hips back onto your heels and walk your hands forward to lower your chest down.
3. Place your hands on the blocks. Let your forehead rest down and close your eyes. Hold for 8 breaths.

Fish Pose

1. To begin, lie down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your hips up slightly and slide your hands underneath your glutes. Lower back onto your hands. Then, press into your forearms to lift your head and chest up.
3. Tilt your head back and allow the crown of your head to rest gently on the ground. Make sure to keep the weight on your forearms, not on your head. Feel the throat, chest, and front of the neck open up. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

This more supported variation of fish pose helps you to stay in the posture longer, increasing the benefits of the release in the front of the neck muscles. It also gives you an increased opening of the chest and shoulders. Bonus: It can be very relaxing!

1. To begin, place a block going longwise in the center of the mat. Make sure it is on the medium or lowest setting and then sit in front of it. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your hands behind you and slowly lower yourself onto the block. It should come to rest between your shoulder blades.
3. Tilt your head back and allow the crown of your head to rest gently on the ground. Let your arms rest down along your sides with the palms face up. Hold for 8 breaths.

Bridge Pose

1. Start by lying down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground, hip-width distance apart. Walk your feet towards your glutes so that your knees are lined up over your ankles. Place your arms down alongside your body with your palms face down.
2. Inhale to press into your arms and feet and lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Engage your glutes slightly and keep your knees in line with your toes.
3. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

This supported, more restorative variation allows for an added release of the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. With the added support, you can hold this variation much longer, resulting in increased benefits.

1. Start by lying on your back with your block off to one side. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground, hip-width distance apart. Have your arms resting down alongside your body with your palms facing down.
2. Inhale to press into your arms and feet and lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Grab your block and slide it underneath your sacrum on the lowest or medium setting, so it is partially on the very top of your glutes. Lower your hips back down to rest on the block.
3. Straighten your legs out in front of you with your feet out wide so that your heels are in and your toes fall out. Turn your palms to face up. Close your eyes and hold for 8 breaths.

Tip: If it feels uncomfortable on your lower back, make sure the block is on the lowest setting and then try adjusting the block closer to your glutes. It can take practice to get this in the right position.

Supta Baddha Konasana

1. Begin by lying down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground.
2. Walk your feet together to touch. Then, keeping the soles of your feet together, exhale and allow your knees to fall out wide.
3. Extend your arms down alongside your body with your palms face up. Close your eyes and hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

This restorative pose is great for opening up the hips and the inner thighs. For most though, without the added support of blocks, holding this pose for an extended period of time isn’t comfortable and you can even risk overstretching. Using the blocks to support your thighs will allow you to hold this pose safely and comfortably for much longer.

1. Begin by lying down on your back with a block off to either side. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground.
2. Walk your feet together to touch. Then, keeping the soles of your feet together, exhale and allow your knees to fall out wide. Place a block underneath each thigh on the low or medium setting for some support.
3. Extend your arms down alongside your body with your palms face up. Close your eyes and hold for 8 breaths.

Malasana

1. Start standing with your feet a little bit wider than hip-width distance apart, your heels in and your toes pointing out. Place your palms together at your heart center.
2. Exhale to slowly bend at the knees and lower your hips towards the ground. Keep your chest lifting into your chest bone.
3. Once your hips are almost to the floor, use your elbows to press your thighs open. Spread your collarbones wide and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

Malasana is a challenging pose for most. Tight hips, lower back, calves, and chest can make this pose seem impossible. By placing a block beneath the sitting bones, you receive added support that allows for a deeper opening of the hips and lower back.

1. Start standing over a block on the medium or high setting. Take your feet out wider than hip-width distance, with your heels in and your toes pointing out. Place your palms together at your heart center.
2. Exhale to slowly bend at the knees and lower your hips towards the block. Keep your chest lifting into the backs of your thumbs.
3. Once your hips are almost to the block, reach down and adjust the block so it is underneath your sitting bones. Then, sit on it. Stay active as you use your elbows to press your thighs open with your upper arms and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 8 breaths.

Chair Pose

1. Begin standing up with your feet together. Bring your big toes to touch and have a sliver of space between your heels.
2. Inhale to sit your hips back like you are going to sit on a chair. Keep a slight tuck of your pelvis and draw your navel up and in. Squeeze your glutes and thighs together.
3. Reach your arms up to frame your ears and keep the weight back in your heels. Allow your shoulders to stay relaxed and away from your ears. Hold for 5 breaths.

With Blocks

Chair pose can put a lot of strain on the knees, especially if you have pre-existing knee pain or if you forget the important part of keeping the weight back in your heels. Using a block beneath the heels releases tension on the knees providing a safer and equally effective chair pose.

1. Begin by placing a block on the low setting on the floor. Stand in front of the block with your feet together. Bend down, lift your heels up, and use a hand to help you slide the block beneath your heels.
2. Stand tall with your heels on the block and reach your arms up to frame your ears.
3. Take an inhale to sit your hips back into a high squat position. Keep a slight tuck of your pelvis and draw your navel up and in. Squeeze your glutes and thighs together and hold for 8 breaths.

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