You’ve likely seen a pile of yoga blocks in your local yoga studio or heard your favorite yoga instructor casually tell you to grab a block as you move into balancing poses.

But what exactly can yoga blocks offer you and what are the best yoga blocks, anyway?

Well, my friend, they are handy little tools that will completely change your yoga practice. They help you with proper alignment, standing poses, and deep stretches.

They can help you both balance and increase your flexibility.

They can provide relief for your tight hamstrings and they can create space between your shoulders.

Of all of the yoga equipment that I own, my yoga blocks are among my favorite.

They help me in all types of yoga, from restorative yoga to heat-building vinyasa yoga.

And if you’re thinking about buying a yoga block, then I promise you that your life and yoga practice (not to mention the number of new poses you can do) is all about to change for the better. 🙂

In this post, I’m going to briefly discuss your three options in terms of “types of blocks” you can buy.

Or just jump down here to see the best yoga block I recommend and where to buy it at the best price.

So in the world of yoga blocks, you have three main options:

  1. Wood Blocks
  2. Foam Blocks
  3. Cork Blocks

Yoga Block Comparison Chart

 

  Foam Yoga Block Wood Yoga Block
  Cork Yoga Block Foam Yoga Block Bamboo Yoga Block
Cost for 1 $17.95 $8.99 $19.99
Material Cork Foam Wood (Bamboo)
Weight 1 Pound >.50 Pounds 2.5 Pounds
Dimensions 9″ long x 5.5″ wide x 3.5″ inches thick 9″ long x 6″ wide x 4″ thick 10″ long x 6″ wide x 4″ thick inches
Durability Excellent OK Good
Pros Best durability. Heavy weight for added stability. Great traction. Matches everything. Lightweight. Soft. Easy to pack and travel with. Smooth. Sturdy.
Cons Priciest. Heavy to travel with. Scratches and damages easier than others. Not soft. Heavy for traveling. Wood will nick and scratch eventually.
Special Notes Manduka also makes a version of this block. The 3″ version of this block is on Amazon prime, but the 4″ version is not – whacky. Doesn’t absorb sweat, can get slippery.

  cork block review

Cork Yoga Blocks

If you don’t want to travel with your blocks and cost is not a factor, then this is the block I’d recommend.

Cork matches everything, so you don’t have to stress about what color to get.

It’s also extremely durable. The block isn’t going to lose shape or get easily scuffed up.

The weight of cork blocks is lovely and just feels right – not too heavy and not too light.

They feel good to move around on the mat, and feel solid for when you recline on them in supine postures, providing a massive stretch to your entire back. Unlike wood, they have a little more give (although not as much give as foam) so it’s nice to rest your head on them, such as in child’s pose.

They are also soft enough that you can sit on them in a kneeling meditation or tuck them under your sits bones in bridge pose. Though they aren’t quite as soft as foam blocks, they are certainly more comfortable than woodblocks.

If you sweat a ton, cork absorbs the sweat and after a long amount of time, your block can start to smell a bit funky. But if you have a dedicated home practice and are not traveling with your blocks a lot, this is what I’d recommend.

wood block review Wood or Bamboo Yoga Blocks

This is by far my least favorite kind of yoga block. Though the surface is smooth and many people love the look of wood blocks, they just aren’t for me.

Not only is it the priciest, but it’s hard, heavy and slippery. (I like slip resistant comfortable blocks, thankyouverymuch)

My forehead does not like resting on wood, which is too bad because I love to rest my head on a block in child’s pose, forward folds, pigeon pose and other hip openers.

Pressing or resting your third eye (the area between your eyebrows) has many therapeutic benefits for your nervous system, and just feels great and gives your neck a well-deserved break.

This is why I like foam blocks so much: They are light weight, soft, comfortable, and feel great on my forehead, neck, and back.

If you’re doing passive chest openers (like goddess with a block under the spine for a passive back bend) wood blocks can hurt unless you have them positioned just right. My vertebrae say OUCH if I get them in the wrong spot!

That’s anther reason why I like foam blocks as they have the most give – they’re the softest. Not to mention the lightest and the cheapest.

If you’re sweating or just have sweaty hands, the surface of wood blocks also get wet, stay wet and become slippery.

This makes them hard to grip as you move around the mat – another negative in my mind.

Wood blocks can also more easily slip on one another when you’re stacking them or slip on the wood floor.

The only thing better than having your head resting on a block is having your head resting on TWO blocks stacked one on top of the other in various combinations in order to get the block the perfect height. This becomes challenging with wood.

foam block review

Foam Blocks

So it’s no big mystery by now that the block I recommend to students and think you should get *now* is foam.

I’d suggest buying the one right here which is also the size I recommend at the best price I could find online, and easily available through Amazon.

I leave color choice up to you, just keep in mind blocks get dirty fast so something darker is usually the best choice.

Why I am such a foam block fan?

  1. Foam blocks are the cheapest – who doesn’t love that?
  2. Foam blocks are light weight.
  3. Foam blocks are comfortable between my shoulders, on my forehead, or beneath my hips.
  4. Foam blocks are easy to grip with my knees or thighs in bridge pose.
  5. Some foam blocks come with rounded edges, making them even more comfortable for certain restorative yoga postures.
  6. They are easy to throw in my suitcase and I always want my props with me when I travel, especially because I like to do a more restorative and yin focused practice when I’m on the road. The last thing you want it to have to check an overweight bag because of your yoga equipment!

There are some cons, like they can get dirty and wear easily, and maybe change shape a little (especially if you are stuffing them into all kinds of backpacks and bags, like me).

Sometimes they might seem a little flimsy when balancing on them and putting a lot of weight into the block through your hand.

However, I still prefer this to sturdy wood as it’s softer on my hand (there’s give). And wood blocks can slide on the floor which I hate.

Bonus Tip: Buy two blocks!

Don’t be cheap like I was and just buy one block to start.

You’ll quickly realize that blocks are life-changing to your home practice and that you absolutely want two. I immediately realized I needed a second block and had to reorder and make sure I got the same size and color, which I had completely forgotten.

Reasons you want two blocks from the get-go:

Most of the best block-using poses use two blocks!!!

In a restorative backbend, you’ll likely want one block under your thoracic spine and one under your head.

In lunges or pyramid pose, you’ll want a block on each side of the foot so you can find length in the spine and press into the blocks equally.

Stacking! You can truly tailor your practice to your body when you begin stacking blocks so you get them at the exact right height to meet your needs.

In double pigeon poses or in a wide legged forward fold, you can stack the blocks at various heights and combinations so your forehead has something to rest on at the perfect height.

When you buy your two blocks together, you’re able to ensure they are the same dimensions and colors. So just get two from the start – you’ll never regret it!

Let me know what your favorite kind of yoga block is and why in the comments below! 🙂

 

 

THINK POSITIVE & ALWAYS GET ON YOUR MAT.


The 2 shifts that helped me breakthrough my negativity & fall in love with my practice
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Written by: BrettLarkinYoga
YogaAccessories (TM) 4” Yoga Blocks
Date published: 06/04/2014
5 / 5 stars
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