Yoga is an ancient practice that takes your entire being to another dimension and offers you ways to heal the soul and preserve the body. To practice it the right way, you will need to get yourself the right equipment, such as yoga mat and blocks. Many beginners ask themselves whether all of these props are really all that necessary. In reality, each one of these props is much more than a tool – it represents a metaphor, a safe-heaven where our minds experience spiritual relief nature of life.
A good quality yoga mat will offer you comfort and sufficient space so you have the freedom to stretch as much as you’d like. Usually, yoga mats are 182 cm long and 60 cm wide. Some trainers recommend extra wide mats, up to 78 cm, so that the user can have extra space to practice all yoga positions. When yoga mats and blocks were first introduced on the market they were made from PVC. In the later years, the first eco-labeled yoga mats and blocks were introduced. Eco yoga mats are usually made of jute and rubber, some brands even make mats from bamboo. Some of the manufacturers offer custom images options on your mats and other accessories.
Now if you are ready for a little bit of history, the first yoga props were introduced in the 60s, when a famous yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar noticed that the main reason why users cannot do all the poses was due to physical limitations. After this discovery, yoga blocks became one of the most famous accessories that are used by today’s most experienced yoga masters who teach beginners and advanced students proper body alignment. The material that a yoga block is made of is either cor or firm foam. It comes in different dimensions – small 7.5 cm x 15 cm x 23 cm or larger block 10 cm x 15cm x 23 cm. A lot of the yoga poses require only one while others two or more blocks.
Even if you are an experienced yoga practitioner, you will need to have a good quality yoga mat and blocks in order to tackle some brand new, demanding poses. Yoga blocks are especially useful for people that suffer from chronic back or neck pain and the best part is, the blocks themselves prevent you from feeling pain during the pose and the continuous practice of these poses prevents back and neck pain on the long run.