Try This Short Yoga Standing Sequence Using Blocks

Blocks are instrumental in giving your body feedback. This short standing yoga sequence using blocks generates valuable proprioceptive awareness throughout the body as well as develops concentration from the constant feedback from the blocks. For this short standing sequence, you will need two blocks.

1. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose).

   

2. Place one yoga block, at its narrowest width, between your feet and another, at its narrowest width, between your thighs. Balance evenly between the balls of the feet and your heels.
3. Squeeze your inner feet and inner thighs into the blocks and notice the effect that has on your body. Does it remind you of water shooting straight up from a fountain’s spout? Then, try the opposite. Press your feet and your legs away from the blocks without losing contact. Does this create more muscular engagement along the sides of the hips and legs almost like your being stretched like taffy?
4. Now take the blocks out and place one on your head (can you balance it there?) and the other at its widest width between the palms of your hands.
5. Lift your arms up and overhead while pressing your palms into the block. Did your block fall off your head because your hips and lower back move a lot when you lift your arms up?
6. Once you have your arms overhead, continue to press into the block and try to lift the block that’s on your head up to the block between your palms for axial extension.
7. Take the block off your head and place it between your thighs as in step 2 and the other block will remain between your palms.

   

8. From Tadasana sit back into Utkatasana (Fierce Pose) by hinging back at your hips and slowly bending at your knees. Squeeze the block between your thighs and also pressing your thighs away without losing the block the same way you did standing in Tadasana.
9. Take your other block behind your back so that your arms come into extension. Press your palms into the block.
10. Then take your arms in front of your chest and press into the block and finally up and overhead.
11. Then rest in Tadasana. Repeat this three more times taking the arms into the various arm positions while in Utkatasana as slowly as possible.

    

12. Stand in Tadasana and place your block on your head. Keep the other in your hand. Lift your right knee up like a modified version of Utthita Padangusthasana (Extended Hand-to-Big Toe Pose), but keep your knee bent.
13. Squeeze the block between your thigh and your abdomen. This can be done to the front and to the side. To fit the block, you usually need to lower the knee away from the chest some to fit the block then lift the knee again. This will get your hip flexors working in a shortened position. Squeeze as much as you can safely for 10 whole seconds. The whole time you are lifting through your head trying to reach the block on your head to the ceiling.
14. After 10 seconds, grab the block, draw your knee fully into your chest and then release your leg slowly back to Tadasana. Compare sides and repeat the left side.

    

15. Hold a block in each hand and lift your hands into Urdva Hastasana (Upward Salute Pose). Fold forward into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose), using the blocks as an extension of your arms. Take a few breaths in the forward bend.
16. Place the blocks on the floor arm’s-length in front of you on the tallest height. Keep your weight balanced between the balls of the feet and your heels.
17. Reach your chest forward into Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend Pose). Shift your weight into your left foot and lift your right leg behind you to hip height. Keep reaching your chest forward and if you are balanced here, lift your left arm up with the block. Reach the block and heel away from each other with your weight centered over your left ankle.
18. Lower your arm then foot and fold into Uttanasana.
19. Repeat on the other side.
20. Come full circle back to Tadasana. Without your props, stand in Tadasana with your eyes closed. Scan your body from your feet to your head and then from the center of your body to its periphery. Can you perceive all of the areas of the body that the block has touched at once? The areas below and above where the blocks made contact? What is your breath like?.
21. Stand in Tadasana, observing for 3 to 5 minutes. You can set a timer.

This short standing sequence with blocks isn’t fancy but it creates a level of depth and inner awareness that can be more difficult to achieve moving from one intense yoga pose to the next.  It can certainly be used to work the body up and to foster awareness and proprioception skills as you move into more complex or fluid movements.

Allison Jeraci, E-RYT 500, RPYT is a vinyasa-based yoga teacher, fascinated by the intricate relationship between the mind and body. She offers a range of alignment-focused classes touching on anatomy, philosophy, and creative propping with a mindful approach.  In addition to teaching group classes and managing the Yoga Culture studio in Danbury, CT, she also teaches at Open Door Family Medical Center in Westchester, NY empowering mothers-to-be with prenatal yoga classes and childbirth education. You can find her @allisonschleck on Instagram and www.allisonrayjeraci.com.