Yoga Blocks: What They’re For, How To Use Them, And How Many You Need
Yoga blocks: the short answer
Yoga blocks are firm foam or cork bricks that bring the floor up to you. They lift your hips, hold your hands, rest your head and support your knees, so you can do a pose properly instead of straining for it. Two blocks cover most of what a beginner needs, and a third helps in resting poses. You do not need to be flexible to use them. Stiff bodies get the most from them, and in Iyengar yoga they are how everybody does the pose well. Here is the article in short form:
- A yoga block brings the floor closer, so the pose keeps its shape.
- Five common uses: standing poses, hands in Downward Dog, head rests, hips and knees.
- Two blocks do most jobs; a third helps resting poses.
- A block has three heights, depending on which face it stands on.
- Using a block is not cheating. It is the Iyengar way.
- Flametree’s starter pack has 2 foam blocks for $79, with free shipping.
- Studio classes in Darwin supply blocks.
Last updated: 25 October 2026.
A quick word on Iyengar yoga. Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is the style we teach at Flametree, in Darwin and live online.
Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) with the lower hand on a block. The block brings the floor up to the hand, so the chest can stay open.
What are yoga blocks?
A yoga block is a firm brick made of foam, cork or wood. It is light enough to carry in a bag and firm enough to take your weight. Its job is simple: it fills the gap between your body and the floor. If your hand cannot reach the floor, the block meets it halfway. If your hips sit lower than your knees, a block lifts them. If your head hangs in a forward bend, a block holds it. A block under the seat is also how you stay in Malasana (Garland Pose).
That gap is the reason people give up on yoga early. They think the floor is where the pose is, and they are not there yet. A block says the pose is wherever your body can hold it well.
Our foam yoga block: 23 cm long, 7.6 cm wide and 15 cm high. Each face gives a different height.
What are yoga blocks used for?
Five uses cover most of what you will meet in an Iyengar class.
1. Bringing the floor up to your hand in standing poses
This is the picture at the top of the page. In Side Angle Pose, Triangle Pose and other standing poses, the lower hand is meant to rest low. If you cannot reach the floor, a block under the hand lets you keep the chest open and the legs working, instead of collapsing the ribs toward the leg. The pose stays real. Only the floor has moved.
Downward Dog with the hands on blocks and the head resting on a block. Three blocks make a resting version of the pose.
2. Under the hands in Downward Dog
Blocks under the hands raise the floor in Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), so a stiff back, shoulders or hamstrings can still lengthen. Our props page notes that restorative yoga can make good use of three blocks: two for the hands and one for the head, as in the picture. Resting the head on a block is a calming version of the pose.
3. Resting the head in a forward bend
A seated forward bend with the head supported on a block on a chair. The head is held, so the back of the legs can lengthen without strain.
In a seated forward bend, a block under the forehead, or a block on a chair, holds the head up so you do not have to reach your feet. You can also sit on one or two blocks when you stretch forward. The extra height helps stiff hips and hamstrings, and it keeps the back from rounding. If tight hamstrings are your problem, see our guide to tight hamstrings.
4. Under the knees in a lying pose
Chris Lalor in Reclining Bound Angle Pose, with blocks under the knees, a belt and an eye pillow. The blocks hold the legs, so the hips can soften.
In Reclining Bound Angle Pose, the soles of the feet come together and the knees fall open. Blocks under the knees hold them up, so the inner thighs and hips let go slowly instead of being dragged down. The extra block in our blanket set is especially useful here. If sitting hip stretches are stiff for you, our butterfly stretch guide shows the same pose sitting up.
5. Under the hips, to lift and rest
Lying back with a block under the hips and a belt around the thighs. The block holds the hips up, so the legs and back can rest.
In supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha), a block under the hips lets you lie back and rest, with the chest lifted and the belly soft. Two blocks can be strapped together for more height. Held for a few minutes, it is a calm, restful pose.
How many yoga blocks do you need?
Two is the standard. Two blocks give you one for each hand in standing poses and forward bends, and a pair to sit on. A third block helps in resting poses such as Reclining Bound Angle Pose and the head-resting Downward Dog above. You do not need more than three. If you are starting from scratch, buy two, and add a third later if you find you keep wishing for one.
Which way up should a yoga block go?
A block has three heights, because it has three different faces. Ours measures 23 cm long, 7.6 cm wide and 15 cm high. Standing it flat gives about 7.6 cm of height, on its long side about 15 cm, and on its end about 23 cm. Start with the height that lets you hold the pose without strain, and move to a lower face as you get more open. The right height is the one that keeps your breath easy, not the one that looks most like a photo.
A yoga block has three heights, because it has three different sides. Pick the one that keeps your breath easy.
Foam or cork yoga blocks?
Foam blocks are light, easy to carry and kind to the hands. Cork blocks are heavier and firmer, and they do not squash as much under weight. Either will do the job, and the best block is the one you will actually use. At Flametree we supply foam blocks, because they are light enough to post and use. Whichever you choose, check that it is firm and does not slide on your mat.
Are yoga blocks cheating?
No. Many beginners think props are for people who cannot do the “real” pose. Iyengar teachers see it the other way round. In our free ebook Too Stiff For Yoga? we put it this way: a prop is how everyone does the real pose, properly, from the very first class. Geeta Iyengar, daughter of Mr Iyengar, is quoted there saying that people who were unwilling to do yoga took an interest once props made it easier.
Gary, a student quoted in the same ebook, came to yoga late. He wrote that without props his old and stiff body would distort and curl in an attempt to reach the unreachable, and that he once thought props were a crutch. His words: “I was wrong.”
The ebook also tells a story about Mr Iyengar, who wrapped a block in cloth and placed it behind the knees of a man who could barely bend them. The prop did not replace the work. It made the work possible. The one rule is not to collapse into a prop. Use it to find the true shape of the pose.
Does Flametree sell yoga blocks?
Yes. Our beginner yoga props pack gives you a foldable mat, two foam blocks, a belt and an eye cover for $79, with free shipping Australia-wide. Our blanket set adds three blankets, one more block and a pose poster for $119, with free air freight, so with both you have three blocks. Allow up to three weeks for the blanket set to arrive. If you want a bolster as well, read our guide to the yoga bolster, and for a belt, our guide on how to use a yoga strap.
Where can you try yoga blocks in Darwin?
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and live online across Australia. Blocks, belts, chairs and blankets are supplied in studio classes, so you can try them before you buy anything. Beginner classes show you how to set up a block for each pose, and the teacher adjusts the height for your body. Online students can buy the pack and use the same props at home.
Get the free ebook Too Stiff For Yoga? New to Flametree, or away for 3 months or more? You get 2 free classes + 2 ebooks, only available via this offer. Already coming to class? You can still get the book.
Questions people ask
What are yoga blocks used for?
They bring the floor up to your hands in standing poses and Downward Dog, hold your head in forward bends, lift your hips for sitting and lying poses, and support your knees. They let the pose keep its shape.
Do I need yoga blocks?
No, but they help. Studio classes in Darwin supply them. If you practise online at home, two blocks make poses easier to hold well, especially if you are stiff.
How many yoga blocks do I need?
Two for most poses. A third helps in resting poses such as Reclining Bound Angle Pose. Flametree’s starter pack has two, and the blanket set adds one more.
What size is a yoga block?
Ours is 23 cm long, 7.6 cm wide and 15 cm high. It has three heights, depending on which face it stands on: about 7.6, 15 or 23 cm.
Are yoga blocks cheating?
No. In Iyengar yoga, props are how everyone does the real pose properly, from the first class. The aim is to use the block to find the true shape of the pose, not to collapse into it.
Are foam or cork yoga blocks better?
Foam is light and easy to carry. Cork is heavier and firmer. Either works if it is firm and does not slide. Flametree supplies foam blocks.
Does Flametree sell yoga blocks?
Yes. The $79 beginner props pack includes two foam blocks, a mat, a belt and an eye cover, with free shipping Australia-wide. The $119 blanket set adds a third block.
Where can I try yoga blocks in Darwin?
At Flametree Yoga Studio’s Woolner and Coolalinga classes, or live online. Props are supplied in studio classes, and the teacher shows you how to set them up.
Where to next
- New to yoga, or coming back? Start with our half price 10 class pass with 2 classes free, in Darwin or live online.
- Feeling stiff? Read our guide to yoga for flexibility.
- Want to see class times first? Look at the beginner timetable.
Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and live online. This article is general information, not medical advice.
Sources: Flametree product pages for the beginner props pack and blanket set (block size, contents, prices); the Too Stiff For Yoga? ebook (Geeta Iyengar and Gary quotes, the Mr Iyengar knee story, as reported in our ebook). No studies are cited on this page.
