Halfmoon - The Chip Foam Block is a Wonder Prop

the chip foam block is a wonder prop

Emily Sproule | Jul 20, 2012 | minute read

If you use chip foam blocks in Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged forward bend), you can place your head at a comfortable height when you enter the pose.

You may find that if you hold the pose for a while or repeat the pose a few times, you will need less height as your body elongates.

You can then take away a block or two to support your head closer to the ground.

You can also use these blocks in combination with blankets to find and adjust to your perfect amount of support.

You’ve probably noticed that your body is more or less open depending on the day. Having chip foam blocks near your mat will allow you to accommodate these variations in your flexibility.

Perhaps the most frequent time you’ll notice this range of elasticity is in a sitting or kneeling position.

Depending on the day (or even the time of day), and your sitting or kneeling posture, you may use anywhere from no elevation to one or two folded blankets, to two or even three or four chip foam blocks under your sit bones.

Used in combination with wood blocks and blankets, chip foam blocks can help you find your ideal combination of comfort, height and support for your body.

ChipFoam(inblog)

They are equally handy when grouped horizontally. Four placed together in a large rectangular formation forms the base for shoulder stand, usually with a few blankets stacked neatly on top. The same setup doubles as an excellent meditation seat.

The beauty of props is their adaptability to innovative use. Chip foam blocks are amongst the most versatile tools in the prop universe. Their magic lies in the options they open for you as you explore and evolve your yoga practice.

One tip: seriously consider getting covers for these blocks. I’m a bit of a miser myself and like to cut corners on my spending…which is exactly why I made the long term investment in the covers. They keep your blocks clean (you can wash the covers) and give them a far longer life.

Che Nolan is a propologist with a major in bolsterology and an Iyengar yoga practitioner with a daily meditation practice. He is also a writer and a regular b, halfmoon contributor.

more blog posts