YOGA has amazing physical and mental wellbeing benefits and can be practiced just about anywhere, as you need very little space and hardly any equipment.
That said, a yoga mat is essential for comfortable floor work and a set of the best yoga blocks or yoga bricks can help you nail the trickier poses, especially if you are a beginner and trying Vinyasa yoga for the first time.
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Yoga blocks or bricks are usually made from firm foam or cork, and come in sets of two, as you need one for each hand for many of the supported poses.
Most yoga bricks are rectangular with different lengths on each side to offer three levels of height, but you can buy flatter blocks too if you need them.
During yoga practice, both can offer extra support to help you hold beneficial poses for longer and allow you to reach and maintain trickier poses while you work on your flexibility and balance – yes, that’s you Half Moon Pose.
They are especially useful in restorative yoga and Yin yoga, when postures are held for a much longer time than in other styles.
We’ve rounded up some well-reviewed yoga bricks and blocks for those who are starting a regular practice.
This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links which are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue.
1. Lotuscrafts Store
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- (AD) Eco-friendly cork yoga bricks, £13.95 –£16.95 from Amazon – buy here
Cork yoga bricks are sturdier than their foam counterparts and offer a nice grippy surface, so are excellent for balancing poses – worth knowing if you really want to nail the tricky Scale Pose.
These lovely-looking blocks are made from environmentally-friendly natural cork from Portugal and are available in two sizes: 23 x 14 x 9cm or a slightly smaller 22 x 12 x 7.5cm.
Just don’t forget to buy two – these cork bricks are sold singly!
2. Core Balance Store
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- (AD) Yoga bricks and strap set, £14.99 from Amazon – buy here
Yoga can be a real challenge for the inflexible, especially at the beginning, but there’s no better exercise to help improve your flexibility, which is good for your overall mobility and posture.
Comprising two foam yoga bricks and a D-ring yoga strap, this yoga set will help you to ease gently into your poses, offering support and a way to progress slowly with your flexibility training.
Mark our words, you’ll be touching those toes in no time.
3. Domyos
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- Large yoga block, £5.99 from Decathlon – buy here
A flatter wider block like this one from Decathlon offers a touch of height and wider surface area which can make seated poses more comfortable for some people.
They are also useful to level the head in supine poses and to support the neck when practising shoulder stands.
The well-reviewed Donyos yoga block is made from jazzy two-tone foam and features an inspirational slogan to remind you why you turned up to class in the first place, in case you’d forgotten already…
4. Women’s Health
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- Basic yoga brick, £5.99 from Argos – buy here
A pair of yoga bricks is essential for beginners and if you don’t want to spend too much on getting kitted up for home practice, then take a look at these.
Backed by Women’s Health magazine, these lightweight foam bricks are both soft and supportive and at just £11.98 for a pair from Argos, they’re a real bargain too.
5. Yoga Matters
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- Egg-shaped yoga block, £10 from Yoga Matters – buy here
Now here’s something unusual you probably won’t see in your local yoga class.
These egg-shaped EVA foam yoga blocks from online yoga kit supplier Yoga Matters might look a bit weird, but they come into their own for reclining poses when you don’t want sharp corners digging into your back.
They’re also great for slipping under your waist in some side positions and can even be used on top of a regular brick for a super-comfy Restorative Bridge Pose.
6. Gaiam
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- Printed yoga block, £13.99 from John Lewis – buy here
Reach the floor in style with this cool mandala print yoga brick from wellness brand Gaiam.
Its non-slip surfaces will ensure you feel stable and the bevelled edges will ensure a nice comfortable grip too.
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Enjoy our round-up of the best blocks and bricks for practising yoga and Pilates? Check out more health and fitness deals up for grabs.
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