When people visualize yoga blocks, they probably don’t think of strength training first. But the big surprise is that they are really multi-functional. While mainly partnered with stretching and yoga flows, these light blocks can easily boost your arm workouts. I had a go and do believe me, it’s no walk in the park for your muscles.
I found that yoga block workout are not for the yogis only, they could be also one’s own way of gaining power, stability, and control by using purely body weight and a bit of imagination. Irrespective of whether you want to practice at home or if you are traveling and away from the gym, these three upper body moves will give you the best results.
Why Try Yoga Blocks for Strength Training?
In all honesty, getting yoga blocks into your training must not only be a new challenge but also serve a purpose. Blocks allow for a greater spread of limbs, require the participation of more muscle and little by little fine-tune your balance and coordination. They also enable you to receive the necessary assistance in places where the body is weak for maintaining the correct position and avoid getting hurt if intensity is to increase. If you have a relatively small area for your workouts, or none of the necessary equipment, then yoga blocks are not only a low-cost option but also a brilliant option to be better off.
Initially, you do not have to use two blocks however, if you happen to possess a pair, that would be perfect. Besides, if actually, you don’t have or not, keeping blocks in the bed, or even using a book to hold down papers together, can serve as a good replacement.
Three Yoga Block Workout to Increase Strength and Not For the Stomach
1. Hand-Release Push-Ups
This kind of push-up work makes you hold the lower part of the repetition for a short period after which you are to push up fast and powerfully-start from zero–no bouncing or the use of any kind of momentum. The beginners are usually guided by the yoga block to find the correct range of lower movement without interrupting the form of their body, while advanced sportspeople can use two blocks for performing the exercise at a lower level-known as expedited variation thus making the movement even more strained.
How to do it: Put a block on the floor under your chest. Lower yourself into a push-up until your chest touches the block, then for a short time take both hands off the floor. Return your palms to the floor and push up to the top. This exercise not only can strengthen your chest but also the triceps, shoulders, and core.
2. Triceps Dips Using a Block
This bodyweight exercise variants get traction once again. Where in the negative part, you are mostly focusing on your triceps, and where all your work is concentrated are the main points of discussion in this revision of the exercise. Think of a wooden block placed under the handle of a tea towel and with one hand on the towel and right hand tugging the towel away. Do the same with the other hand too.
How to do it: Position the block at your back and then rest your hands on it, with your palms facing your heels. With the ground supporting you and a cooler woo your triceps can function better thereby losing less energy and becoming sturdy. The more intense triceps work you do, the more long-lasting will be the outcome.
3. Triceps Push-Ups with Block Assistance
This exercise tries to work not only on your triceps but also on your chest muscles and the front of your shoulders. The addition of yoga blocks can be under the head area and/or hand area that will bring about a positive effect of stability due to the neutral alignment of the spine and also make the exercise maybe a little bit harder.
How to do it: Position yourself in a narrow push-up stance with your fingers on the blocks under your shoulders or hands. Bend your arms down to the ground and then slightly outward till you feel the shoulders are touching the blocks. Press yourself up rising and falling gracefully. It is the place where you will find your triceps working to the brink—and they may well quiver during the last set.
A Quick 3-Move Upper Body Challenge to Try
Set the monitor for 10 minutes and go through the given number of reps: 20-15-10-5-3 of every exercise. Start by finishing one move then, the second and third. You can take a break only when it is necessary. The task you have in mind is to do all the rounds as quickly as you can and get to the finish line before time runs out. You will have an idea of the progress made if you compare the time you took to the time it took you to finish this challenge last week. The second time you do this challenge, you can take note of the time and try to beat it.
Reasons Non-usefulness of Weights Can Also Cause Gains
When individuals need to build strength, lifting weights will not be the only option. Body weight training becomes a more popular way of becoming stronger both in and outside the gym – not to mention when using useful tools e.g. yoga blocks. It not only can help you correct your posture, keep your balance, and protect your joints but is also known to be more important for the development of relative strength, i.e., the power to resist gravity.
Suppose you are aiming at burning your fat or at making your muscles stand out, in addition to body weight practice, an obvious input of healthy food and an ongoing period of challenge (such as a deep range of motion or a slower tempo) will be sufficient to bring out muscles without even going to the gym.
You don’t have to use fancy machines or very heavy weights to strengthen your upper body. Just by using those three strength exercises with a yoga block you can easily realize how minor the tools can be and what huge differences they can make. If you are a beginner who wants to start strength training, or maybe you are on the road and there is no equipment around, or just simply getting bored of the same old thing, you could definitely try this mini workout and sense the change.
Whether or not you are doing yoga, make sure you get a bit stronger the next time you do it.
