PROPS ARE KING
Bricks are one of the best and most versatile yoga props. Contrary to popular belief they are not just for beginners. I use bricks almost every time I practise and usually start my practices with a bit of breathwork sitting on a brick. I love nothing more than inventing new ways to use bricks to keep my practice fresh and create more opportunities for stability and mobility. My two favourite ways to use them at the moment are to stand on a brick to add challenge in standing balancing poses like Vrksasana/Tree and under the hands to take the pressure off the wrists and help get the heels to the ground in Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog.
The most traditional way to use them is to extend your reach when your arm doesn’t reach the ground in standing poses like Ardha CHandrasana/Half Moon. There are lots of other uses – squeezing the brick between the arms or the thighs to build strength in poses like Utkatasana/Chair; holding the brick overhead to add a little more weighted challenge in poses like Ashta Chandrasana/Crescent Moon; under the hands to give more space for the spine and chest to move in movements like Cat/Cow; or under the hips to reduce hip flexion in poses like Paschimottanasana/Seated Forward Fold. They can also be used in myofascial release (MFR) techniques to release shoulder or back of the skull tension and are very much part of the important prop world of restorative yoga.
FOAM OR CORK?
Bricks have three different height options which makes them very adaptable – standing up tall, on their long side and flat. There are two different types of brick – foam and cork. Foam are softer and lighter weight, and are best for sitting on, extending your reach, and restorative poses. While cork bricks are harder and heavier, and give sturdier support but are not very suitable for MFR or restorative. For this reason I use Yogamatters foam bricks in my own practice and with my students. If buying bricks always buy them in pairs. Even if your intention is to sit on one or use it to extend your reach you will definitely use two or more at some point in your practice.
EXPLORING BRICK PARTY IN YOUR PRACTICE
Ths sequence gives you lots of different ways to use bricks in your practice but is by no means an exhaustible list. It will get you started and hopefully inspire you to keep your bricks at the top of your mat and play around with them as you practise even if you are following a sequence without bricks. In this sequence you will use the bricks to extend your reach, squeeze between your thighs and hands, give more space for the spine to move, sit on, prop under hips and finish with a lovely back of the skull massage (detailed below). You will notice how adding a simple prop can dramatically change the feeling of a flow and help you access your interoception or your inner body awareness which is an important skill in maintaining health. In the mini flows where the brick is between your thighs or hands, focus your attention on squeezing the brick and not letting go of the force you create as you move from the two poses. If Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon and Ardha Chandra Chapasana/Half Moon Sugar Cane are not part of your practice you can leave them out. The focus of this sequence is exploring ways to use yoga bricks in your practice and inspire you to get creative with simple yoga bricks.
MFR BACK OF SKULL
Lie on your back and place a brick on its lowest high just below the curve at the back of your skull (occipital ridge). Extend your legs out, arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Legs slightly apart and feet fall out to the side, soften your shoulder, back of the neck long. Gently roll your head from side to side to ease out tension in the muscles at the back of the skull. Roll your head mid way to your right, pause and make small circles, repeat on the left side. Remove the brick, soften the muscles across your forehead, your temples, the back of your skull. Let the whole body become heavy and melt into the support of the ground.
ALIGNMENT CUES
Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:
Take your time, move slowly and notice how practising with the brick changes how you move.
Keep this sequence and play around with adding these brick versions of poses in some of your other practises and even explore your own ways to use bricks.
For a longer practice repeat one or both of the standing flows.
Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.
To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.
Ruth Delahunty Yogaru