Customer Reviews

Gripitz Yoga and Exercise Blocks

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been practicing vinyasa power yoga regularly for two years and I got these blocks hoping they'd help relieve the chronic wrist/thumb pain in my right hand. While the blocks may work well for a static pose like upward dog, they don't work very well for the flow between Chaturanga, upward dog, and down dog. The rigidity of the blocks do not allow for enough natural motion of the hands, wrists, and arms. And if you are not strong enough to push into upward dog from Chaturanga without lowering your torso to the floor first (I'm not), then these blocks may be very difficult to use. In short, if you practice any kind of vinyasa yoga, these blocks may not work for you. If your practice involves a lot of static arm balances, then these may help with wrist pain.

I have been practicing yoga for 8 years, and recently started experiencing wrist pain from the intense extension of many yoga positions. A substitute teacher noticed my constant stopping to rotate an flex my wrist to ease the pain. She told me that she had had the same problem and, after being evaluated by two hand surgeons, had been told that small boned people are prone to these injuries and that they will likely not get better on their own. She recommended gripitz. I LOVE them. They have totally saved my practice. In addition to allowing me to keep my wrist in a neutral position, they provide a little extra room for jumping through and such....My wrist has almost healed, and I'm not sure whether I'll try yoga without gripitz or just consider them a permanent part of my practice...

I had to give up my home yoga practice 2 years ago after developing ganglion cysts in both of my wrists, which prevented me from being able to bear any weight or do any position that required flexing my wrists at a 90 degree angle. I went through PT to alleviate the wrist pain, but wanted to find out how to start practicing yoga again. I found the Gripitz blocks on Amazon and decided to give them a try. After my first practice with them, I can say that they definitely allow those of us with chonic wrist pain to keep our wrists in a more neutral position doing weight-bearing poses. I kept them at the front of my mat and adjusted them as needed throughout my practice. I was a little suprised that the material that forms the large blocks on the ends (same material as typical yoga blocks) slid a little bit off my mat during long downward dogs, so I just adjusted them to be on the carpet and the sliding stopped (this could also be because I have an old mat that has lost some of it's stickiness). I can understand how having to use them can break up a faster paced "flow" practice and make it feel more clunky, but for me and anybody else who can't practice due to wrist pain, these are a god-send. My biggest disappointment in this product was seeing the packaging that said "Made in China", although it's an American company that designed and markets them. Really, why can't an American company manufacture their products in America?

Gripitz Yoga and Exercise blocks help me as I work at Yoga.

I have arthritis and these blocks help me do many of the

positions and help my hand and arm strength.

Gripitz are pretty useful for injured wrists. I would not be able to practice yoga right now without them. My wrists cannot support a downward dog pose. While not allowing a completely pain free pose, the gripitz definitely make the pose possible!

I have been teaching yoga for 10 years and study anatomy. These grippitz seriously load the bones of your hands and wrists the wrong way. I also feel its effects in the elbow. Further, they bruise the heels of the hand. I might use these occasionally in updog, but I would never do firefly on these things. Personally, I just use 2 wedges placed side-by-side.

I am glad that i bought my gripitz. They do help relieve pain in my wristes while doing yoga. I can hold a pose longer with them. Although, I am new to yoga, I am learning when to use my gripitz and the poses as well.

I have had arthritis in my right thumb/wrist area for several years. During some yoga poses like downward dog or cat/cow breathing, I cannot flatten my hand or straighten out my arm because of this. It was suggested that I use weights but the clearance between my hand and the mat was uncomfortable. I heard about grip it blocks, went online and purchased my first set and the difference was remarkable. That was in 2005 or 2006.

The yoga class that I am in now is in a physical therapist's office. He brought in a yoga/pilates instructor to help his clients with stretching, breathing and core work to aid them in their day to day routines and to make sure they don't wind up back in his office. One of my classmates liked my gripitz blocks, bought herself a set and it made a big difference on her wrists.

Now I do a small yoga practice every morning before I go to work and I needed a 2nd set for at home.

This is a great tool if you have hand/wrist/arm issues. I would recommend this to anyone.

Not only have used regulary in teaching classes, several students have ordered them - what a wonderful prop and assist for folks with wrist issues. Liberating.

Solid, stable, do just what they promise to do and take the strain off an over-taxed wrist. I just don't understand why I don't see them in yoga studios!