Our Founder’s Story
It Started After a Serious Car Accident
Zen Bloks began during GJ’s long recovery from a major car accident. Getting through each day meant managing constant back tightness while trying to sit, stand, drive, and work. Most leg-elevation pillows felt fine for a few minutes, then flattened or slipped. Nothing held his legs high or steady enough for his back to release its daily tension. He’s a lifelong side sleeper who had to transition into back sleeping, learning proper back and side alignment through years of trial, adjustment, and personal experience.
Building a Better Ergonomic Wedge
When no product worked, he started making his own. Large blocks of high-density engineered foam became hand-cut prototypes. Every night, he tested new angles and heights on the floor and the bed. Some versions were too soft. Others were rigid. He kept refining the incline and cradle depth, looking for one thing: a shape that opened his back rather than fighting it.
Guided by Recovery Experts
He worked with alignment and recovery specialists to pinpoint the angles that actually help the lower and mid-back relax. Their guidance shaped the early Zen Bloks® design principles: natural leg elevation, steady support, and a consistent structure.
Zen Bloks® was built from that process. Not another soft cushion, but a reliable leg-elevation wedge engineered for real daily recovery.
Original Zen Bloks® Prototype from 2010
High-Density Engineered Foam Designed for Long-Term, Consistent Support
As the prototypes improved, GJ started sharing them with people who put real stress on their bodies every day. Trade workers who climbed and carried. Professional drivers. Massage therapists and trainers who understand how the body compensates. Athletes. Friends who spent long hours sitting at a desk. They all used the wedges in their actual routines, not controlled tests. Their feedback shaped every refinement. Foam density was adjusted. The leg cradle got more defined. Height and width were tuned until the wedge felt stable, supportive, and consistent across different body types.
A Fully Engineered Foam Formula Built for Advanced Support
All of those iterations led to the first Zen Bloks® leg-elevation wedge pillow — a design focused on structure, alignment, and long-term performance rather than softness that collapses. The same engineering mindset later inspired the Zen Bloks® XL Gel Seat Cushion for people who sit for extended hours and need a surface that stays balanced and comfortable all day.
GJ, Founder of Zen Bloks®
(Photo: GJ during recovery after the accident — the period that shaped his commitment to better daily comfort, posture support, and long-term ergonomic design.)
Ergonomic support made for daily comfort and balanced rest.
Zen Bloks® exists because daily life puts steady strain on the body. Long hours spent in cars, planes, offices, and at home create tension in the back, hips, and legs. Most support products flatten, shift, or feel temporary.
