Best yoga accessories
Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga, Dynamic yoga... How to equip yourself?
An adequate outfit is essential to be comfortable and hold your asana, as well as a minimum of accessories to ensure a 100% comfortable yoga session.
No need to waste time on the Internet to look for the necessary equipment and outfit, Yoga-Advice has done all the research work and reveals you all her good plans!
The mat: mandatory in a yoga center as well as at home!
The first accessory needed is the mat, on which you perform your positions, body stretching and other breathing exercises.
It is a common denominator in many classes: pranayama, prenatal yoga for pregnant women, bikram yoga, pilates, meditation yoga, hatha yoga...
At the beginning, you can very well use the mats provided by the yoga school or yoga studio you are attending. Please note that some rooms will charge you 2 or 4$ for mat rentals. If you practice regularly, it can be interesting to invest in this product, for several reasons :
• You will always be more comfortable on your personal mat than a club model. The thickness of foam you need is specific to your morphology and it is better to have a model under your body that really meets your needs!
• It's more hygienic! Imagine (or not) the many hours of flight of a club mat and the hundreds of feet, more or less clean, that have trodden the said mat....good appetite of course!
• After a while, your yoga mat will pay for itself in comparison to a weekly rental and you can even save money!
Owning your own mat is a good idea if you are considering attending a yoga class. Caution: make sure you stay barefoot or in socks on your mat so that you don't get your shoes dirty! Also think of the others, there are disinfectant sprays to apply on the mat once your yoga session is over!
4 factors to choose the right yoga mat!
Thickness: Logically, the greater the thickness, the more comfortable the carpet becomes. BUT it can also become more slippery and this can be problematic, especially if you tend to sweat a lot too!
Lightweight: you will need to carry your mat from your home to your yoga class, via the work space if you are not coming home. Be careful not to choose a "liner" that would get in the way of public transportation, especially if you're doing yoga in the city!
The material used: A discipline that harmonizes body and mind, yoga is in line with the solidarity and fair trade economy and organic agriculture. No wonder that yoginis prefer to buy a mat made from recycled material rather than a product derived from petroleum! Mats made of PVC are generally the best adherent but they are also the most toxic. By snooping a little on the web, you will find carpets made of 100% organic cotton or a mix of plants (such as a mixture of latex and hemp), guaranteed PVC-free. To you the vinyasa yoga or dynamic eco-responsible yoga!
Price: Price is of course an important criterion. You will see a few lines later that there is a real business on this yogi accessory which can vary from 15 to 100 $.
To be sure to recognize a commercially available yoga mat, be aware that it is very often rectangular, measures 180 cm long by about 70 cm wide and has a thickness of about 5 mm.
In terms of budget, count a little more than 10 euros for the first prize up to more than 50$ for a high-end ultra-light carpet, made of recycled and biodegradable gum, silicone-free, phatlates-free and water-based stained, like this model from the brand Yuj. The model that should please the yogi in you!
The essential accessories for your yoga session
Most of the time, schools or organizations offering yoga classes or workshops provide their members or trainees with all the necessary accessories to carry out their yoga session. Here are some of the products you can find:
• A carpet to lie down and realize the poses (asanas). Well padded preferably to avoid breaking the back and catching cold in contact with the tile, for example.
• Cushions. These can be used both as body support during certain positions, for example that of the lotus, to prevent the pelvis and sacrum from being compressed on the floor.
• The meditation cushions, which are oval in shape, are particularly well suited for meditation in a crouched sitting position, on the heels. They offer a wide and stable sitting position and are ideal for people who are not very flexible or very tall. Count about fifty euros for this type of product.
All these accessories can be used with the different online yoga classes available on the market:
• Hatha yoga, accessible to all (stretching was inspired by this discipline),
• Ashtanga yoga (very dynamic yoga),
• Vinyasa yoga (also known as Hatha Flow)
• Kundalini yoga (developing consciousness towards the path of enlightenment)
• Nidra yoga (improving sleep)
Iyengar yoga uses supports such as straps, bricks, blankets and ropes to facilitate good postures.
If your favorite position is bent knees and sitting on your heels, opt instead for a meditation bench, a tiny wooden stool that allows you to sit comfortably in this position and hold it longer and painlessly. Count between 50 and 100 $ for this type of product.
Goyavi has published an interesting article to help you choose between a yoga cushion or a meditation bench, with several product suggestions. It deserves to be read, even quickly.
Straps and bricks are also used in some types of yoga classes such as lyenga and vinyasa. Other styles of yoga that use meditation may also use mala.
The posture or Lotus (or padmasana) is a sitting posture, used in hatha-yoga. It is also used as a meditation posture by Buddhists.
The accessory, well chosen, can enhance the benefits of yoga, by increasing letting go and allowing more meditation.
How to choose the right yoga outfit?
You won't have to ruin yourself for your yoga session.
Keep in mind that it should be comfortable and loose so as not to restrict movement. The way you dress depends on your practice:
One yoga session per week: an outfit at a small price!
No need to invest in a dedicated yoga outfit! Instead, opt for :
• Jogging style socks wide enough or leggings thick enough to move easily,
• A top like a tank top or a tight tee-shirt so that it doesn't slip.
• And a comfortable sweater for warm-up and final relaxation.
Several yoga classes per week: technical clothing recommended
We advise you to wear a dedicated outfit:
• Sport leggings,
• Brassiere and/or tank top
• As well as more technical materials such as polyester, elastane (a fiber that gives elasticity to the fabric) and merino wool with incredible thermo-regulating properties.
If you practice bikram (named after its creator Bikram Choudhury) or hot yoga, you can afford to put on just a bra and shorts, to evacuate heat and perspiration more easily, if you assume the gaze of others!
Yoga classes: why not practice at home?
Is it possible to do yoga postures at home?
Absolutely! If you have a ministering schedule, you can decide to do your dynamic yoga, kundalini yoga, vinyasa yoga or ashtanga yoga session at home by doing a webcam class with a yoga teacher or buy e-training.
