If you want to do something good not only to your body but also to your mind, you should add yoga to your life as soon as possible. If you are determined to start yoga, you will need to get some yoga essentials as a first step. Then you are ready to do yoga when you find the right training videos, create the ideal environment, or find the ideal yoga training.
Whichever sport you do, the essence of the work is a solid body and motivation. The essentials are the accessory of the sport. Whichever sport you are doing, acquiring its own equipment will take you one step ahead of the others and your opponent in the mirror. The right equipment improves you in the right way. It is the same process in yoga. So if you are one of those people who is constantly engaged in yoga, try to diversify your essentials.
Obviously, like any other exercise routine, there are some essentials you will always need. Depends on the people, depends on your routine, depends on the period of the day or depends on the place you are going to practice, these essentials vary. But, on the contrary to other exercise routines, if you want to practice yoga, your gym bag should match the essence of yoga, which means it should be as simple as possible.
1. Yoga Mat
It is a fact that, for centuries, yoga is practiced on the grass and soil. Still, you want to follow this tradition, however, sometimes it is hard to follow. So, when you need a mat to practice yoga, it means you are going to do on concrete flooring. You need to purchase one to provide you comfort and protection from any injuries.
There are a few details to consider when choosing a yoga mat. For example; the thickness of your mat, non-slip feature, good adhesion to the ground, and water absorbing. For beginners to do yoga, knees, elbows, hands, and coccyx to avoid damage to the thick mat is useful.
Your comfort is affected mostly by the thickness of your yoga mat during practicing yoga. Both, very thin and very thick materials, doesn’t provide the comfort you need. Very thin mats may hurt your knees or elbows. Because these are the parts you intensify your weight. Very thick ones prevent you from rooting. Because it cuts off your contact with the floor. So, the advisable thickness is between 3mm and 4mm. You may want to bear in mind that.
The type of yoga you want to practice is also important for your mat selection. For Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga practitioners, the non-slip feature of the mat is in the foreground, whereas for non-slip Hatha yoga the non-slip is a bit more in the background.
If you have just started yoga and do not know if you will like it or not for a long time, you can first look at the most affordable mats. You can browse the mats called exercise mats, even if they are not called yoga on the market. Because as you continue to do yoga, it is best to realize what your needs are and choose a mat accordingly. However, to protect your knees do not choose too thin mats.
If you have been to yoga studios, you may have come across classic yoga mats. These are perfect examples when you want to buy for yourself. They are very useful and in ideal thickness.
During yoga practice, it is highly possible your hands and feet can sweat. And, to avoid injuries, to avoid slipping you may choose your yoga mats matching on your need which is microfiber towel-covered surface. It will be beneficial and increase the benefits you gain from yoga. You can also try different types of yoga mats that are not towel-covered but have a non-slip surface.
There are yoga mats of different thicknesses as well as different weights on the market. If you are going to use your mat only at home and do not have to carry it too much, then you do not have to worry about its weight. However, if you are traveling with you or taking your own mat for yoga studio classes, you can choose lightweight ones or fine mats made specifically for travel. You can use thin travel mats by laying them on thick mats in the studio.
As we have mentioned above, comfort is very important when practicing yoga. But the most important thing is how respectful the products you use are to nature. This is one of the most important points in yoga philosophy. For this reason, it is very important to look at the mats you buy from this point of view and use your choice for ecological ones.
No matter how much you love yoga, you do not wake up every day with the same mood and motivation. But if you don’t want to lose your motivation, you can add colors, styles, and designs according to your characteristics.
Gaiam Essentials Thick Yoga Mat Fitness & Exercise Mat with Easy-Cinch Yoga Mat Carrier Strap
TOPLUS Yoga Mat – Classic 1/4 inch Pro Yoga Mat Eco-Friendly Non-Slip Fitness Exercise Mat with Carrying Strap-Workout Mat for Yoga, Pilates, and Floor Exercises
2. Yoga Mat Bag
Mat bag is one of the equipment specially manufactured for you to roll your mats and carry them correctly. You may not want to carry your mat under your arms. It could be very inconvenient. Also, it is highly possible that it can unroll under your arm. There are a lot of mat bags available that help you to carry your mat anywhere and everywhere. You can find one to match your style.
If you carry your mat from one place to another, you need this bag. You need to have your private area clean because you do yoga on it. You can buy and sew yourself. Yoga mat bag is not the same as the thick rubber that comes with the mat. These tires are useless when you want to take the mat out of the house. Yoga mat bags are available for this pure work as well as color and pattern designs. If you are one of those who insist on carrying your own mat on the way to the studio, you should definitely get one of these bags.
3. Yoga Mat Cleaner
If yoga mats are not cleaned properly, they become disastrous in the yoga process. Therefore, you should clean and ventilate your mats with the right product on a daily basis. Mat cleaners are just right for this. If you are a yoga addict and you are pouring a lot of sweat in your practice, you should get these spray cleaners immediately.
LUNA Yoga Mat Cleaner Spray Kits
4. Yoga-friendly Bag
Of course, like any exercise, like any workout, you need something when you practice you to put carry your essentials. It is not necessary to be very big, very complicated, or very expensive. You need something basic, comfortable, with separate compartments and match the essence of yoga.
5. Yoga Strap
You know when you are trying to go deeper into that hamstring stretch, and you feel like you are going to pop a blood vessel from how hard you’re trying to achieve the posture? First of all, you may need to rest just a little bit. Secondly, at this point, a yoga strap will be your lifesaver. It provides you safety and security between poses. Without any hesitation, you can change from pose to pose with the help of yoga straps.
The yoga strap is especially beneficial for stretching. It is a kind of aid material. You can stretch your back of knees, extend your arm, and shoulders with yoga strap. This is a piece of must-have equipment, especially for beginners.
A yoga strap is an accessory that helps to practice yoga. When the yoga strap is well used, it will allow you to perform your yoga exercises more easily, and to gradually flex your muscles to gain flexibility with a graded yoga practice.
The strap has an important role among yoga essentials. It allows you to fit comfortably into the poses you enter to stretch. For example, when you reach down and sew your legs up in the air, the strap you hold under your feet allows you to release yourself. You do not have to make a special effort to keep your legs upright and feel the flexing behind them. Any belt, a long piece of fabric also takes on the same task.
6. Yoga Block
Foam yoga blocks are among the equipment that yoga lovers should have. Foam blocks, which make you more comfortable while taking your poses, are a saving material especially for postures where you cannot reach the ground. You can improve your postures more easily thanks to the yoga blocks that are especially necessary for starting.
Irrespective of beginner or advance in practicing yoga, yoga blocks are incredibly beneficial for anyone at any level. You can use these yoga blocks for restorative postures, making the floor closer to yourself or making the floor more accessible in difficult balancing poses.
The task of yoga blocks is to make you comfortable in the pose. Everyone’s body type is different. Some have long arms and some long legs. Some are very flexible, some are not. Foam blocks are used to make some poses more comfortable. For example, you can stand and twist from your waist and bend to the ground, make your hands punch, and lean against these blocks. You do not have to buy anything. A book acts as a yoga block.
7. Yoga Wheel
Even if you don’t understand why you need it at first, the yoga wheel is an accessory you will want to have when doing yoga. A yoga wheel can help you to improve your flexibility. If you have any back pain, it will be your best friend. Even though it is completely opposite to the idea of yoga, which is spending more money, a yoga wheel will be the one that you will spend money without any hesitation and second thoughts.
The yoga wheel is using to increase flexibility and body strength. This is an excellent fitness tool. If you are a beginner in practicing yoga, it is a good tool for you as a back opening tool. It is very useful in relieving pain, tension, and stress in the back, chest, shoulder, abdominal, and hip flexions. It gives a chance you to change poses softly and comfortably.
URBNFit Yoga Wheel & Strap Set – Designed for Dharma Yoga Wheel Pose – for Stretching and Increased Flexibility
8. Yoga Bolster
Bolsters give you a feeling like heaven for your lower body during practicing yoga. It can be used only for meditation as well. Bolsters are kind of a must-have for anyone who loves to practice yoga. Bolster models are also ideal for relaxation moments, allowing you to achieve a much better yield, especially in restorative poses.
It is especially essential for pregnant yoga and Yin Yoga classes. The pillow is mainly for comfort. Easy to keep at home and in studios. They are comfortable and decorative products. When you sit down and squat down, you need to put a support under your hips to stand upright. This makes you feel more comfortable when you posture yourself. You can also fold the blanket to provide the required height.
9. Yoga Blanket
Yoga blankets are basically very important for two essential things. First, if you put your knees on the floor in any pose and experience knee pain at the same time, get these blankets so that you have a soft cover that supports your knees during exercise. Secondly, assuming that you will go to the half-sleep mode in the savasana pose as the most favorite place of use, you can put these blankets on you to keep warm. You can think about why do you need yoga blankets. But, yes, it gives you comfort and safety.
10. Yoga Towel
You can use towels in yoga in two ways. First, you can use the mini-size ones as hand or face towels, and secondly by laying the mat in order to protect the mat from sweat. Either way, you will get rid of your sweat flowing through these towels. Whichever sport you do, the towel is one of the most basic equipment. When you do yoga, get your towel close by. Whether you are dripping sweat or just want some extra padding during your practice, non-stick towels are a must.
Since yoga mats are plastic, you will always feel the smell of plastic. They cannot be washed because they are broken down so their hygiene should be questioned. Especially if you use the mat that everyone uses in a sports center! That’s why yoga mat towels help you maintain your concentration with a healthy, washable, and clean scent. The mat is fixed on both sides and does not slip on your foot.
The Perfect Yoga Towel – Super Soft, Sweat Absorbent, Non-Slip Bikram Hot Yoga Towels | Perfect Size for Mat – Ideal for Hot Yoga & Pilates!
11. Yoga Clothing
Yoga clothing is the widest range of yoga equipment. Commercially available yoga clothing, such as yoga pants, yoga tights, yoga sweatshirts, yoga socks, is designed to move comfortably when doing yoga. But you do not have to buy these clothes. Simply wear tights made of flexible fabric and a T-shirt made of sweaty fabric that allows you to make movements easily.
Since yoga involves a lot of stretching and bending, yoga clothing must be designed appropriately to support these movements and make them more comfortable. In order to provide some relaxation to the practitioner, clothing considered appropriate for yoga should be comfortable enough and breathe.
Yoga clothing must fulfill the primary requirements to maintain humility and fulfill the need for physical comfort. In this respect, very tight clothing may not be suitable for stretching exercises. Similarly, tightly woven, non-breathing, and ultimately excessive sweating, elevated body temperature also gives a feeling of discomfort.
Try to choose cotton clothes. Cotton materials are always well-liked because of their excellent absorbency. The fabrics of cotton clothing provide enough air for comfort while keeping the body cool. A cotton yoga cloth absorbs your sweat during yoga while keeping your body dry and clean while under extreme stress.
Flexibility is the most important feature. Yoga exercises are all about stretching and bending. Therefore, yoga clothing should have this stretching in order to perform body movements easily. With new developments in fabric technology, you can find cotton yoga clothing with stretchable features.
Your body determines your outfit. Your body may not be flexible enough according to the clothes you buy for yoga practices. However, there are many yoga outfits for each body on the internet and in high-quality sports stores. Check the body charts available in online stores to choose the yoga suit that suits you best. Remember to choose clothes that are not too tight or too wide to be comfortable enough when doing yoga.
You can make every movement easily with quality fabric. When choosing yoga clothes, pay attention to the quality of the fabric material. Because yoga clothing comes in direct contact with the body, the cheap ones may not be a good choice when shopping for this exercise outfit. In addition, cheap materials can quickly fade, shrink, or tear frequently. Buying some good fabrics that are light stretchable and sturdy will be the best choice for yoga clothing.
Keep in mind that when practicing yoga, your clothes are very stretched, rubbed, and exposed to sweat. You can easily create a good team yoga outfit by choosing something that can easily handle these conditions. You don’t want your shorts constantly fall down in certain poses. You don’t want any distractions when you are in the Zen state, obviously. So, you need to choose wisely your shirts, T-shirts, or crops, basically what you wear during practicing yoga. They should be something, comfortable, not falling down, not make you distracted, and focused on your clothes.
Tight leggings should be your top priority instead of loose tracksuits. While sports bras will make your movements much easier, T-shirts and athlete athletes that take the form of your body will be ideal when they are selected from smart technologies that do not keep sweat.
Instead of wearing shoes, you can stand barefoot while practicing yoga. On the other hand, there are some custom-designed shoes which are designed in order to get more comfort out of barefoot training. These shoes can add comfort to your yoga thanks to their breathable net.
Even though yoga pants are actually the problem of people who are totally in the visuality of the work, if you motivate you to do yoga with colorful, assorted, and themed tights, you should get one of those tights. Because motivation is a big part of this yoga thing. In addition, if you are one of the popular people preparing visuals for social networks, you can get chirpy and tulle yoga tights instead of plain tights.
In yoga, sports bras are extra useful. Because standard bras may not be so comfortable, especially in upside down postures. Sports bras are ideal equipment especially in terms of tight wraps. That’s why it is better to get a high-quality bra instead of plenty of athletes and big T-shirts when doing yoga.
The beauty of yoga is that it is a low-impact activity, meaning it is a lot less hard on your body than any activities that fix yoır joint, for example, fitness. A lightweight sports bra is a good option. It provides just enough support to stay comfortable and it is not tight to make you uncomfortable.
12. Water Bottle
Of course, it does not just necessary for yoga. Water bottles are a must-have for any sports enthusiast. In order to eliminate water loss during the exercises, the water bottle should be with everyone.
13. Essential Oils
While essential oils definitely are not necessary for a kickass yoga flow, they make your practice incredibly life-giving and soul-nourishing luxurious. The essential oils are made to heighten your senses in every way, from meditation to headstands, and everything in between.
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14. Essential Oil Towelettes
If you do not have your own yoga mat yet, it is not a problem of course. But, you should have essential oil wipes in order to wipe down to make it clean and to give it a beautiful scent before you start your practice in a yoga studio. These wipes mostly come in several scents, from relaxing lavender to invigorating lemon.
15. Headbands and Pony Tail Holders
You are never sure whether you want headbands or not. You may want it because you want to keep your hair in place during different poses or changing poses. But, you may not want it because they could be so tight and uncomfortable. You should buy nice and wide headbands which provide you not to slip, but also not be too tight. No matter what kind of exercise you are practicing, the headband needs to stay in place, not to slip and gives you a comfortable feeling while you are moving.
Depending on the class, depending on the poses, depending on your energy… Your hair could fall down and cover your face completely. It won’t be something you want during the classes. You may want to hold your hair. A typical back-of-the-head pony will be your choice. So, a headband will be your life-saver at this point. Take one and be sure that it is not going to slip. And, yes, the problem is solved. You can continue to practice yoga without any disruption.
