Yoga gear: from yoga toes to sexy yoga clothes!Yoga gear...okay so we're not backpacking across the Grand Canyon. However, just like any other physical activity; yoga requires some specialized goodies to help us get the most out of our practices. Yoga gear reflects the fit and function of products that support our practice and lifestyle. Deciphering yoga wear, yoga apparel, yoga pants, workout clothes, workout pants, gym clothes, running clothes, running clothing, women's activewear, travel clothes, travel apparel, pilates clothes, pilates apparel can be dizzying. Check out my reviews to find what you really need. A mat, block, blanket and a strap are all you usually need to get through most styles of yoga classes. Being kind of wary of it slipping and not sure if it was needed, I finally broke down and purchase a skidless yoga towel. After Bikram, it looked like it would be a good investment. It stays in place and allows the mat to stay dry and is easily washable. However, if there is not enough moisture, there is a slight slipping sensation. The sweatier the better with these. The availability of products in various materials are staggering. You can get block and strap combos as well. Three Minute Egg is a style of yoga block that was featured at the Midwest Yoga Conference. I was given a few to use and found that they nicely support the body in certain postures. I use them frequently in yin yoga classes. The three minute eggs are ergonomically shaped and work really well for reclining postures. It supports your back and knees and allows for a total release and a nice sense of surrender (rectangular blocks tend to dig into your muscles).
Regular old rectangular yoga blocks are great for extending your reach to the ground (especially when you are new). These can be used them to deepen and stabilize postures that are a bit "shaky." It is so much better to be the pose than to do it. Many practitioners like to have a good long strap on hand for use while practicing to aid in reaching and expanding a posture more. We encourage gentle tension to increase flexibility, always keeping a mind toward non-harming.
Yoga Gear: The other goodies Mat cleaning sprays are nice and may help keep them smelling good, but you have to watch if your mat is open cell rubber. Essential oils may adversely affect the surface of the mat. Mat care: Give them a good scrub in the bathtub, with warm water and Dishmate dish soap. Rinse the mat well and then put it between 2 big towels and walk back and forth to squeeze all the water out. Then lay it across an open laundry basket to dry overnight. Refillable water bottles make for an eco friendly choice and allow you to take more water to class than a small 16 oz bottle.
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Visit the store to find a great selection of yoga lifestyle related items, it's an easy way to compare and shop for items. Products featured include: yoga, general use clothing, dancing, running, running shorts, running shirt, hot yoga wear, sports bra, dancewear, yogawear, yoga mat, yoga accessories, workout clothes, workout wear, water bottles Blankets, bolsters and pillows are useful additions to your yoga and meditation practice. Get the full selection at the store.
Newer students to yoga tend to be on the look out for cheap yoga clothes. The problem is that the material is usually inadequate and the cut is inferior. Fading, stretching and excessive wear is common. People who do not practice yoga or even understand what yoga is design the clothes, and it shows. A "cheap" pair of pants can run around of $25. A good quality pair will cost around $65 to $90. If you are price shopping, your best bet is to find good pants on sale at a yoga oriented retailer, or at a studio's boutique. Please avoid the big box retailers! They stuff their stores with inadequate and low quality equipment. Imagine a mountain climber purchasing their belay carbine hooks and roping gear at the sporting goods dept at Target. Not even imaginable! Yoga is a specialty activity, treat it as such! The worst experience ever was to wear "non" yoga clothing to a really intense class. The outfit consisted of fitted cotton t-shirt and pants well suited for "exercise" but not yoga. Quickly learning that the t-shirt became soaked and flopped up during inversions was not the best feeling halfway through class. The seams rubbed against my skin, leaving red chafed areas on my sides and arms for days. The pants, that were stretchy did not have enough "give" to allow for full range of motion during postures. They were too heavy and the legs were too wide, causing my toe to catch as the foot stepped forward. Get the right gear for the task at hand.
On to the clothes:: Yoga gear 101: Look for a design brand that specializes in yoga clothes. Their designers most likely practice and know what is needed, in terms of fit and function. I just had the pleasure to review an assortment of apparel from MPG. I have a lot of "yoga" clothes and a lot of them stay in the drawer due to fabrics that are uncomfortable, fit that seemed good but lost it's shape and fading. I put the MPG clothes through the ringer, literally wearing them to the hottest and hardest power vinyasa classes. They have out performed any of my current clothes and I look forward to practicing in them again. I also used them for teaching and running around town. I found them to be chic and comfy! Update: This is seriously tough yoga gear, it has been five months since I did the review and these pieces still look new!! I have used them, a lot and there is no wear, fading or stretching. Udate #2 check out the review of a fewof the Spring 2011 collection on the product review page. Check out my full review of the MPG outfits here
Lucy makes up most of my yoga wardrobe. Feeling happy with their 4 way stretch pants and moisture wicking shirts. Their designs are flattering and have enough sex appeal to make you feel girlie and fashionable even when you are dripping sweat! Avoid their cotton pants as they have had some excessive piling and color fading. Lululemon is a very popular brand of athletic clothing. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for. Great styles and cool designs that work with your body, not against it. Their styles are a little tighter and lower cut so they win in the sexy yoga clothes contest. Sexy not sleazy! The fabrics are good quality that last through lots of washes. Athleta has chatarunga leggings, they are a must have as they are snug to the ankle and have black latex so they are not shiny or see through. I love these pants! The best gear to wear for active practices are fitted legging type of pants that are really snug at the ankle. Flying through a vinyasa class and getting a toe stuck on your billowy pants is not a good way to find presence! Tank tops specifically designed with built in bras are great as they provide coverage and support. Slow flow or gentle flow classes are a little more relaxed and you can be a little more flexible with your choices. Snuggle up with a long sleeve shirt at these classes, especially in the winter as the heat is not as high and it tends to get cold. Layering a tank with a looser shirt is also an option so you can peel off a layer as needed. Ashtanga is pretty physically challenging with a lot of inversions, so once again form fitting clothing is best. Avoid anything with thick seams on the back. One pair of pants I have actually has a button sewn on the waist band right in the center (can you say on my spine when I'm on my back?). The yoga wardrobe for guys is a little more forgiving. Most fellas wear shorts to class, and possibly a T-shirt. If you're going that route, check out Under Armour Heat Wear. Cotton T-shirts are very uncomfortable and tend to hang onto a lot of detergent residue that mixes with sweat and can lead to irritation. Athleta chaturanga tights are my newest pair of practice pants. Just returned from a vinyasa class and it felt like I was not wearing pants. They almost morphed into a second skin with a wild cooling sensation as the fabric wicked away the sweat. An added extra benefit was when I was holding a ukatasana for a while and noticed the cushion at the inside of my ankle bones. Amazing fit and not a bit of irritation. I am 5'8" and 130, small tall fit like a glove. Highly recommend these!!! I also used the new burnout headband that I ordered. As promised it stayed in place all class. Pretty and functional!! UPDATE: Still going strong but not holding up as well as I had hoped. They still wick but they tend to "gather" stuff. They are almost clingy out of the drier. Once on they are fine. A little fading but still wearable. It's been about a year since I got them, I definitely got my monies worth out of them.
Yoga Toes are a foot stretching aid that is plastic and allows the toes to spread. A little torture device for your snug piggies. They claim that it helps to correct bunions and toe spacing. Not sure if that is possible, but then I'm not a podiatrist either. They have been them advertised for $30.00 plus shipping. Find similar products at my store. Yoga jewelery is becoming very popular, and knowing that there are companies out there that use fair trade employment practices is just supporting good karma! We are launching a new line soon. Look for more cool yoga gear on these affiliate sites and help spread the word!
If you are on online shopper, there are are a few brands that are yoga friendly. Hard Tail, Om Girl, I love Yoga, and Dominator. Be sure to check out my yoga lifestyle store to check out all product choices.
Be wary of knock off brands (Sketchers) how sad! Come up with your own designs! It's better to get the original and know that they will really work. Eco friendly shoes by the Autonomie Project foot the bill if you want to be yogic from head to toe.
More to come as the good stuff comes to market! Return from yoga gear to yoga poses and beyond |
