Yoga Equipment on the Rise

The time to stretch out with yoga is now. As we welcome 2009 with a fresh start, part of your resolution might include getting fit with the ancient stretching and breathing exercises known as yoga. Yoga isn’t all just posing and breathing, however, it’s also about having the right equipment to practice with.

With yoga as an ongoing trend in health and fitness, the equipment is as important as the studios, instructors, and clothes in terms of overall performance. When you are preparing to go to yoga class, make sure to wear yoga pants or shorts that are loose fitting or stretchy so you can move freely without bunching or being uncomfortable. Pair the loose pants or shorts with a tank top, t-shirt and/or a sports bra depending on coverage you are comfortable with. No special shoes are required, barefoot is the way to go, so slip on flip flops on your way to the studio.

Beyond having comfy clothes for your yoga experience, the next step is to get a good yoga mat. Probably the most important part of yoga is to stay balanced and poised in the positions within your own space and buying your own mat is the safest, most sanitary way to ensure a positive energy throughout your workout.

Yoga mats are often a bumpy texture and known in most circles as “sticky mats.” Made of synthetic materials (although you can also find some made of natural materials), mats provide traction so you don’t slip during poses and come in many different colors for a range of prices starting around fifteen to twenty dollars. In order to protect your feet and hands from the harsh, hard nature of the floor, a thin and cushioned yoga mat is essential for comfort and cleanliness. Specialty mats are available for taller people and can be found at boutique stores, yoga retail outlets, and online.

A new trend in yoga mats is to have a custom designed mat that pops when you walk into class to claim your spot. Original mats are plain and boring, but The Bolder Mat Company out of Colorado started making non-toxic mats designed with words and patterns in many bold colors and also started a nationwide yoga mat recycling service that takes your old, worn out, plain-colored mats and revamps them in order to send them to charities across the United States. With a donation of your old mat, you receive five dollars off your purchase of your own funky mat created by the eco-friendly designer. Even the American Music Awards celebrations this year rolled out The Bolder Mat Company’s yoga mats along with the red carpet as they stuffed celebrities arms with the ultimate in buzzed-about swag.

If yoga is as new to you as it is to me, a ball could be helpful for stabilizing your body during seated poses until your balance completely develops with experience. There are many sizes of yoga balls based on height so you can sit and move without straining to reach the floor. At-home exercise books and tapes often are geared toward including a yoga ball and some are included in a beginner’s yoga kit with further instructions.

One of the first stretches used in any type of fitness environment is the ability to bend over and touch your toes. To touch your toes is not an easy feat for some people because flexibility can be harder to achieve than it looks. In order to help people ease into yoga positions, a block can be a saving grace. For positions that requite hand-to-floor stability, you can purchase a yoga block as a form of training wheels until you build up the flexibility to safely touch the floor on your own.

Yoga straps or belts are also like the yoga block in order to help you achieve positions that beginners may not be experienced enough for yet. For certain foot and hand placements, yoga straps can create the position for you.

At the end of most yoga classes, there is a relaxation session to wind down your muscles and clear your head to allow inner peace inside. Some instructors and studios may encourage bringing a scented eye pillow for the relaxation portion of class and others may not suggest it, so check with your local place because each studio may have specific etiquette. As always with any fitness class, make sure you prepare by bringing plenty of water to replenish your fluids because you don’t want to add “fix dehydration” to your 2009 to do list.