Basic Yoga Equipment and Clothing

Some fitness activities require lots of equipment or investment. For example you can’t go mountain biking without a mountain bike or kayaking without a kayak. Yoga however requires no special equipment or investment. You can start doing yoga without any special equipment, but you may want to consider what to wear and most yoga practitioners do eventually buy one inexpensive piece or equipment.

You can spend a lot of money of fitness footwear such as running shoes or hiking boots, but yoga is usually done barefoot so no investment is required here. Many people, myself included, do like to do yoga in socks.

What clothing do most people wear for yoga? Although my friend Susie prefers yoga in the nude (at home of course), most people do wear clothes. Leotards are very popular as are baggy clothes, but I prefer either a pair of shorts and t-shirt or sweats in the colder weather. It’s entirely up to you but you will want lose fitting or stretchy clothing unless you’re naked. If you’re practicing yoga in a class and are fashion conscious or just want to fit in, you might want to see a session before joining to see what others are wearing first.

You probably will want to invest in a yoga mat, although exercise classes may have them available and you can always start with a thick towel or blanket first. Yoga mats are inexpensive and small and there are several options available depending on your preferences.

Yoga is one fitness activity that requires no special equipment, so it’s easy to try out and see if it’s for you. If it is, you’ll probably want to invest in a basic yoga mat and maybe a few clothes, although what you already own may be more than sufficient.

By: Harold Baldwin

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