So you want to follow a yoga practice, but aside from yoga mats, you are clueless about what yoga equipment and yoga gear to buy. Practicing yoga can be simple. You can do it at home, even without a yoga mat, yoga towels, or yoga blocks.

However, if you want to experience yoga’s full benefits, you have to follow yoga like how they do in a yoga studio. You need to have the necessary yoga equipment.

According to reports, Singapore residents experienced a heightened awareness about their health and wellness starting at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Yoga is a mind and body practice. This means that whether you’re enrolled in yoga studios or only do yoga at home, you will benefit from yoga’s mindfulness.

Aside from that, yoga postures can help in toning your muscles.

Yoga is health and fitness combined. However, you need the right yoga equipment, yoga accessories, blankets, and other yoga gear you will typically find in most yoga studios.

But you can start slowly purchasing the essential equipment most yoga practitioners recommend. You can begin your practice at home with your own mat and the determination that yoga requires.

If you are up for the challenge, we’ll let you into the yoga equipment, yoga gear, and other must-haves to start practicing yoga.

The Training Essentials for Yoga – the Importance of Yoga Equipment

Why do you need to invest in yoga equipment even when you’re not in a yoga studio? That’s precisely the reason why.

You’re not in a yoga studio, so you will have more chances of having slipups or minor accidents due to a lack of yoga equipment.

Don’t worry; you don’t have to buy all the yoga equipment found in most yoga studios. You only have to consider your safety, depending on the yoga practice you want to follow.

Rule number one in practicing yoga: having the essentials is essential.

The 5 Must Haves Yoga Equipment and Other Yoga Essentials

As long as you have the following basic yoga equipment must-haves, you are assured of safe yoga practice, even when you’re outside the confinement of a yoga studio.

What do you need? Here is the yoga equipment you must invest in to follow a safe yoga practice:

1. Yoga mat

A yoga mat may be the first yoga equipment that yoga students buy for their yoga classes. Yoga mats are also referred to as sticky mats.

A yoga mat may be something that you will remember being used in yoga sessions. But many people who love exercising also use a good yoga mat and their workout gear to exercise routines in their everyday life.

You can get a yoga mat in various colors and styles. You have to get a yoga mat that will suit your size.

It is also essential for a yoga mat to be comfortable, lightweight, and made of rubber so it won’t slip easily.

Even when you intend to enroll in yoga classes in yoga studios, you have to bring your own yoga mat. This way, you are assured that your yoga mat is clean whenever you need to use it.

You can rent a yoga mat when you are in a yoga studio. On the other hand, most gyms provide a yoga mat for each of their yoga practitioners.

A yoga mat isn’t that expensive. You can get a high-quality mat for $75 to $120. You can also check retailers for an affordable yoga mat, which you can get for as low as $20.

The downside to buying a yoga mat with a cheap price tag is that you might end up buying a yoga mat replacement often.

You will avoid this when you invest in a good yoga mat from the start.

A comfy yoga mat will make you forget about the hard floor and make it easier to do challenging poses, even when you practice at home.

Here are the factors you need to look into when buying a good yoga mat:

• Easy maintenance

• Traction

• Comfort

• Durability

• Material

• Thickness

• Length

If you’re buying a yoga mat online, read through the reviews of those who have bought similar products before making a decision.

2. Yoga pants and socks

You can use your exercise clothing in your yoga practice. Your yoga clothing needs to be comfortable.

Tops

For the tops, choose the type that will hug your body (but not too tight) during your yoga practice.

Some poses require bending. You would not want your tops to fly over your head while doing power yoga or trying the more challenging poses.

Shorts

Most guys who are into yoga prefer wearing shorts. But women can also wear them, especially when doing hot yoga.

As the name suggests, expect hot yoga to be done in a heated room. Aside from yoga mats, you will feel more comfortable doing hot yoga when wearing loose shorts or spandex shorts that fit your form.

For loose yoga shorts, choose the type with tights beneath. This way, you won’t feel exposed when doing hot yoga movements that will require you to raise your legs.

Loose pants

You can wear harem-style or jogger-style pants with an elastic feature at the ankles. They will stay in place regardless of the yoga postures you do.

Some people also prefer wearing loose pants to the type that will hug their skin.

These pants are perfect for prenatal yoga classes since they allow your skin to breathe. Plus, they are stretchy, so they can adjust to your size as your legs expand.

Yoga pants

The basic yoga pants are tight. You can get them in many colors and prints. It is best to invest in high-quality ones that come in solid colors, including brown, black, navy, and dark grey.

Yoga socks

You can do yoga while barefoot, so yoga socks are not a requirement. However, some yoga practitioners prefer wearing them when they practice yoga.

Yoga socks provide traction. So whether you’re in a yoga studio or doing at home yoga practice, the socks will prevent you from sliding or slipping on your yoga mat.

Sports bra

Yoga may be a low-impact activity. But women will find it more comfortable to perform yoga practices when they feel supported all over.

By wearing a sports bra, you will have the freedom to do the seated forward fold, standing poses, and other yoga postures that release tension.

Cover-Ups

Other yoga practices, including restorative yoga, are done in a yoga class in an air-conditioned room. You can use the cover-up in the beginning or after you are done with each yoga session.

Hair tie

Make sure to bring a hair tie, especially when you have long hair. You can also wear a bandana or headband if you have bangs or want to ensure that your hair won’t get in the way during practice.

Other Accessories

You will need a yoga towel during the practice. A yoga blanket or yoga blankets will also come in handy.

When you buy yoga equipment, yoga accessory, or yoga clothes, always think about what will make the practice more comfortable.

You can also get yoga books to learn the basics about yoga philosophy. The books will help, especially when you don’t have a yoga teacher to guide you in the practice.

3. Yoga block

A yoga block helps in improving your alignment. Blocks come in handy when doing poses with the usual positions of your hands and feet interchanged. These poses are when your hands are on the floor, and your feet are raised.

These yoga blocks help you hold difficult yoga positions longer. They also help yoga followers who still lack core strength and hamstring flexibility.

You can get blocks that are made of cork, wood, or foam. The wider they are, the more stability they will provide.

4. Yoga straps

Yoga straps are also called belts. You can use a yoga strap as an arm extender.

A yoga strap will come in handy when doing poses that require you to hold your feet. If you still have difficulty accomplishing the pose, a yoga strap can help you do the pose and stay still.

Beginners often use yoga straps in seated forward bends, and poses that require you to bind your hands at your back.

You can use other things if you don’t have the strap, such as a yoga towel or yoga towels and belt.

5. Yoga bolsters

Yoga bolsters have many uses in a yoga practice, especially when you are only beginning. You can use yoga bolsters instead of a yoga blanket, yoga blankets, beach towel, or any yoga accessory.

Yoga bolsters make it easier to do forward bend or seated yoga poses. They are commonly used in doing prenatal yoga and restorative yoga.

You have the option to choose between around and flat bolsters. The round ones provide a deeper stretch, while the flat bolsters are more ergonomic.

Gearing Up for a Serious Yoga Practice

Yoga is beneficial regardless of your age. You have to do it right to gain the most benefits from the practice.

The first thing you need to do is to get the right yoga equipment that will make each yoga practice safe and comfortable. These materials come in a variety of sizes and colors.

With the right gears, you will find it easier to do yoga, even when you are a beginner.

To achieve the best results from your yoga practice, practice proper breathing and always execute the right posture depending on the yoga poses you are doing.

If you are clueless about where to begin, you can get a good yoga book or enroll in a yoga instructor course.

Yoga may seem hard in the beginning, but with regular practice, you will become more flexible and find the challenging yoga postures easier to do.

Final words

As long as you have the right gear and know the basics of what to do, you can safely practice yoga at home anytime you want.

But suppose you want to speed up the process of learning. In that case, you may want to check out the best yoga studio Singapore to experience what it’s like to be led by a yoga teacher training while doing the exercises along with other yoga students.