What basic equipment you need to practice yoga

What basic equipment do you need to practice yoga?

What basic equipment you need to practice yoga

You might ask yourself “What basic equipment you need to practice yoga?” When looking on at yoga influencers on Instagram & other social media it may seem like you need a lot of different things to practice yoga. Generally speaking there’s only one thing you actually need to practice yoga & that’s yourself… But a yoga mat is also nice to have…

Saying that your yoga practice isn’t optimal if you don’t have the latest outfits or equipment isn’t true. There are things that are good to have  & others you can do without, depending on your yoga style.  It’s a jungle out there so this post takes a brief look at some of the most common props & equipment, & their uses in the yoga styles I teach (Yin, Restorative, Medi, Ashtanga & Hatha).

The Essentials

What basic equipment do you need to practice yoga?

What to look for in a good Yoga Mat?

Talking about what basic equipment you need to practice yoga, I’d say that you need a yoga mat. You can definitely practice yoga without one, but it helps & makes your practice more comfortable in many ways, plus it defines a space where you only practice yoga, which can help you mentally prepare for yoga.. The space we create around us when we practice yoga can sometimes be as important as the practice itself. That we make a space where our full attention is on our practice, not surrounded by clutter & things distracting us. Creating the right atmosphere & ambiance can help your focus. Even if you live in a small apartment your immediate vicinity can be clutter free.

Dynamic-Ashtanga, Hatha yoga

Depending on what style of yoga you practice there are different things to look for in a good yoga mat. If you practice a more dynamic & physically strenuous type of yoga, where you move up & down a lot, I would say that the grip is most important. Because there’s nothing worse than when you’re in Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) & your hands & feet start slipping. A problem I often have, which means I often either grab hold of the mat or put my hands closer to my feet. 

There are yoga blankets/fabric mats that are put on top of the yoga mat & are supposed to help you slip less, & anti-slip socks, but I have not yet found anything that works for me. Grip is the number one thing I look for when looking for a mat for dynamic yoga. Another thing is that it’s comfortable, but not too thick. If the mat is too thick it affects your balance, which might not be great when doing Vrksasana (tree pose). On the other hand you don’t want to feel like you’re breaking your toes rolling through Chaturanga Dandasana. (Four-Limbed Staff Pose).

Static-Yin, Restorative, Mediyoga

When practicing a more static type of yoga, such as Yin, Restorative or Mediyoga I find that a slightly thicker mat is more comfortable. Since most of the positions are either sitting or laying down, balance & grip aren’t an issue. What is important is that you’re comfortable sitting or laying in the same position for a longer period of time. You do still want to feel like your being held up by the floor though, not floating on a cloud. I use fo-fur rugs from IKEA that I put on top of the mat when it’s cold. That way I don’t get cold & it gets softer.

When traveling

When traveling you might want a thinner & less heavy yoga mat, so it doesn’t take up too much space in your bag. There are those that are very thin, which is good from a packing point of view, but they are a lot less nice to practice yoga on, since there’s no cushioning against the floor. If you’re staying in a place that has carpet it’s a good idea to have a mat that’s a bit heavier, there are travel mats that are heavier too. That way your mat lays better on the floor. Or you skip bringing a mat and do yoga in your bed, that works too.

What equipment do you need to practice yoga?

Belts, Blocks & Blankets

What are Belts good for?

Belts can be very useful when you’re in positions where you can’t reach whatever body part you’re supposed to reach, e.g. Agnistambhasana (Fire log pose), in the variation where you try to reach your hands behind your back. I also use them when doing yin and restorative yoga in positions such as Badhakonasana (butterfly pose) to hold up the knees, preventing me from going too deep in the position. If you don’t have a yoga belt you can use some sort of belt or a string that you tie into a circle at the width you need for a specific pose.

When do you use Blankets?

Blankets are very good to have when practicing Yin & Restorative yoga. They can be used as a prop to support for example a knee that doesn’t touch the ground in Badhakonasana (butterfly pose), or to have under, or between, your knees when in forward bends like Balasana (child’s pose), or just simply to keep you warm when laying in Savasana (corp’s pose) or any pose in Restorative yoga where you can lay for 30 minutes or longer.

Since both Yin & Restorative yoga are very static & we stay for a long period of time it is important to make sure that you don’t get cold. Other than blankets, having multiple layers of clothes & socks can be very good to regulate your body heat.

Are Blocks necessary?

Blocks are useful in many types of yoga to prop up body parts for example when you can’t reach your hands down to the floor in Trikonasana (triangle pose). They can be used in the more dynamic types of yoga, where you don’t stay as long in each pose, but they can also be used to “sit on” in a meditation pose such as Padmasana (lotus pose) to elevate your pelvis, which aligns your spine, or to prop up your bolster in restorative yoga. 

You can, however, grab hold of your ankle/chin in Trikonasana if you can’t reach the floor, & in meditation you can use a cushion or sit on a chair, & in restorative you could potentially use more cushions. I prefer cork blocks, they are heavier & more sturdy than foam, which is important in standing positions, & a little bit less hard than wood, but all of them work fine.

Bolsters & Cushions

Do you need Bolsters & Cushions?

Bolsters & Cushions of different sizes are very helpful & sometimes necessary in Yin & Restorative yoga. In Yin yoga we stay for 5 minutes & sometimes longer, because it takes 4 minutes to activate the fascia. Since we stay that long it puts strain on the joints & it’s therefore imperative that we don’t go too far. In Yin yoga you should always stop where you feel the first resistance. We use different props, like bolsters & cushions to be able to stay that long. 

In restorative yoga we stay for long periods of time in each position, 30 minutes or longer. The aim of Restorative yoga is to Restore, in other words, Relax. Therefore we use lots of props to take any strain off of the body. You should literally feel nothing. If you don’t have bolsters you can substitute them with cushions. I like to have both bolsters & cushions in different sizes, because they fit in different places, but that’s just me. For more dynamic types of yoga you don’t need bolsters or cushions.

Can I practice yoga without a Meditation cushions?

When meditating & doing pranayama (breathing) it’s important to sit in a stable pose where you can sit for a longer period of time. I very often sit on a chair when I meditate & do pranayama to save my knees, since they act up sometimes. When I do sit on the floor, I usually sit in Siddhasana (Burmese pose) & always use a cushion or block that I “half” sit on. That way I elevate my pelvis, align my spine, make my knees touch the ground, become stable & rooted, enabling me to sit without aches & pains. 

You could of course use any cushion, you don’t need a meditation cushion, but what I like about them is that they are formed after your body but still stable. You have to get your pelvis high enough to be able to sit correctly. If you practice for example Ashtanga, where you only stay in each pose for a set number of breaths, you might not want a block or cushion to sit on because you change positions after a short period of time. Rolling your mat to sit on might suffice.

Having it all or just a little

What basic equipment you need to practice yoga depends on your style, but also your budget. Over the years I have accumulated a lot of yoga equipment. I have all the props because I like having things that are specifically for a certain purpose. I would for example not lift weights or do Tabatha intervals on my yoga mat. Since I wear shoes when working out, I have a specific mat for that, I don’t want shoes on my yoga mat.

 I prefer having my pillows for when I’m sleeping, cushions that don’t leave my couch & specific ones for when I practice yoga. Do I actually need them all? No, but it makes me feel better, what can I say I like being organized…

If you’re on a tight budget invest in a good yoga mat that is right for your needs. A lot of the props can be substituted by things you already have in your home. If & when you feel like you need extra things you can buy them, over time, but to start with, all you need is a good mat.

So, there you have it… The basic equipment you need to practice yoga and get the most out of it.

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