Simple Tips To Make You “Yoga Ready”
Wondering what to wear to yoga classes?
Yoga is all about freeing the mind, enriching the soul, and working the body. But wearing the wrong outfit to your yoga practice can make you off balance, prone to injury, and downright clumsy. Even though there isn’t any ‘official dress code’ for stepping onto the yoga mat, when you wear the wrong outfit you will not be able to get the proper form out of your poses – and trust me when it comes to yoga, your form matters.
If you are new to yoga, here are some simple tips to make you “yoga ready” :
Jewelry
For Women
We all like to look our best, it’s only natural. But when you are on a yoga mat, your beauty comes from inside. Sure you might look great wearing that stylish toe ring, but if it gets snagged on your yoga mat whenever you prep for a downward dog then you might wind up toppling over in the middle of your class. The same thing goes for bracelets, necklaces and big rings.
Basically if it will dangle when you’re upside down or if it can get snagged on your mat while you are working out then it should come off. The good news is that wedding rings usually don’t cause a problem.
For Men
Watches can tear into a yoga mat when you are flowing through your poses and they can also limit the flexibility of your wrists. So you may want to take them off before your practice.
[Read: 8 Essential Tips To Know Before Your First Yoga Class]
Pants
If you know anything about yoga you probably know that jeans are not acceptable. After all they limit your mobility and make it nearly impossible to get into a nice deep stretch. But what you might not know is that it isn’t just tight fitting pants that can get you into trouble on a yoga mat, when your pants are too loose they can also be a hazard.
Think about the different poses that you do in yoga, even a simple plank pose can get aggravating when your pant legs are hanging down onto the floor. And if you are taking a flow class, those baggy pants will be nothing short of a disaster (every time you try to flow in those floor poses your pants legs will be extremely uncooperative).
Depending on how often you practice yoga, yoga pants can get a little pricey. If you are looking for some pants you can wear regularly, remember that you want pants that feel comfortable but don’t feel tight. You also want pants that are snug enough that they hug your body but they should also be loose enough that you love being in them.
Quick Tip: When you find the pants that fit right for you, you also want to check the length of the pants – the last thing you want is to have your feet tripped up by pants that are too long.
Shirt
The good news is that your yoga shirt is not as big of a deal as the yoga pants. In fact, you can use almost any shirt to practice yoga in as long as it meets a few simple rules.
A good rule of thumb when picking out a shirt for your yoga practice is to try the shirt on and get into a downward dog position while you are at home. Since this is a popular yoga pose and it also forces your body upside down, it is a great gauge to how your shirt will do during your yoga class.
- Will others be able to see your stomach?
- Is the neckline so low that others can see your chest area?
- Are you comfortable in this shirt while you are in this pose?
These might seem like silly questions, but it is better to figure this stuff out while you are at home than when you are in a crowded yoga studio exposing everyone to your ‘girls’ (or ‘boys’ ).
Quick Tip: If you choose to wear long sleeves you might want to make sure that the sleeves don’t come down past your wrists – wrestling with the sleeves of your shirt will take you out of your yoga workout meditation and may even cause you to lose proper form during certain poses.
One of the greatest things about yoga is that you can come as you are. There is no dress code, there is no fitness level that you have to be at, and there is no one to compete with except yourself. Your yoga routine is all about meeting yourself where you are and taking yourself to the next level. When you dress for your yoga success, you will be unstoppable.
