I enrolled in a yoga class next semester and I have no idea what type of clothes are required for yoga activity. Any of you who practice yoga have any ideas? Links would be great. 🙂
I enrolled in a yoga class next semester and I have no idea what type of clothes are required for yoga activity. Any of you who practice yoga have any ideas? Links would be great. 🙂
You can do yoga in almost anything that’s loose and comfy, but you should stick to knit fabrics because they allow more movement. Also, yoga can make you sweat, so cotton or another breathable fabric is best. I have a friend who does yoga, and has for years, in some old sweats–she cut the bottoms off the legs so they are above her ankles, and she cut the cuffs off the tops (on the arms, neck, and waistband) so that everything moves when she does.
The main thing is that you need to have the clothing loose enough to be able to move comfortably, and yet not so loose that you are getting twisted up in sleeves or extra rolls of fabric around your legs.
Here are some examples of yoga clothing:
http://www.gaiam.com/category/yoga-apparel.do
The only problem with Gaiam is that their clothing (and everything else) is super expensive (but it is nice quality). At least it gives you an idea about what yoga clothing looks like. If you look at the pants closely, you will see that they often flare at the bottoms–that’s for good mobility and no binding. They are usually up a bit higher on your leg, too. That’s too keep you from tripping on long legs when you are moving from one pose to another.
I know from a previous question that you are pretty tall. I have one suggestion for clothing if you don’t want to pay a lot of money. You can buy regular old women’s knit pants, one size too big, but in a short length, which should hit you above the ankle at the very least. If they are a size too big for you, they should fit loosely, but not too loosely (you can experiment with sizes). You can do the same thing for a shirt–just buy a knit top that’s a bit loose–you can cut off the sleeves if they are too long, or you can fold them down. Just make sure they don’t bind on your arms.
I know some people who practice yoga in tank tops, or the kind of tanks with built-in bras. Those are also great, as long as you don’t get cold. I am one of those people who gets super cold really easily, so a tank top would not work for me except for maybe in June or July, and only if we were outside in the sun, but you will know what works best for you.
I have seen clothing which could easily be used for yoga at places like Target and Sears, and they won’t break the bank if you don’t have a ton of money. Just stick to cotton, and make sure the fit is right. Also, you may want a light jacket to put on immediately afterward, so you don’t get chilled. I know some people who use a wrap or jacket, and some who don’t need one.
Oh, one more thing–if you decide to wear socks to keep your feet warm, get the ones with the little grippy things on the bottom–regular socks slide all over the place.
Yoga’s become very popular, and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding clothing or gear. Good luck, and have fun 🙂
Oops, one more thing–Target, if you have it in your area, carries mats and bags and accessories from Gaiam in their stores–it’s actually cheaper to buy them there than to send for them because you don’t pay postage 🙂
Go to your local sports store or maybe any store really and ask for "yoga pants" oooh they are so comfortable you will love them:)