4 Essentials for Starting a Yoga Practice

Ever thought about trying yoga?

I hear from a ton of people who are curious about yoga but don’t know where to start. With so many practice styles and studios, and no shortage of amazingly flexible yogis handstanding up and down our social media feeds, confusion around getting started seems almost inevitable!

To help cut through some of the noise, I’ve compiled a short list of essentials that can make your entry to yoga a bit more manageable.

1) A “Good” Mat

Yoga mats vary in shape, size, thickness, design, and–perhaps most importantly–in price! Before you go out and spend a nice chuck of change on a fancy mat that might not be a good fit for you, I suggest trying out one of the many affordable options out there. I’ve detailed a few starter mats options below.

• • Concerned about comfort? This high density mat from YogaAccessories promises a thick-mat feel without the bulk, granting more comfortable push-ups, table tops, and downward dogs.
  • Looking for stability? Try this lightweight, non slip mat by iuga! It has great reviews and the line down the center is great for helping you find alignment in your poses.
  • Sweat a lot? Consider throwing a towel over your mat to absorb the excess moisture. These towels by SYOURSELF look great and get the job done!
  • Don’t have a mat at all? Don’t let that stop you! Grab a large towel to flow on and get started. Pay attention to what feels good and what doesn’t while practicing on your towel, as this can help you determine what features you’d value in an actual mat.

2) A Water Bottle

Hydrating yourself before any physical activity–even yoga–is crucial. Without adequate hydration, you may feel drained, dizzy, or even light-headed in the middle of your flow. To help prevent such issues, grab a water bottle and carry it along with you throughout the day. Find a few of my favorite options below.

• The vacuum insulated bottle from mira is a great option. This temperature controlled bottle will keep your water cold for hours, comes in awesome colors/prints, and is backed by mira’s awesome customer service team.
• This 32oz Nalgene bottle is one of my absolute favorites! It’s easy to clean (dishwasher safe), holds a ton of water, and is impact resistant (a big deal if you’re like me and drop things all the time)
• Worried about getting your 64oz in ever day? This half gallon bottle by Colleer may be the answer to your dehydration prayers. Fill it up once for the day and you’re good to go!

3) Comfortable Workout Clothes

This topic is expansive and will be the focus of many posts to come. The athletic wear and athleisure industry has taken off these past few years and there are now dozens of brands marketing to women interested in yoga and fitness.

Beyond any specific brands and styles, your comfortable workout clothes are 100% defined by you! Whether you donning baggy sweatpants, shorts, leggings, a t-shirt, or sports bra sans shirt, do you girl! 

After you start practicing, you’ll learn more about the style and type of workout gear most comfortable for you and your body. So for now, don’t worry about investing a ton on expensive options that you may not even use.

A few of my favorite (affordable) pieces this season: Color Blocked Leggings, Padded Rackerback Bra, Color Block Fleece.

4) An Open Mind!

All yogis, even the best ones, have a common experience–their first class! They all took the chance and showed up. There is no way to know if yoga’s good for you or if you’d actually like it if you don’t dive in and show up!

When I attended my first class, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A few stories I had told myself included:

• “Yoga is for hippies”
• “Only skinny, suburban girls and old men in India do yoga”
• “I’m not flexible enough for yoga”
• “I don’t have the right mat, bra, leggings, or hair to go to a yoga class”

and lastly…

• “There’s no space for Christianity in a yoga class”

Now, I held onto those notions about yoga for a long time. But in the years since I let my guard down and actually gave it a chance, I’ve come to see yoga as an inclusive and dynamic means of staying fit and well.

Once I opened myself up to trying different poses, I became more flexible.

Once I started practicing in clothes that made me feel good, I became more at ease.

Once I allowed myself to pray during shavasana–and unapologetically opt out of aspects that didn’t feel aligned to my spirituality–I blossomed.

Once I opened my mind and heart to the learning and growing in this space, I began to redefine my physical limits, emotional capacity, and spiritual devotion.

So my advice to you? Get out there and try it! And even if you don’t quite love it, be open to the possibility of learning and growing beyond your wildest dreams!