Everyone needs a few yoga essentials to set up your own home practice.
If you follow Shannon Elizabeth Fitness, you may have read a previous post about starting your own yoga home practice. That post discussed yoga fundamentals and your physical practice. This post, however, is about the yoga essentials and gear you can use to get the most out of your home practice.
What you ABSOLUTELY need.
Now, I’m sure there are some super cheap, DIY ways to create your yoga essentials but honestly, I’m not that person. But if that is what you’re looking for, there are tons of ideas floating around on Pinterest that can help you out!
There are tons of yoga products out there! But there are definitely two categories: necessary and nice to have. There will be people who disagree about what items belong in each category but these are the products/brands that I personally purchase and use (brands are not affiliated with this post).
Yoga Mat:
I’ve tried a couple of different yoga mats over the years beginning with the Lululemon Namaste Mat. This was a great mat and held up over many years of use. I liked that it was on the thicker end (as far as mats go) and the grip was amazing. However, it was a gift and when it came time to get a new mat, the Namaste Mat was out of my price range. That’s when I got the first of my two Gaiam Mats.
This mat fits perfectly into my price range, is gorgeous, and is 6P Free (PVC free). Mine is the 5mm but it does come in 6mm if you want a little extra cushioning. And it’s definitely durable. My first held up for 3 years and that’s with two kids and a dog using the mat as their own as well. I also used my mat a lot outdoors in the heat, sun and even a little rain, this past summer and it has held up great.
If you’re looking for the perfect yoga mat, check out this awesome guide.
Yoga Strap:
Yogis of all levels benefit from using a yoga strap. It is a safe way to practice challenging poses by providing reach and closing gaps. I have two different straps. I have The Original Stretch Out Strap which I received as a gift and the HalfMoon Organic Cotton Strap. Both straps are great and do the job but I like my HalfMoon Strap best simply because I prefer organic materials.
Yoga Blocks:
Yoga blocks close gaps, provide support and bring the floor up to lessen reach. They also help to provide balance for poses where you’re not quite able to reach the floor (like triangle pose for example), or back support for poses like bridge. I personally have two Gaiam yoga blocks but a lot of people do fine with just one.
These three yoga products are really all you need to get your home yoga practice started. I’ll do a post later down the road with all the “nice to have” items but these are your essentials! With these products you have all you need to get familiar with yoga basics and start a home routine.
Namaste!
Shannon
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