sports equipment you need to start practicing yoga with them
Posted by HOOMAN MORADTALAB
sports equipment you need to start practicing yoga with them
Starting a new sport and workout routine can be challenging. Many beginners lack sufficient information and do not know how to get started or what they need to start with.
Yoga is one of the best physical activities that you can do at home and reap its unparalleled benefits for improving your health and fitness. But to get results, you need to know what equipment you need. These tools help you exercise better and safer, make the best use of your time, and also reduce the risk of injury.
In today's post, we want to examine these tools and see what sports equipment you will need to perform yoga exercises more effectively and safely. In the following, we introduce 20 excellent sports equipment that make yoga easier and more enjoyable. Apart from this, we also review some of the best products and a few important tips for better yoga practice. So stay tuned with us.
What equipment do you need to do yoga exercises?
The first thing you need to know is that you don't have to spend a fortune and buy multiple diverse items to get results from practicing yoga. Many athletes may exercise without needing these tools, so using them is not essential. However, sports equipment can increase exercise safety and help newcomers to have a better and more effective physical activity without harming their bodies.
Some yoga equipment is entirely essential and necessary. For example, most people who regularly and professionally practice yoga use the following tools.
Yoga mat
Yoga mat bag
Comfortable workout clothes
Water bottle
Yoga block
Yoga strap and belt
These are some of the items you need for better performance in many yoga exercises. In addition to these items, there are other accessories that, while not essential, can still increase the safety of your workout and help you get better results from your exercise sessions. Furthermore, sometimes your body needs more challenge and difficulty in your workout to put more pressure on your body and improve your physical and athletic performance.
We have listed the following tools. The sports equipment that you see below includes some essential and some auxiliary tools that support your body and are the best option for beginners to maintain health and safety. By examining these tools, you can have a better understanding of practicing yoga at home. Therefore, with the help of this guide and review, try to purchase the necessary equipment and easily do yoga exercises at home.
1.Yoga mat
The yoga mat is one of the most essential sports equipment for performing yoga exercises. In fact, if you want to buy only one tool for this sport, without a doubt, you should go for a yoga mat.
Using a yoga mat has many advantages. For example, you stay firm on this equipment and do not slip. Performing yoga exercises and being in various positions can sometimes be challenging and make it difficult to maintain balance. If you are not on a yoga mat, you may slip and increase the risk of injury. Since a yoga mat prevents slipping, it makes the sport safer, and you can perform the exercises with peace of mind.
In addition to this, the softness of the mat compared to the ground reduces the pressure on the joints and gives you a better feeling during exercise. This equipment prevents pain and fatigue and helps you enjoy your workout more and stay in yoga positions for longer periods of time.
2.Yoga mat bag and cover
When it comes to discussing yoga equipment, one item that is often overlooked is the yoga bag and mat carrier. While not essential, it can help you keep your gear organized and improve the efficiency of your workouts.
A yoga mat bag is an excellent tool for keeping your mat in good condition. You can store your yoga mat in this carrier and always keep it neat and protected. Generally, yoga mats are at risk of damage, wear, and tear. If you leave it lying around after your workout, it's likely to get stepped on or damaged. If you try to store it in plastic or other sports bags that are not suitable for yoga mats, it will probably get crumpled or even torn.
That's why using a specialized yoga mat bag can help you extend the life of your mat and keep it more organized. It doesn't matter whether you're practicing yoga at home or going to classes; a yoga mat bag will protect your gear and prevent damage or loss of investment. Some of these bags can even hold other items besides your yoga mat, making them a highly functional tool for organizing yoga equipment. Therefore, investing in this tool would be both efficient and logical.
3.Yoga Towel
Yoga mats and yoga bags are considered practical tools for performing yoga exercises. A yoga towel is also a useful and important tool for hot yoga.
Hot yoga and Bikram yoga are styles of yoga that are practiced in temperatures higher than the usual room temperature, resulting in intense sweating and body purification. For this reason, it is essential to use a towel during hot yoga to keep your mat dry and reduce the likelihood of slipping. Sweating can undoubtedly cause you to slip on your mat. By placing a suitable yoga towel on your mat, you can prevent slipping and have a safer workout.
Yoga towels are more practical than regular towels and can absorb sweat better and prevent slipping. Therefore, if you want to try hot yoga or Bikram yoga, be sure to get a yoga towel to have a better and safer workout session
4.Water Bottle and Flask
Hydrating and maintaining proper hydration during exercise is very important, and many people who have recently started practicing yoga or any other form of exercise may forget this fact.
Although yoga may be considered a light activity, it puts pressure on the body and can lead to dehydration. Even if you don't feel thirsty, you still need to drink water and maintain proper fluid levels in your body. That's why you should have a water bottle or a hydration pack with you and set a specific time to drink some water.
In general, you should drink enough water and replace lost fluids and electrolytes due to sweating. The importance of this issue becomes even greater during more intense exercises such as hot yoga. Since hot yoga puts a lot of pressure on the body and you lose a lot of fluids, you must have enough water with you and keep your body hydrated. So, remember to keep a water bottle with you during your yoga practice and drink enough water.
5.Leggings and Yoga Pants
Many people forget the importance of sports clothing and engage in various exercises and sports with the same regular clothes they wear at home.
Sports clothing helps your body have more freedom and maintain your body temperature. These clothes also absorb sweat better and keep your body dry.
Suitable yoga clothes are comfortable, stretch well, and also absorb moisture. By wearing these clothes, you will feel better, be more comfortable, and move your body well. In addition, you will sweat less and have more freshness.
Of course, be careful to buy suitable and properly sized clothes. Tight clothes limit your freedom and range of motion and do not allow you to perform exercises correctly. Loose clothes may move constantly and get in the way. For example, if you have to keep your legs in the air in some movements, your pants may fall down and disturb your balance and concentration.
Therefore, remember to wear leggings and pants that fit you well and are soft and stretchy, allowing you to easily move your body.
6.Yoga brick
Yoga brick is another popular and practical yoga prop, typically made of cotton, foam, rubber, or wood, and can assist in many yoga exercises.
You can have various uses for a yoga brick. For example, if you cannot reach a specific point with your hand or foot, you can use a yoga brick and bring your hand or foot to it to make the exercise easier for you.
In some exercises, you may need to stand and bend your body and bring your hands to the ground, but your body may not be flexible enough to bring your hands to the ground. In such cases, you can place one or two yoga bricks on the ground and bring your hands to them to make the exercise easier.
You can also place a yoga brick under your knees, legs, waist, etc., to reduce the pressure on your body during some exercises and make your workout easier and safer. This is especially important and useful for beginners or people with specific injuries.
In general, yoga brick has many applications and helps you get more benefit from your exercise session. It also helps support your body, increases safety, and reduces the risk of losing balance and injury.
7.Yoga strap and belt
Yoga straps and belts are suitable tools for improving body flexibility during exercises. If you are new to stretching exercises, it is a good idea to plan on buying a yoga belt to improve your flexibility with the help of this tool.
Using this tool is easy, and you can perform various exercises with its help. For example, you can place the belt around your foot soles and hold its ends with your hands. By pulling the belt towards yourself, you can put pressure on your muscles and relax them.
Using a yoga belt helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness, and achieve more softness and flexibility. Improving flexibility leads to reducing injuries, maintaining safety, increasing the range of motion of body joints, increasing agility and mobility, and improving body posture.
8.Sports Bands
Although they may look similar to yoga straps, sports bands have their own unique characteristics and therefore have a different impact on the execution of yoga exercises.
The main purpose of sports bands is to strengthen the body and muscles, so that you can better perform yoga exercises. This means that when you get used to these bands and gain more strength and power, yoga practice becomes easier and you can maintain difficult and balanced yoga poses for longer periods of time. Therefore, you should have a broader view of sports bands and not just see them as a yoga prop.
Instead, consider sports bands as a special and excellent tool for improving athletic performance and use them to improve your body's fitness. The good thing about sports bands is that they come in various sizes and resistances, making them suitable for everyone. With the help of these sports tools, you can always put pressure on your body and make progress.
9.Yoga Ring
A yoga ring is a hollow and circular support that helps better body stretch, relieve muscle tension, and improve flexibility.
This tool has similar benefits to a yoga brick and helps support your body better during yoga exercises. You can place your body on this tool and let your muscles stretch and soften. Another advantage is that due to its circular shape, it can rotate and cause more stretching of the body and muscles.
The yoga ring helps you perform exercises with greater safety and also prevents the formation of pain and discomfort. If you suffer from back pain or spinal problems, you can use the yoga ring to reduce pain and relieve muscle and joint tension by lying on it and moving forward and backward.
Considering all of these, we realize that the yoga ring is an excellent choice for improving body flexibility, reducing pain, preventing injury, and providing better support for the body during yoga exercises. These benefits also help you recover your muscles and improve the quality of your sleep.
10.Foam Roller
Foam roller is an incredible tool for massaging the body, improving athletic performance, and reducing injuries. Many athletes use this tool because it has numerous benefits for improving health and preparing muscles for exercise. The tool is somewhat similar to a yoga circle, but it has more resistance and has a significant impact on improving muscle function.
With a foam roller, you can perform some yoga exercises and massage your body to soften muscles and joints and alleviate pain and discomfort. Generally, foam rollers are excellent tools for treating back pain, joint pain, as well as increasing the speed of muscle recovery and improvement.
There are numerous reasons to use a foam roller. This tool can take your exercise and fitness to a new level and allow you to recover faster and improve your athletic performance. You can improve body flexibility, increase blood circulation, reduce stress and pressure on the body, treat muscle pain and soreness, and prevent injuries by using this tool.
11.Electric massagers
Most of the tools we've introduced in this post are suitable for practicing yoga exercises, but you should also pay attention to post-workout recovery so that you not only improve your fitness level but also minimize the risk of injury.
Electric massagers help to relax and loosen muscles and relieve fatigue. This also frees your mind and makes you feel refreshed and energetic, all of which are great for accelerating recovery speed and improving fitness.
Of course, electric massagers are usually expensive, but these devices are very practical and suitable considering their benefits. Electric massagers can increase blood circulation, eliminate muscle pain, improve metabolism, and also lead to weight loss and improved sleep quality.
Using this tool after exercise or after a stressful workday can provide you with a lot of relaxation and help prevent physical and mental problems so that you can live a healthier life. So it might be a good idea to plan to buy this tool.
12.Meditation cushion
Cushions and meditation pillows are considered an excellent and practical option for those who are into meditation and mindfulness. These tools provide support to your body and reduce pressure on your joints. They also maintain proper body posture and prevent damage to the spine and lower back.
These cushions come in various shapes and sizes, and you can buy and use them according to your preferences. These tools give you a greater sense of calmness and help you meditate with ease and without feeling any pain or discomfort in your body.
13.Zafu cushion
The sandbag is another interesting tool in yoga that helps create calmness in the body and is an excellent option for reducing pain and improving injuries. Generally, this tool is used in restorative yoga and is recommended for those who have injuries.
The sandbag is made of a sturdy and sealed compartment that is usually filled with sand. Hand and ankle weights are also produced in the same way. This tool is produced in various sizes and weights, and it is better to buy ones that are not too heavy but still exert proper pressure on the body and are easy to carry for a few minutes.
During yoga exercises, you can place this tool on your body to reduce pressure, pain, and increase a sense of calmness. This benefit is similar to being hugged, which releases relaxing hormones and improves the function of the body's nervous system.
You can also use this tool as a support or for balance and perform difficult and balancing yoga movements better. For example, you can take a specific position and place the sandbag on your foot to keep it stable and not lose your balance. This will be very beneficial for beginners and those who have injuries.
14.Blindfold
Creating calmness is a very important point for practicing yoga or meditation. You can regulate your nervous system, enhance creativity, achieve greater calmness, and even strengthen your immune system by using various types of eye masks.
This tool is inexpensive and an excellent choice for achieving peace of mind and reducing stress. Even if you don't want to practice yoga, you can still use an eye mask to feel calm and sleep better. So be sure to consider purchasing this tool.
15.Yoga chair
If you have mobility issues, are injured, or have limited range of motion, you can use a yoga chair to perform exercises and increase the safety of your workout.
You can do many yoga exercises in a seated position, which is very beneficial for older or injured individuals. In addition, you can let your body rest on this device to support your body and increase your range of motion. Increasing your range of motion will also improve flexibility.
You can also use this device to maintain balance and reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, if you are a beginner or feel that you need help with yoga exercises, be sure to get a yoga chair for yourself.
16.Yoga ropes
This tool is found in most yoga classes and clubs, and allows you to use the wall as a support or resistance force to place your body in specific positions. Hanging from the ropes helps eliminate muscle tension, achieve greater flexibility, and improve blood flow.
Using this tool is also useful for improving body form and spine problems. By relying on the ropes and pulling the body, you can reduce pressure on the vertebrae and prevent pain and discomfort. However, keep in mind that installing and using this tool can be difficult. The best thing to do is to use them in yoga clubs first and get familiar with their operation, and then if you want to use them at home, go to experts and get guidance.
17.Yoga fabric
Yoga fabric is also a tool for hanging and performing anti-gravity exercises and stretching movements. This tool is mostly used in aerial yoga or aerial swing yoga.
The simplest definition of aerial yoga is that it is a yoga practice that combines traditional yoga movements with Pilates exercises, using the support of straps and hammocks to provide support and hold the body. Athletes can perform various movements such as hanging or floating by relying on a strap or hammock that is connected to the ceiling and is suspended from the ground at a distance of about one meter.
Special aerial yoga hammocks are very strong and can withstand a lot of weight, yet they are very soft and working with them is easy and enjoyable. Because of the hanging and floating movements, this type of exercise is also called "anti-gravity yoga or suspension yoga", as most training sessions are spent hanging from the hammock.
This tool, just like a yoga chair, is a suitable option for people who have movement problems or injuries. By relying on a yoga fabric, you can reduce the pressure on the joints and better support your body.
Final Words:
Yoga is one of the best physical activities that you can do at home, and with its incredible benefits for improving health and fitness, you can face it. Although you only need enough space and your body for this physical activity, doing yoga exercises using sports equipment can be much more effective and result in better results, reduce the risk of injury, and be safer.
The tools we examined in this article are very suitable choices for doing yoga exercises at home. Although they are not all necessary, each has its unique features and helps a lot in better exercise performance.
By examining these tools and their benefits, you can have a better view of exercising at home and see which equipment helps you exercise better. So, keep in mind the tools and tips we have reviewed and create a home gym for yoga and exercise regularly to improve your health and have a healthier life.