Yoga for Beginners: What Clothes To Wear?

So, after hearing of the endless health benefits from Yoga and the assurances that nobody expects you to sit with your ankle behind you head on the first lessons, you have signed up to a Yoga for beginners lesson and are ready to go. And then it hits you: What clothes should you wear to a Yoga class? What equipment do you need? And most importantly, how do you get hold of it on time for your lesson? Relax: You probably already own everything you need, or can get it with a quick visit to your nearest sports store.

Clothes

When buying yoga clothes the key word is comfort. You need to be able to comfortably move and bend without the clothes being so tight they stop you, but they need to be tight enough so you don't trip on them. In some cases you can use loose gym pants for your Yoga lessons with no problems. Depending on the type of Yoga lessons you are attending you may want to buy something that is easy to wash; for example, if you are practicing Bikram Yoga you will be on a heated room, and sweat a lot, so synthetic fibres may soon become uncomfortable.

Loose cotton pants and a t-shirt that is long enough for you to bend without fearing showing off too much flesh is often more than enough equipment for your Yoga class. You can choose to wear shorts or long pants, depending on what makes you more comfortable. Most people choose light or neutral coloured clothes, as wearing bright colours may be distracting, but there are no hard set rules about that.

Shoes

Most people practice Yoga barefoot, but if you are attending a yoga studio is worth getting a pair of gym slippers for comfort while walking around to get to the room where your lesson is taking place. If you are uncomfortable barefoot you can use Yoga socks to cover your feet as well.

Towels and Accessories

Some people choose to wear accessories that help them connect better with the spiritual aspects of Yoga, such as bracelets or pendants with a special meaning, but this is completely optional. If you are a beginner you may want to bring some towels that you can fold to help support your body when practicing some forms, but if you are attending a Yoga for beginners class your teacher will most probably already taken that into account.

While Yoga is better known for extreme poses and ultra-flexible Indian yogis able to stand on their head, the truth is that Yoga for beginners lessons are nowhere as challenging and provide a relaxing and spiritually fulfilling experience that will help you connect your body and mind and stay fit at the same time. If you are feeling unhappy about your body or stressed out, consider Yoga for weight loss as a way of decreasing both your stress levels and your weight.