The right clothes for yoga, how to choose?

Learning yoga is not difficult. Most techniques allow you to start practicing at any level of physical fitness. All yogis, regardless of whether they have chosen to practice at home or are studying under the guidance of an experienced instructor at a school, need proper organization. It is this that largely influences the final result. And the first point in a simple algorithm of actions that helps to achieve the effectiveness and benefit of training is the choice of clothing.

The thing is that some yoga poses require considerable agility, strength, and flexibility to perform. For example, perfecting the dog or camel pose is difficult enough in itself. But doing the exercise becomes even more difficult if you are not wearing comfortable clothes. At the same time, not only the body is involved in the process, but also the mind and creation. Nothing should distract you from meditation and asanas. That is why it is so important to choose the right clothes for yoga. This is what our publication today is about. From it you will learn:

1. Basic principles of choosing clothes for yoga.
   • Men's set of clothes for yoga.
   • Women's set of clothes for yoga.
   • Do you need shoes?
2. Yoga clothing style.
3. Choosing fabric composition.
4. Choosing the color of yoga clothing.
5. Additional recommendations.

1. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CHOOSING CLOTHES FOR YOGA

The basis for choosing men's and women's yoga clothing is comfort and convenience. There is nothing worse than being distracted while doing yoga by itchy seams and tags, a sleeve that has ridden up, pants that are slipping down, cuffs that are too tight, straps that are cutting into your shoulders, or breasts that are falling out when you are in an inverted pose. You should also consider the specific style of yoga you are choosing. Each practice has its own characteristics. Some have breathing techniques to change the state of consciousness. Others practice energy locks, concentration of gaze and attention. Still others focus on working out connective tissue, strengthening joints, ligaments, tendons of the upper and lower body. Therefore, a preliminary consultation with a master will additionally help to decide on the choice of clothing sets. In addition, when creating a sports wardrobe, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of your own body, the place where you exercise, and your personal preferences.

But, as with other sports, there are general recommendations for choosing equipment for yoga:

1. Clothing should be able to breathe freely, remove fumes, and not irritate the skin.
2. It can fit the body, but should not restrict its movements or interfere with the performance of amplitude exercises.
3. Ideally, the top and bottom should allow you to see muscle tension in order to correct your posture in time.

Men's Yoga Outfit

A typical men's yoga wardrobe should consist of comfortable and non-restrictive items. For the bottom, you can use:

• leggings;
• soft sports shorts (without zippers, belt, fasteners);
• sports pants with a low crotch or harem pants;
• sports pants straight cut, medium or high rise with knitted cuffs.

For the top, use regular T-shirts or sleeveless jackets. For some types of practices, the top and bottom should be loose-fitting, while for others, tight-fitting options with good elasticity will be more comfortable.

Women's Yoga Outfit

A typical wardrobe of women's yoga clothes can consist of ready-made sets, where the top and bottom are selected in the same style and color, or independently composed. The latter option allows you not only to express your individuality, but also to choose clothes that best suit your individual parameters.

You can use the following as a bottom:

• breeches;
• soft shorts;
• leggings or tights;
• compression pants;
• straight and loose fit sweatpants;
• low-crotch sweatpants or Afghani pants.

As a top, you can use simple tops, T-shirts, tunics. The word "simple" means clothes without decorative elements and decorations.

IMPORTANT!
Once again we would like to emphasize that the best bottom option for men and women is clothing that does not hide the silhouette of the legs. This category includes breeches, shorts, leggings and tights. They allow you to control the position of the shins, knees, thighs, pelvis.

Do you need shoes to do yoga?

Tradition says that it is customary to practice yoga barefoot. Firstly, it strengthens the feet (the muscles of the legs that are inactive when you are wearing shoes are used). Secondly, barefoot you perform asanas technically more correctly (and some positions require you to grab your toe - this is not convenient in socks). And thirdly, a bare foot better stimulates the nerve endings, which allows the body to understand the correct balance and position of the body.

IMPORTANT!
When it comes to wearing socks, follow your own inner feelings. If you are cold, worried about how well-groomed your toes are, are at a group training session and would like to protect yourself from fungus, or have other reasons, use socks. The best models are those with separate toes made of hygroscopic material with silicone protectors on the foot.

Still, you will need shoes if you do yoga in a studio. You need them to go to the bathroom, get from the locker room to the gym, and move around the studio. Slippers, sandals, ballet shoes, and slippers will be comfortable.

2. CLOTHING STYLES

The style of yoga clothing should be as simple as possible: a minimum of seams and unnecessary details. Preference should be given to equipment with flat seams made of elastic knitwear. Such clothing does not cause discomfort during classes, provides the maximum level of freedom and allows you to control the correctness of the asana technique.

To avoid awkward situations during difficult asanas, keep fasteners and decorations to a minimum. The latter can be present on clothing in the form of a print, and are not desirable as separate decorative elements. Avoid thin straps or complex ties with fixation on the neck - they can dig into the skin, which will make it impossible to perform long asanas. A women's yoga suit must be complemented with a comfortable sports bra that properly holds the chest. Deep cleavage is not welcome.

3. YOGA CLOTHING MATERIAL

The most popular is the natural composition - cotton, linen, viscose. But not in pure form, but with the addition of a small percentage of lycra or elastane. This composition has the best properties of natural and synthetic fabrics. The clothes breathe, absorb sweat and remove it to the outside, have elasticity and do not wrinkle so much. And the naturalness of the fabric helps to tune in to harmony with the surrounding world on a psychological level. In addition, such things do not irritate the skin, do not interfere with thermoregulation and energy exchange.

4. COLOR OF YOGA CLOTHES

The main goal of a yoga practitioner is enlightenment, unification of spirit, mind and body. Practices help to know yourself and your capabilities, to find complete harmony of physical health and moral and spiritual beauty. In addition, it is an effective way to neutralize depression and stress, or just to rest and relax. Correctly chosen shades of clothing enhance the results of the practices. Preferences are given to white, black, brown, green, blue, yellow - that is, natural colors and shades. Excessively bright ones are acceptable only if they motivate you and lift your spirits.

White, black and green are the most universal. The first one evokes high feelings and aspirations in a person. The second one speaks of the intention to devote a lot of effort to the chosen path. And the third one is the color of harmony and energy of nature itself. Violet is good for meditation, and red is good for active activities. Yellow and orange are the colors of the sun and cheerfulness. They are ideal for performing classical asanas. While blue is the most universal: it is appropriate for any practice.

If you want to achieve maximum concentration during the exercises, pay attention to how the color of your clothes will match the environment at home or in the hall where you practice. By the way, some practices have their own traditional colors, and this should also be taken into account when choosing clothes for yoga.

5. ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR CHOOSING AND CARE OF YOGA CLOTHING

If you are just beginning to master this ancient art, science and philosophy, do not buy expensive clothes for your first yoga classes. You will always have time to buy a few sets of clothes a little later, when you understand that the teaching of the unity of body, mind and soul is yours.

Some additional tips for choosing clothes for yoga:

• When choosing a top and bottom, be guided not by fashion trends, but by your own perception of color and shape. It is believed that an incorrectly chosen suit can interfere with the exchange of energies, hinder the achievement of harmony with the world.
• Choose clothes only after you have decided on the style of practice, since each practice has its own requirements for clothing.
• Things should be functional, convenient and comfortable. If they do not interfere with performing asanas, concentrating and meditating, then the clothes are chosen correctly.
• For classes, you can choose a tank top or a T-shirt. It is better to refuse models with sleeves - they interfere with arm movements.
• Short tops can be used in warm weather or in a gym with a comfortable temperature (the fact that you are lying on a mat is not a guarantee of protection against colds).
• A top that is too loose is inconvenient when doing bends or asanas in an upside-down position - the clothes will ride up.
• If you are practicing outside and the practice is long, use an additional layer of clothing (sweatshirt, fleece jacket) - it will not allow the body to cool down.
• A regular tracksuit is not the best solution for regular yoga classes - it is not comfortable to stretch in it.
• Straight-cut sports pants without cuffs and wide shorts are also not the best option for group training - during inverted asanas they expose the body and underwear.
• Do not take clothes made of regular (not sports) synthetics. It will not allow your skin to breathe freely, which will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the practices.
• Choose cotton-based sportswear. For blended fabrics, the following ratio is optimal: 90-85% natural fibers, 10-15% synthetic. This composition gives the clothes the necessary comfort and functionality for yoga.
• Try on the set, make sure the size matches yours. Then stand in front of the mirror and do a few amplitude exercises (bends, turns, arm swings, lunges in different directions). Make sure that the clothes do not ride up or restrict movement, and that the seams do not cause discomfort.
• Ladies should worry about bust support. For small breasts, it is ideal to choose a compression or shaping top, for those with large breasts - encapsulated combination
• Clothing care is necessary after each workout, especially if it is too intense. To get rid of sweat odor, rinse your clothes after washing with a tablespoon of vinegar. Your clothes will look and smell fresh.

Yoga is the fountain of youth.
And you are as young as your spine is flexible. Practice, and everything will come.