My best Yoga investments
Here are some of the tools i’ve invested in over the years to aid me in my Yoga practice and help me get the most out of time on my mat. These are all things i’ve bought myself and genuinely love - these recommendations are not sponsored in any way.
Manduka Yoga travel mat
I own a lot of yoga mats. I acquired quite a few in my years teaching in Camden as spares for students. The majority of them are looking a bit scuffed and tired, or have bits of foam missing. This Manduka mat though looks almost new, and it’s the mat i’ve used the most. It’s held up in the following situations; an ill advised 40 degree heat yoga session over hot rocks above cloud level in Tenerife, several thorough washes in the shower, 108 sun salutations in my final Yoga exam where I weeped hot wet tears of pain all over it, backpacking across Kerela for a few weeks, and approximately 600 yoga classes. I know I preach non-attachment and all that, but i’m pretty wedded to this mat. It’s light, foldable, and has excellent grip. The one drawback is it has zero padding - I generally find that what you gain in cushion, you usually lose in grip though! Buy the Manduka mat here
Lululemon align pants
I shunned Lululemon for many years - I wasn’t into the big corporate yoga consumerism thing, and more to the point I couldn’t afford it. And then two years ago my sister bought me some align yoga pants for my birthday and my life changed forever. I’m addicted and I’m never looking back.
Why do I love them? They are hands down the most comfortable yoga pants on the planet, in every conceivable way - light, roomy and buttery soft… ah! I live in them during the working week. I do that whole work from home mullet thing - smart on the top, casual on the bottom half. I wear them on walks, I cook in them, I dance in them, and most importantly, I’m always ready for YOGA! I often buy them secondhand on Depop (provided they are relatively unworn), and I also sell my old Lululemon stuff there too (save the planet!). The one downside is after quite a few washes they can go a bit bobbly. You can find them here.
Antibacterial mat spray
Ok I don’t want to freak you out here, but you if you were to swab a yoga mat, experts say you probably are going to pick up viruses and certainly funguses. This BBC article explains that you can catch herpes, staph and strep from communal yoga mats. Fun! No judgement here, but in my years of teaching I’ve witnessed the majority of students use communal mats, very rarely wiping them down before use. Thankfully that’s changed in Covid times but it’s still important to keep our personal yoga mats clean. We put both our feet and our heads on our mats, and we also sweat onto them too. I’d advise washing your yoga mat every couple of months and using an antibacterial mat spray like this one in between sessions.
Hydraflask
Don’t drink water during Yoga - it tends to make you feel a bit ill during the inversions. HOWEVER, please do hydrate after class. It’s always a good idea after exercise, especially if you’ve got a bit sweaty. This flask is just perfect, and I use it every day to ensure I remember to keep hydrated. It’s great to sip from after yoga, it’s very robust, BPA free and has a handy carry handle on the top. Saves buying water and all those problematic plastic bottles!
What’s the best yoga props and accessories you have that you couldn’t live without?