6 gifts to give your yogi

There is more to yoga gift-giving than buying a mat. Of course, there is nothing wrong with giving your favorite yogi a top-of-the-line mat, but plopping down ten dollars for a beginner’s mat at your local big box store simply won’t cut it. So, what exactly are some of the more thoughtful items you can give your yogi? We take a look at six of the best yoga gifts out right now.

Buying a gift for the yogi in your life can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know what exactly you’re looking for. That is why we have compiled this simple guide to help you find the perfect yoga gift.

Yoga backpack or tote

One of the most difficult things for yogis is finding a way to carry their mat, towel, yoga clothes and the rest of their supplies to and from class. There are now specific tote bags and backpacks designed to make it easy to carry around all your yoga gear. These make a great gift for the yoga practitioner who may have to use the subway or bus to get to yoga class, and who doesn’t want to have to awkwardly carry everything around.

Skidless yoga towel

To the untrained eye, a skidless yoga towel looks a lot like a really thin beach towel. The reality is that these special towels are absolute lifesavers for people who get a little sweaty during yoga class. They connect to a yoga mat, providing extra grip and traction for users, while soaking up sweat. They are especially good for a person who practices hot yoga.

Bandana

Are you the secret santa for someone who enjoys practicing a little yoga? A simple yet stylish bandana is a gift that is both practical and relatively inexpensive. Bandanas are ideal for use during yoga class, since they can help absorb sweat and keep it out of a person’s eyes. While a normal bandana can work, there are also several bandanas and headbands available that are made with fabrics designed specifically for use during yoga.

Yoga books and DVDs

Do you know someone who enjoys yoga but may not have the time to get to a yoga class, or who may be too embarrassed to go to one on their own? There are lots of books and instructional videos out there that can help everyone from beginners to experts practice yoga from the comfort of their own home.

Yoga retreat

If you are really looking to impress the yogi in your life, there is no gift more thoughtful than sending them to a yoga retreat. The length of the retreat can vary from one day to one week, and each event will have a special goal or focus. It should be noted that a lot yoga retreats tend to be for more experienced yoga practitioners, and so make a better gift for those dedicated to the craft. There are beginner retreats available, though, so it is always good to ask about the required skill level before booking a place as a gift for another person.

Yoga classes

If all else fails, there is nothing wrong with heading down to the yoga studio and buying a gift certificate for your friend or loved one. You know they are going to use it, and it’s convenient for you to buy as well. Sure, it may not be the most thoughtful gift in the world, but there is nothing wrong with being practical every once in a while.

We’re positive the yogi in your life will love whatever you end up giving them. And if you or someone you know is interested in taking some yoga classes, gives us a call or stop by. We’d love to be able to share yoga with you.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

Choosing the right yoga mat for your practice

Yoga_Nov27_AWhen it comes to yoga mats, there are so many options out there that it can be extremely confusing to select the one that suits your needs. But the style of yoga you practice will help you determine the qualities you’re looking for in a mat. Here, we provide you with some basic information and recommendations to help you select your yoga mat, no matter what style you practice.

Basic classes

For yoga newbies, there’s no need to invest a large amount of money in a $100 mat. Most beginner classes are gently paced to help you grasp the foundation of basic postures, alignment, and breathing techniques. Chances are, you won’t be twisting your body into extreme poses or jumping all over the place. That’s why it makes sense to purchase a less expensive mat if you’re taking basic classes.

The ideal mat would be one with good traction, comfort, and stability. You’ll want something that is soft and able to cushion your bones and joints, in order to avoid any unexpected injuries from the practice.

Flow classes

Flow classes are a rigorous practice that involve active engagement on your mat. You’ll be performing challenging postures that require you to push in one direction with your hands and the other direction with your feet. The practice can be so intense that it’s possible your palms will sweat a lot.

Since you’ll constantly be moving into poses and sweating a lot, your mat needs to have great traction and provide good grip in order to prevent you from slipping or hurting yourself.

Restorative classes

During restorative yoga classes, you’ll focus on performing passive, floor-based moves for extended periods of time. The purpose of restorative yoga is to exercise your connective tissues, joints, and bones by holding a seated posture for up to 20 minutes at a time.

For this style, look for a thick mat with a lot of cushioning, because you’ll be sitting or lying on the floor for a very long time. For the best experience, we recommend mats that are at least 5mm thick or even more.

Heated classes

In hot yoga classes, temperatures can range between 98 and 105 degrees. The studio will be blazing hot and you will sweat profusely. This means you’re at risk of slipping on your mat and injuring yourself. Most people try to sop up the sweat with a towel, but that’s not going to cut it unless you have a suitable mat in the first place.

Invest in a mat that provides non-slip grip and good traction, coupled with good sweat absorption material. This keeps your mat sweat-free, allowing you to survive through demanding poses without slipping.

Having a stable and comfortable mat is absolutely vital if you want to practice yoga safely – you wouldn’t want your mat to shift underneath when you’re trying to perform a headstand or other complex pose.

Looking to take up yoga? Get in touch with our expert instructors today and learn more about the classes we offer.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

Naked yoga: the next big thing

Yoga_2015Nov16_AIn the yoga world, it seems like everyone is looking for the next trend. This year we’ve seen hot, office, and live music yoga varieties grow in popularity. One trend making waves recently was shirtless yoga. If you decided to try that form of practice, then our next suggestion isn’t all that wild. And if you thought shirtless yoga was crazy, you ain’t seen nothing yet. We’re here to introduce to you the newest trend in yoga – naked yoga.

There you are in yoga class, eyes closed and breathing deeply in the twisted sage pose. You open your eyes and notice something wrong. The person next to you doesn’t appear to be wearing any clothes. You dismiss it as a figment of your imagination, close your eyes again, and switch positions. You release your pose, open your eyes once more only to be startled by the sight of another naked person. You start looking around at the entire class to soon realize everyone in the room is as naked as the day there were born.

To some people this scenario might sound like the makings of a bad dream, but it is actually becoming a reality at yoga studios across the country. Naked yoga has gone from being thought of by more conservative types as deviant behavior, to a respected and growing form of the practice. More and more studios are offering naked co-ed yoga classes to meet growing demand.

We understand the thought of practicing yoga in the nude around others may seem like a frightening proposition, but there are numerous reasons to consider giving it try. Before dismissing it completely, consider some of the following reasons others are raving about naked yoga.

Finally feel comfortable with your body

It can be hard for people to feel liberated from the body image they have created for themselves. Oftentimes there is a desire to cover what we perceive to be imperfections, and that can lead us to feeling uncomfortable in our own skin. That all changes with naked yoga. By practicing yoga in the nude, you no longer have the option of hiding or covering up the parts you don’t like. Eventually you learn to be more accepting of your body as it is, instead of how you perceive it to be.

You will also see how others with less than perfect bodies – and trust us, there will be plenty of them in your naked yoga class – are able to have confidence in themselves. Ideally, you will learn to accept and maybe even love your body the way it is after seeing others who are able to do the same.

Practice yoga the way it should be

Yoga is a practice that is thousands of years old. And for most of that time, yoga practitioners were not rocking yoga pants and tank tops. In fact, yoga fashion is strictly an advent of modern times. The reality is that the body should be free when doing poses, and there is nothing freer than being naked.

Those who enjoy naked yoga claim to be more mindful and aware, because of the greater freedom they have during class. No matter how light your clothes may be, they are still restrictive – and the more something is restricting your movement, the less likely you are to achieve true awareness of your breathing and poses.

It’s not the creep market you would assume

When we first told you about naked yoga, you probably pictured a class full of middle-aged men with moustaches, trying to pass off their doormat as a yoga mat in an attempt to catch a glimpse of some skin. In fact, the reality is that only the most serious yogis sign up for naked yoga classes.

People who practice this are there because they are committed to yoga, and want to experience the freedom naked yoga brings, not because they are hoping to catch a glimpse of the bits and bobs of the human anatomy. Chances are you are more likely to be ogled or stared at during a trip to the gym than at a naked yoga class.

It’s a new experience

It comes down to this – if you enjoy yoga, you should at least give naked yoga a try. Think about how many people thought hot yoga sounded awful before going into a studio for a class? A lot of those people came out fans of the practice. Sure, naked yoga sounds scary, and it will force you to face some fears, but isn’t that what life’s all about? Even if you don’t like it, at least you can tell your less-committed yoga friends you had the courage to give it a shot.

If you are looking for a welcoming, diverse place where you can practice yoga, then come check out our studio. We offer all kinds of yoga classes designed to help you get the most out of your yoga experience.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

The do’s and don’ts of talking about yoga

You love yoga. You love it so much much that you want others to know about it and maybe even try it for themselves. There is no problem with that as long as it’s done in a respectful manner. Unfortunately, some yoga practitioners take things a little too far when talking with others about our beloved activity. One of the key tenets of yoga is being mindful, and it is something you should extend beyond the asanas to everything yoga-related.

Yoga is known for teaching self-discipline, and awareness of the body and mind. While experienced practitioners take note of this and often times extend these philosophies to all other aspects of their life, newbies tend to be focused on the mat, and so are not as mindful outside of class.

The main difference between yoga veterans and rookies, apart from skill level, is how they talk about yoga outside of class. Those who have been doing it for some time are already aware of how others feel about it, but those people new to yoga tend to be overly enthusiastic and want to share this passion with just about everyone they come across.

However, not everyone shares this enthusiasm with you, and not being mindful of others – and the situation you find yourself in – can see you turning your friends and family off yoga forever. Here are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to talking about yoga outside of class.

Do – organically mention yoga in conversations about health and fitness. When your friends are talking about workout routines, you have a great opportunity to inform them of the benefits of yoga, and pique their interest.

Don’t – force yoga into conversations where it doesn’t belong. For example, if you happen to be talking with your partner about the struggles he or she is having at work, suggesting yoga as the answer is probably not the advice they are looking for.

Do – let others know when you are going to the yoga studio, and invite them to join. If they are bored or have some free time, maybe they’ll want to tag along.

Don’t – tell others they need to be doing yoga, and then trick or cajole them into coming with you.

Do – have facts and experiences ready if someone asks you for your thoughts on practicing yoga. If you share something about yoga with another person, you want it to be truthful and, if possible, backed up by facts.

Don’t – be a know-it-all or a liar. If you start telling people that yoga will make them taller or that it can cure cancer – and you don’t have the proof to back up your claims – they will immediately dismiss you, or at least be pretty upset with you when they do try yoga for themselves, and find out your claims were false. Don’t bombard others with what you know about yoga, either. It can be overwhelming and off-putting to others who have no idea what you’re talking about.

Do – be passionate when you talk about yoga, even if you have only started practicing recently. There is no need to hide your passion, as long as you are mindful of those who are not as enamoured with yoga as you are.

Don’t – be a yoga zealot. Remember when all those CrossFit people were menacingly telling people about the benefits of their activity? Not only was it annoying, but it made a lot of people skeptical of CrossFit. When you think of yoga you think of tranquility and peace, so why would you want to be overbearing when talking about it?

Practicing yoga extends far beyond the mat. We can help guide you on your journey, and provide you with the support and assistance necessary to excel both inside and outside the yoga studio. Contact us for more information.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

Overcoming your yoga excuses

young beautiful woman sitting in lotus positionPracticing yoga on a regular basis helps improve your concentration, relieve stress, and increase your sense of wellbeing. But sometimes your hectic life and busy schedule can really get in the way of your yoga practice. We all have excuses for skipping a class, but sometimes it’s more important to exert self-discipline and stick to the plan rather than abandon it completely. Are you constantly making these common excuses to avoid yoga? Read on and find out how you can overcome them.

I’m too busy

This is perhaps the most widely used excuse for missing a yoga class. You might say you’re too busy to drop by your nearest studio, but guess what? Everyone is busy these days! There are many yogis out there who can carve out time for a daily one-hour practice, and they must be doing something you’re missing. We all have 24 hours in a day – it’s just a matter of prioritizing and making small tweaks to your daily routine to squeeze in yoga practice.

I’m not flexible enough

If you’re intimidated by the extreme flexibility and bendiness of the yogi on that magazine cover, or how easily your fellow classmates can bend over and reach their ankles with their hands, here’s some consolation: it takes time and consistent yoga practice to create and maintain flexibility. You might not be able to twist your body into some of the more complex and demanding poses on your first attempt but, with more practice and patience, your flexibility will definitely improve over time.

I’m overweight

You can’t afford to let this excuse stop you from trying out yoga. Many classes for beginners have no prerequisites, meaning your bulky body shape won’t be a problem. In fact, low-impact exercises like yoga may be more comfortable for overweight people than other types of workouts like running or weight training. What’s more, professional yoga instructors can provide modifications for all fitness levels and various types of bodies in a class, so even plus-size yogis can ease into poses quite comfortably.

I’m too old

It’s never too late to start practicing yoga, regardless of the stage of life you’re in. Although certain postures like handstands can be more difficult for older adults as a result of less flexible joints, the challenge of balancing, and other health concerns, many other poses are not physically demanding at all. There are special classes designed for people in their forties and beyond, where poses are modified and the pace is a lot slower than in other classes. Don’t let your age become an issue!

I don’t know what to do

Are you worried that your inexperience will be a burden and slow the whole class down? Don’t be. The truth is that not everyone really knows what they’re doing in a yoga class, even if they’ve been attending for weeks or months. And even if you’re in a class full of experienced yogis, there’s no reason to feel intimidated. Yoga instructors are accustomed to having new faces in the class, and they can help guide you into sitting, standing, and moving so that your body can find balance and you can achieve the perfect alignment.

Don’t let these excuses hold you back from practice! If you want to learn more about yoga, get in touch with our expert instructors today.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.