Essential Yoga Items for Your Yoga Practice

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I the past I have offered my tips for what running clothing to wear, including the essential items you need in your wardrobe as you hit the pavement. Recently when I was on my mat, I realized I could offer up my suggestions on the essential yoga items you need to practice yoga.

I’ve been practicing yoga casually for a decade, and practicing seriously since 2011. That year I attended a free community yoga event and became hooked. Today I’m sharing my tried and true suggestions on what yoga accessories you need.

Essential Yoga Items

Yoga Items

The good thing about practicing yoga is you need very little in the way of gear. The items I am sharing today are items I currently used for my yoga practice, or have used in the past. There are also some bonus tips and products at the end of this post.

If you are new to yoga you might start simply with a yoga mat. As your practice progresses you may want to add on more accessories and helpful items. All of these items will help you when you attend a yoga class or do yoga at home.

They can also make your yoga workout easier and help to clean and store your yoga items. These are all accessories, so my recommendations do not cover yoga clothing, except for the bonus yoga tips.

Essential Yoga Gear

Now I want to go ahead and share the yoga items, followed by some bonus tips and recommendations if you are seeking additional information about yoga items and accessories. The essential yoga items I recommend include:

1) Yoga Mat: Many studios do have community mats you can use in a pinch but you have little control over how clean those mats are. Plus having your own mat allows you to practice both in the studio and at home. For the first few years I had a Gaiam yoga mat. I switched to the extra cushy Manduka Black Mat PRO for more knee support and love it. For a mat that isn’t as heavy, check out Jade Yoga mats.

2) Yoga Mat Strap: After selecting a mat you will want to find a strap, carrier or case for the mat. This doesn’t have to be costly. I was going to recommend “The Strap” carrier from Lululemon, which I purchased a few years ago, but it appears they no longer carry it. Here is a similar inexpensive yoga mat strap.

3) Small Face Towel: This is especially important if you attend any heated yoga classes and want to wipe or dab any sweat during or after your practice. Any towel will do, just make sure the towel is only for your yoga classes. I alternate between a small athletic towel and a small microfiber towel.

4) Water Bottle: It’s always important to stay hydrated when exercising (and after exercise). I switched to a glass water bottle about a year ago. It has a handle on top for easy carrying, a protective silicone case, should you drop it and it’s easily washable. Being it’s made of glass, the water never has a plastic or metallic taste, even if you leave it in your car after practice.

Additional Essential Yoga Tips

I like to wear capri bottoms (which help with grip during poses such as tree), and a tank top. When it’s cool out, I wear a zip up long-sleeve jacket over top. Experiment to find what works for you.
If you are looking for a towel to cover your entire mat and absorb sweat during class, check out Yoga Mat Towels.
Also along the lines of mat protection, for intuitive ways to clean your yoga mat, check out Jo-Sha Wipes (available in bulk or individually wrapped) and Yoga Mat Spray.
When practicing hot yoga, you tend to sweat a lot, and clothing gets smelly if it’s not washed properly. Right now I am using Nathan Sport Wash Detergent.

Essential Yoga Equipment

In Summary

These are items I personally use when I practice yoga. I’ve been using yoga as a way to workout for more than a decade. Over the years I have tried many different types of yoga, so these are the items that have been tried and true for me.

I hope these items help with your yoga practice. They can offer comfort, self-care and simplify your yoga routine. The bonus items and tips can help your yoga mat and accessories clean.

What items do you use for yoga?

*This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated and republished for accuracy and comprehensiveness.