A Complete Guide Of Beginner Yoga Gear You Need To Become The Ultimate Yogi

Including mats, accessories, and clothing.

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Yoga has been around for centuries, but you will have had to have worked hard to avoid it over the past couple of decades.

From gyms, to offices, everywhere has yoga classes. But if you’re starting from complete scratch, you might want to invest in some equipment to get going at home.

There are a ton of home yoga videos you can watch on YouTube (hello, Yoga with Adriene) and as you only need a mat, it’s a great low-cost activity to get into to build strength.

To help you find your way to your inner yogi, we’ve asked yoga teacher and existential therapist Eloise Skinner to break down what exactly beginners need to buy before their first downward dog.

What are the yoga essentials for beginners?

“The necessities are pretty minimal,” Skinner says. “A mat is probably the best place to start, although even without a mat it’s still possible to practice (for example, on a towel or even outdoors on a blanket).

“Other than a mat, blocks could be useful (especially if you have tighter muscles, or you’re getting into yoga as a complete beginner to fitness in general). A strap is also useful for the same reasons – although again, you could use a dressing gown cord or belt as an at-home alternative!”

While the main essential is a yoga mat, you might also want to invest in other accessories as you advance in your practice, depending on the type of yoga you’re doing. According to Skinner, these could include:

Bolsters (firm cushions for supporting a restorative or Yin-based practice)

An eye mask (for savasana or meditation)

Meditation cushion for a more dedicated practice

Notebook for reflections

Resistance band (either for strength-based work, or to double up as a strap for........

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