|
Lois McEwan is a freelance writer and editor who works for The Sunday Times and The Times, among others. She has practised yoga for more than a decade. Here she picks the top five aids for one of the world's oldest exercise systems Click to view Top 5 Yoga Equipment.
|
Buyers Guide and Overview |
|
 There is an array of yoga products, from eye pillows to nasal-cleansing neti pots, belts to support blocks - few of them are essential. The best accessory is a teacher; after that your choice of yoga mat or learning aids such as books, DVDs and CDs depends on which of the many types of yoga you practise.
|
The Brands |
Yoga is now branded to appeal to different students. For the energetic there are dynamic forms, such as Ashtanga and Bikram, that offer aerobic exercise and make you sweat. For perfectionists there’s Iyengar, where you refine poses and hold them for ages, and for the esoteric, there‘s Kundalini yoga. New “brands” are being developed all the time. Whichever you go for, don’t bother with beginner’s packs that claim to teach yoga from a 10-minute video - you really need a teacher and regular classes.
|
The Class |
| Finding a suitable class may be more important than the brand. How many students? Classes of 30 or 40 people can generate a lot of energy, but nobody will notice what you’re doing wrongly unless you fall over. |
| |
 In small classes you will get a lot more personal attention and the teacher can tailor the programme to the ability of the students present - in big classes you have to go with the flow.
Is the room warm enough? Many classes in gyms and leisure centres are held in frigid temperatures ideal for aerobics, pumping iron - and yoga injuries. Stiff muscles and joints need warmth to relax, and yoga studios usually provide a better environment.
|
The Teacher |
Find a teacher you trust. Do they have much experience? Who have they worked with? Someone with a body similar to yours can be useful, because they will have the same problems getting into postures - someone tall and willowy has a different experience of yoga from someone short and compact. For instance, yoga teaching has become a retirement plan for dancers, and for a ballet dancer most postures are effortless - but they may have little idea of what it’s like to have to work at yoga, and how to develop focus, awareness and breath control, because they didn’t need to. Dancers are probably better for bendy students, especially those whose joints hyper-extend, making it difficult to hold postures, or students with previous movement experience.
|
| |
 You don’t have to be flexible to do yoga. It benefits everyone, no matter what level they practise at, from complete beginner to total yogi. New York guru Sri Dharma Mittra, right, who has practised for more than half a century, says: “Unlike body-building or other purely physical routines, yoga is a holistic process. Each pose performs many functions, not all of them obvious, that can stimulate internal organs and glands, increase the flow of blood, reduce stress and improve overall health.”
So it’s worth persevering. The more difficulty you have getting into a posture or releasing one area of your body - such as tight shoulders or hamstrings - the more you learn about it. Yogis say everyone gets the teacher they deserve, and they’re right because in the end it has to come from you - but there are a few things that can help, so whatever your practice or level, take a look at our top five yoga accessories.
|
|
Other great reviews in Sport:
|
|
USEFUL LINKS
|
Could this