I try to incorporate yoga every day to destress and appreciate what’s around me. Whenever I practice yoga, during that time, my sole focus involves keeping up with the breathes and poses. In that sense, the yoga mat becomes my world, away from the things that I’m so anxious to get done, work, worries and etcetera, etcetera.
I believe in investing in myself.
That’s the biggest investment I can make because the return is life. I’d like to share the yoga essentials that I use during my daily practice.
As you can see, I have zero brand loyalty, haha.
I really like Alo’s Warrior Mat and personally think it is better than Manduka’s.
It is fairly expensive ($100), but is well worth it. The mat only comes in 1 color – black, and the Alo logo is printed on the top of the mat. I never slip on this mat.
It’s crazy. I sweat fair amount, but I don’t need to constantly wipe down the mat during a practice because dry-wicking surface resists water. I can comfortably do various transitions, warrior 3 and headstand with the Warrior mat.
The thickness is perfect, not too thick or thin. It provides just enough support to protect knees and other joints, but is thin enough not to jeopardize balance.
The mat attracts dust and hair because of its texture; however, they are easy to remove with damp cloth or wipes. I wipe down the mat after each practice with disinfecting wipes.
I occasionally use a towel to wipe down excess sweat if I’m drenching. Lululemon makes quality towels that are super absorbent. No matter how much I sweat, the towel stays dry! I wash it with my gym clothes to protect the absorbency.
Another thing to note is the weight. This mat is HEAVY. It’s substantially heavier than other yoga mats I’ve used. I practice at home, so portability wasn’t a priority for me when I was considering a new mat. I went with the Warrior mat because I liked everything else about it, but I would check it out in person if you have to carry the mat around.
For the blocks, I use Hugger Mugger’s cork blocks.
I got them on Amazon with a bundle offer. Cork is considered the best material for yoga blocks, so I was able to narrow the options down easily.
Cork blocks are heavier than foam blocks and are more durable.
The Hugger Mugger cork block weighs 1.85lbs, and it provides sturdy support.
I like the natural texture of cork than foam.
I love Manduka’s Align Yoga straps. They come in various colors. On Amazon, there were 4 colors – Maldive (turquoise blue), Midnight (navy), Thunder (dark gray) and Verve (maroon). Yet I went with the Thunder, AGAIN. Clearly, I can’t get out of my color comfort zone. The straps come in 2 lengths – 8feet and 10feet. For a 5’8’’ frame, the 8feet strap was perfect. The strap is made with unbleached natural cotton. The secure buckle and slip resistant support of the strap have never failed me.
Because I practice at home, from time to time I need to use earphones. Wireless earbuds are so convenient. I use Apple Airpods because they are truly wireless.
There are other wireless Bluetooth earbuds, but most of them are connected so the wire goes around your neck. That’s still distracting to me, and ever since I’ve used Airpods, I don’t have any complaints.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’d love to know what you’re using during your practice as well.
I try to incorporate yoga every day to destress and appreciate what’s around me. Whenever I practice yoga, during that time, my sole focus involves keeping up with the breathes and poses. In that sense, the yoga mat becomes my world, away from the things that I’m so anxious to get done, work, worries and etcetera, etcetera.
I believe in investing in myself.
That’s the biggest investment I can make because the return is life. I’d like to share the yoga essentials that I use during my daily practice.
As you can see, I have zero brand loyalty, haha.
I really like Alo’s Warrior Mat and personally think it is better than Manduka’s.
It is fairly expensive ($100), but is well worth it. The mat only comes in 1 color – black, and the Alo logo is printed on the top of the mat. I never slip on this mat.
It’s crazy. I sweat fair amount, but I don’t need to constantly wipe down the mat during a practice because dry-wicking surface resists water. I can comfortably do various transitions, warrior 3 and headstand with the Warrior mat.
The thickness is perfect, not too thick or thin. It provides just enough support to protect knees and other joints, but is thin enough not to jeopardize balance.
The mat attracts dust and hair because of its texture; however, they are easy to remove with damp cloth or wipes. I wipe down the mat after each practice with disinfecting wipes.
I occasionally use a towel to wipe down excess sweat if I’m drenching. Lululemon makes quality towels that are super absorbent. No matter how much I sweat, the towel stays dry! I wash it with my gym clothes to protect the absorbency.
Another thing to note is the weight. This mat is HEAVY. It’s substantially heavier than other yoga mats I’ve used. I practice at home, so portability wasn’t a priority for me when I was considering a new mat. I went with the Warrior mat because I liked everything else about it, but I would check it out in person if you have to carry the mat around.
For the blocks, I use Hugger Mugger’s cork blocks.
I got them on Amazon with a bundle offer. Cork is considered the best material for yoga blocks, so I was able to narrow the options down easily.
Cork blocks are heavier than foam blocks and are more durable.
The Hugger Mugger cork block weighs 1.85lbs, and it provides sturdy support.
I like the natural texture of cork than foam.
I love Manduka’s Align Yoga straps. They come in various colors. On Amazon, there were 4 colors – Maldive (turquoise blue), Midnight (navy), Thunder (dark gray) and Verve (maroon). Yet I went with the Thunder, AGAIN. Clearly, I can’t get out of my color comfort zone. The straps come in 2 lengths – 8feet and 10feet. For a 5’8’’ frame, the 8feet strap was perfect. The strap is made with unbleached natural cotton. The secure buckle and slip resistant support of the strap have never failed me.
Because I practice at home, from time to time I need to use earphones. Wireless earbuds are so convenient. I use Apple Airpods because they are truly wireless.
There are other wireless Bluetooth earbuds, but most of them are connected so the wire goes around your neck. That’s still distracting to me, and ever since I’ve used Airpods, I don’t have any complaints.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’d love to know what you’re using during your practice as well.