Best Yoga Mats & Accessories for your home setup
I often get asked for recommendations on what are the best yoga mats and kit options for home practise – more so now that we have all had to spend the last few weeks unable to get into any studios where a lot of my students borrow mats and kit.
So here are my top recommendations for the best yoga mats and accessories your home yoga setup…
Best Yoga Mats & Accessories by Flotality
Best Yoga Mats
My fave mat if you don’t mind spending a little bit more, but without breaking the bank, is the YogiBare.
I love YogiBare mats, they are made in the UK by a fellow yogi based in London. they are eco friendly and provide the best non-slip surface. They are also super good quality – I have only replaced mine once so far and I used the first one nearly every day for 2 years, travelled with it and used it both outside and inside! I now use it as my exercise mat for CrossFit when I am wearing shoes – so it’s still hoping strong, but lost a little bit of its non-slip surface when in bare feet.
There are plenty of cheap mats available from the likes of Sports Direct or Amazon, these are usually the spongey variety and are great if you are a total beginner or just practice Yin or restorative type yoga. However, as you start progressing, or if you practice hot yoga too, you might find you start slipping about a bit on these.
Which brings me on to Hot Yoga towels…
If you practice hot yoga then you will definitely need to get a yoga towel, these go over the top of your mats, catch the sweat and stop you slipping. However, these are not a cheap alternative to a yoga mat, for vinyasa flow and power yoga they will go flying about everywhere. Plus, they have no padding so won’t protect your knees in lunges or elbows in dolphin pose. No need to break the bank with these, cheap ones work just as well, again Amazon has loads of options it really comes down to colour preference!
Best Yoga Blocks & Bricks
Firstly – what’s the difference?
Yoga bricks are used for lifts such as l-sits or provide a solid stable surface for where flexibility lacks in poses such as Triangle. Therefore they need to be solid, hard and stable. Whereas blocks tend to give a little and are used for support more than a raised surface to lift off, you might use a block to help support your hips in poses such as pigeon or to lift your sit bones off the floor in cow face pose.
When it comes to hard bricks – Yoga Matters are my go-to. I have tried other brands but found when I needed hard yoga bricks there were a little too squidgy and didn’t give me the support I needed for lifts and things. Yoga Matters are available to purchase directly from their site, www.yogamatters.com, or on Amazon too.
For yoga blocks (the squidgy ones) there is a variety of these available on Amazon, varying in price. Really there is no right or wrong choice here, just personal preference on shape and colour. Alternatively, you could use a pillow to support too.
Yoga Straps
You don’t need to be fussy over a yoga strap, you can get them on Amazon for about £2, or failing that use a belt, towel or even a pair of spare leggings at home.
Bolster Pillows
If you are particularly inflexible or like to practice more restorative or Yin yoga styles, then you most likely will want to invest in a bolster pillow. Again, I use a Yoga Matters bolster, however, there are lots of different styles, colours and other varieties available online, Amazon again is a good place to start, so really again it is down to personal preference.
Alternatively, you can use the pillows that you have at home.
Got the kit, now what else?!
Now you have the kit you might also want to think about creating your sanctuary, or zen space. I like to ignite all the senses during my practice and put on my essential oil diffuser and listen to my favourite Spotify playlists…
Best Oils & Diffuser
Essential oils can bring a whole new level to your practice, from calming sleepy scents to energising mixes that wake you up and get you ready for the day. I like to use an essential oils diffuser and a mix of scents for my classes, usually, something with eucalyptus for that fresh scent combined with a few of my favourites:
- Stress Away by Young Living
Tisserand Aromatherapy also sells a great range of diffuser oils:
- Eucalyptus – a lovely fresh scent and great for during the winter when people might be suffering from colds!
- Lime – great for mixing with citronella and eucalyptus for a beautiful smelling mozzie deterrent in the summer!
- Lavender – great for bedtime yoga practice or Yin
You could also try their mood mists for instant effect – their Total De-stress pack is amazing!
Fave Spotify Playlists
If complete zen or chill out is what you need then this Ambient Relaxation playlist is for you. If you like the vibe of that but need something a little more upbeat and enlivening, why not try Sunrise Yoga or Vinyasa Flow. For your power yoga sessions turn the heat up with this Hip Hop Yoga playlist.
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Now you have the best yoga mats…
Discover more ideas and tips more for creating the perfect home set up – why not have a read of this blog too…
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