TOP TIPS FOR OUTDOOR YOGA
There is nothing better than doing yoga alfresco but there are a few top tips to follow if you don’t want to resemble a sausage yoga roll…
1 Get Yourself A Heavy Yoga Mat
Remember that you will be outdoors, subject to the elements and especially wind ( not from the person next to you ) so you do not want a flimsy light-weight yoga mat, otherwise well it could blow away or it will at the very least annoyingly flap around. Also, the heavier yoga mats will be thicker so if your yoga class is on a hard surface such as concrete then it will be a lot more comfortable to have a mat that is 4mm+
2 Size Is Everything
Depending on where you are located; it could be the beach, grass, forest or even on a tiled pavement - then watch out for those perils i.e. weavers ( you never know !), prickly thistles (difficult to spot ) or dirty urban concrete ( thanks to our lovely canine friends ), it is much better to keep your mind and practice firmly on the mat so definitely go for a longer and wider yoga mat
3 The Colour Of Your Yoga Mat
We recommend that you check the weather forecast before you set out, if it’s a scorcher (one in a million chance in the UK ), then you might not want to take out a very dark coloured mat because it may get too hot to handle. We love this blue yoga mat by Mari
4 Sun Screen
We recommend popping your sun screen on half an hour before your practice. This is because creams are greasy & particularly if you are using the amazing Rubber and PU mats from brands like Liforme, Yoga Bare and our very own Warrior Mats, whilst they are amazing to practice on they do attract grease which can stain them a little, although these stains do gradually disappear.
5 Yoga Mat Carry Strap Or Bag
So now that you have your heavy, extra-large mat you will need to transport it from A to B, there are some great yoga mat carry bags out there but we also find that carry straps are just as effective and really easy to use. All of our mats come with a free yoga mat carry strap so that one is sorted
6 What To Wear For Outdoor Yoga
Unless you have a really good reason such as getting the perfect Insta snap then don’t wear white or light-coloured bottoms, they will inevitably get dirty. We recommend wearing darker colours on your bottom half and sweat-wicking yoga clothes that dry really quickly. We also recommend brining a light-weight long sleeved top for after your practice so that you don’t get cold.
P.S. As a final top tip, don’t forget your yoga water bottle, it’s easily done but it’s super important to keep hydrated during your practice.
By Judes Emanuel - MD Warrior Addict Yoga