What yoga equipment can I offer in the class room?

Life is becoming - or at least seems to be - increasingly hectic, with many people juggling work life, leisure and family. Our lives are fully clocked, in between social media provide us with news, feeds, photos and trends every minute. It's no wonder, then, that yoga has found its permanent place in the top ranks of fitness trends since 2008; in 2019, yoga is ranked 7th among global fitness trends, as it was in 2018. With a yoga class, many people take time out, pull back a little from the all too hectic everyday life. Yoga helps to slow down one's pace a bit and find peace. Harmony and harmony, the focus on one's own breathing, one's own body, mindfulness - all this has become a small oasis in the desert of everyday stress for many people. The range of yoga disciplines has become correspondingly diverse, from Hatha Yoga to Vinyasa Yoga, Aerial Yoga, Power Yoga and various mixed forms such as Acro Yoga, which combines elements of acrobatics and yoga, there is now an individually suitable yoga course for everyone. Here you can find out which yoga equipment you should have in your class room in order to be able to offer the most varied yoga classes possible.

The most popular forms of yoga

Hatha yoga is a form of yoga that emphasizes the body. The main goal is to achieve a balance between body and mind through physical exercises, the so-called asanas, in combination with breathing exercises, i.e. pranayama, and meditation. In Hatha Yoga, the use of aids such as yoga straps is very popular, especially with beginners. In this way, the efficiency of the asanas can be increased, the stretching is deepened, and the muscles can be loosened particularly intensively.

Vinyasa yoga is practically the sporty form of hatha yoga and is generally offered as power yoga. A typical feature is the combination of movement with specific breathing techniques and exercises. The asanas are very intense, often combined with fitness elements such as calisthenics and exercises from bodyweight training. This combination of sweaty, toning exercises with the calm and serenity of yoga appeals especially to a young target group and a surprisingly large number of men, who are otherwise rather poorly represented in yoga. In Vinyasa yoga, the use of small equipment such as yoga blocks or yoga rings and yoga wheels is very popular in order to intensify the exercises and to be able to bring in more elements from popular fitness forms such as body weight training.

Iyengar yoga is especially good for beginners. Here, special attention is paid to the correct execution of the individual exercises. Of course, the trainees benefit from this in the more advanced yoga training. In Iyengar yoga, aids such as yoga straps and yoga blocks are often used to give even less trained yogis the opportunity to perform all yoga exercises in the correct form - it is more important to feel the stretch than to actually reach your foot with your hand and completely lose your posture.

Aerial yoga is a form of yoga in which practitioners work weightlessly in the air with the help of scarves or other devices. The equipment simultaneously provides support and allows for particularly efficient letting go. Aerial yoga combines athletic training with relaxation, promotes body awareness and at the same time is a highly effective deep tissue massage . In 2012, this yoga trend spilled over from the USA to Germany, and since then the triumph of weightless training has been unstoppable.

TRX yoga: classic yoga meets hip suspension training

Creating the right basis

No matter which yoga classes you offer in your fitness studio, the most important tool for all types of yoga is the right yoga mat. Compared to other fitness mats, yoga mats have to be especially slip-proof on the floor and must not slip during the exercises. The yoga mat supports the yogi during the exercise sessions by providing support and comfort at the same time. Basically, you can distinguish between thick and thin yoga mats, which then in a variety of materials, colors and designs effectively enhance the ambience in the classroom. Thin yoga mats are excellent for dynamic and rhythmic exercises, such as in Shakti Dance, a combination of yoga and dance, or Jivamukti Yoga. Thick yoga mats, on the other hand, are particularly suitable for exercises while sitting or lying down, or for meditation.

What yoga equipment do I need in the class room?

For all forms of yoga, you should provide suitable, high-quality yoga mats. This will provide the basis for all forms of yoga that are based on classical yoga, which requires no equipment at all. But a good yoga mat is also a must for mixed yoga forms and trend yoga.

With small aids such as yoga straps and yoga blocks, you enable your course participants to intensify the asanas. Beginners in particular benefit from practical aids, as they allow them to perform exercises and stretches for which their training level is not yet quite sufficient. Advanced yogis also benefit from the practical yoga equipment, as postures and exercises can be performed more intensively and efficiently.

For modern types of yoga that combine fitness and relaxation, you can offer practical aids such as yoga rings or yoga wheels, so that elements from calisthenics, body weight training or Pilates can be ideally incorporated into the power yoga class. With simple means, you can expand your yoga offering to include the popular aerial yoga, and with elastic scarves or well-designed hanging yoga equipment, your course room is fit for the casual relaxation trend from the USA.

Conclusion

With just a few simple tools and equipment, you can transform your classroom into a versatile yoga studio where you can offer a variety of yoga forms. With just a few tools, you can expand the target group for your yoga classes and offer your members a rich variety of different yoga forms for men, women, beginners and advanced students with high comfort and guaranteed feel-good factor.