HEALTH

 

Ahh, there's *no* better feeling than that calm zen you get after a yoga sesh. You wish you could hit the studio after school every day but, let's be real...those yoga sculpt classes can be expensive. Fortunately, getting your downward dog on at home is totally possible and super cinchy. All you need to get started? Our list of essentials below—and an awesome attitude.

The most important part of practicing at home is choosing the right mat. At GL, we *love* the ones from Liforme—and so do all of your favorite Instagram gurus. The mats are 100 percent slip-free and absolutely adorable. Plus, they have markings to help you make sure your poses are perfectly aligned.

A yoga block can be great for both beginners *and* experts. You can use it in so many different ways, from perfecting your forward fold to practicing arm balances. This post explains how exactly to incorporate blocks into your practice. 

Similarly, a yoga strap can majorly help if you want to practice more advanced poses but don't quite have the flexibility to hit them yet. We especially love it for dancer's pose (shown above).

You can build your own sequence or workout using your favorite poses, but if you're a beginner, that can be intimidating. And that's why YouTube exists. There are tons of great vids online from yoga teachers that you can follow at home (everything from morning yoga to learning handstands to flows that'll help you fall asleep!).

Not following a video? Then you'll want some background music to set the pace for your flow. Cue up a Spotify playlist (you can find a lot of pre-made ones just for yoga), make your own with your fave tunes or turn on some nature sounds with an app on your phone.  

Of course since you're practicing at home, it really doesn't matter what you wear (yes, even that tank top with the paint stain and those worn-in joggers will do). But you can also use your new yoga routine as an excuse to rock some super cute threads...like these mermaid leggings. 

Do you do yoga at home? Let us know what your fave must-haves are below!

Photo credit: Pinterest.

by Amanda Tarlton | 2/10/2017