What To Wear To Yoga

Whether that old knee injury has finally forced you to take yoga classes or you just need to release stress after work, you need to know what to wear to yoga for that class you signed up for. Yoga class is all about comfort, flexibility and freedom to move, so you have plenty of great choices to suit your personal style. However, some yoga clothes definitely work better than others, so choose wisely from feet to head.

1. Ditch your Cross-Trainers: Never wear tennis shoes to yoga. Your feet need freedom to flex, and shoes get in the way of optimum posture for yoga poses, some of which require you to grip your feet or toes. Wear flip-flops or sandals so you can slip them off easily before class.
2. Let your Legs Breathe: Embrace stretchy, sweat-wicking bicycle shorts ala Lance Armstrong. These provide optimum movement without fabric slipping underfoot--a serious danger during yoga. Additionally, when you break a sweat holding a pose--and make no mistake, you will break a sweat--high-performance sport fabrics wick away sweat, keeping you dry and cool. Longer, track-and-field leggings also work, but if that option feels a little too feminine for your taste, you can always cut a pair of old-school cotton sweat pants below the knee for instant yoga shorts. Track pants might also work if they are not too baggy or long.
3. Give your Torso Freedom to Move: Choose a t-shirt or tank top with plenty of stretch for your yoga class. You need to be able to twist, extend your arms, bend over and possibly execute handstands or headstands with ease. Sweat-wicking fabrics work perfectly, too, since they help keep you cool and conform to your body, which prevents your shirt from flipping up and exposing your chest or abs while doing inverted poses.

Warning: Always avoid baggy clothing for yoga class. Your baggy sweats and tees work great for sprints on the treadmill or heavy squats, but they will do you no favors in yoga. Yoga teachers like to check on your form and nudge you into the right pose, advises "Men's Health" in its "First-Timer's Guide to Yoga."

Tips:

• Remove your glasses. They will slide off your face during yoga class, and you do not need them to correctly execute the poses. Listen closely to your instructor and use visualization techniques to adjust your positions.
•  Never wear dangling necklaces to yoga class. They may fall off or even cause injury.
• If you choose shorts or cut-off sweat pants, don't go too short.  Otherwise, you might flash the person behind you. That would be more awkward than any yoga position.