Weekend Digest: The ultimate yoga gadgets buyer’s guide: uplift your fitness routine with these best yoga accessories
Are you new to yoga, or are you a yoga master? No matter which level of experience you’re at, there are plenty of useful accessories to benefit from. Today we’re looking at some of the handiest gadgets for yoga and where to get them. Read on to learn more!
There was a time when yoga was the butt of many jokes. It carried a certain stigma or set of stereotypes. Growing up, I often saw it represented as little more than a fad for hippies and hipsters and even the slightest feign of interest was met with vitriol by those who disliked it.
Related: 10 Meditation headbands that can help you calm your mind
Of course, this dislike was largely rooted in a lack of both understandings of the practice as well as representation. Now, many years later, there’re more people doing it than ever before. As athletes, celebrities, and even some of the burliest of “men’s men” rep the activity, the populous opens its mind. After all, who can argue with the benefits? More often than not those who try it for themselves find it quite advantageous over time. In other words, yoga speaks for itself-only now society is finally listening.
So, say you’re looking to get into yoga. Perhaps you recently started. Maybe you’ve been doing it your whole life. No matter where you stand (or position) in your yoga journey, this Weekend Digest goes out to you. Today, we explore the many different kinds of accessories you can use to enhance your experience. Ready for the ultimate yoga gadgets buyer’s guide? Get ready to uplift your fitness routine with these best yoga accessories. Here we go!
Yoga mats to help you during your daily sessions
Mats are practically synonymous with yoga itself. This is because it isn’t easy to get outside onto soft earth or grass to practice. We’re generally inside where hardwood floors and concrete make for uncomfortable surfaces to place our weight upon. In fact, even carpet can sometimes become grating after a while. This is because the fibers are oftentimes rough and harsh after prolonged contact with our skin. Yoga mats are designed to reduce discomfort and provide a surface that’s more suitable. Best of all, you can roll them up and take them virtually anywhere you want to. Here are a few mats you can try for yourself today!
The agoy Gecko Touch yoga towel is perfect for daily sessions. It has a hybrid design that lets you use it as either a mat or a towel, and uses patented next-gen tech that doesn’t need water or chalk. It uses a specially made webbed silicone build that adds stability. This double-sided design provides additional traction for both you and the floor beneath. The Gecko Touch’s adaptability is especially good for those on the go.
The mat is also less stretchy than other products like it. It makes for an effective hygiene barrier as well. In fact, it’s completely machine washable too. Not only that but it’s made from 30% recycled materials, adding a little sustainability to the product.
The agoy Gecko Touch yoga towel comes in a wide variety of colors and is available here for $78.
Surely you’ve heard of smart gadgets, but have you ever heard of a smart yoga mat? Meet the SmartMat interactive yoga mat. This product uses sensor technology to give immediate feedback. This way, you’re able to correct your pose in real-time. It can also adapt to your unique physicality and capabilities using a special calibration mode. For example, it can interpret things like personal limitations and let you know when you’re off track.
What would a smart product be without app connectivity? The SmartMat comes with the ability to track your activity and statistics on your smartphone and is supported by up to 6-hours of battery life. Lastly, the mat is latex-free and easy to transport.
The SmartMat interactive yoga mat is coming soon and will be available here upon release.
An honorable mention goes to the .fonv Arc Professional Pilates equipment. It’s not quite a yoga mat, but it runs in the same vein. While it’s geared toward Pilates rather than yoga, it’s still a useful tool that may offer some cross-compatibility.
The device is perfect for both experts and newbies. It provides posture support and can help reduce back pain. This is because the curved shape of the Arc can assist in aligning the spine. Not only that, but it can help to build core strength. It’s also great for stretching your back out when you need to.
The Arc is small enough that it won’t take up space in your home and is made from eco-friendly faux leather. It comes in two different colors, Black and Skin, that you can choose from.
You can get the .fonv Arc Professional Pilates equipment here for $250.
Fitness measurement tools to track your health information
There are quite a few reasons to take up yoga, but one of the most common is that it improves breathing and blood flow. Then, there are those partaking in the interest of burning calories and losing weight. Meditation and relaxation are, of course, other reasons. Well, there are plenty of great tools you can use to track information relative to these goals. Like fitness trackers, for example. So what are a few of the best ones you can get right now? Try these on for size!
Few brands are as commonly associated with health tracking as Fitbit. So what’s Fitbit offering these days for those interested in monitoring their fitness stats? Take a look at the Fitbit Charge 5.
The Fitbit Charge 5 wearable health and fitness tracker features an ECG app for your heart and an EDA Scan app for stress management. The device provides users with a Daily Readiness Score to assist throughout their day. To do this, it combines information from your sleep cycles, exercise routines, and heart rate stats. That way you can more effectively determine whether or not to continue with your workouts or rest and recover.
There’s also an Sp02 measurement mode to check the oxygen level in your blood. Lastly, GPS provides you with location data regardless of where your smartphone is.
You can get the Fitbit Charge 5 wearable health and fitness tracker here for $120.
It might not come as a surprise that the Apple Watch makes our list with its many handy health tracking features. While the earlier models are still quite capable, the latter ones really shine-not only over their predecessors but also much of the competition in general.
The Apple Watch 7 is a truly useful option for health tracking because it includes a sizeable display with ECG and blood oxygen sensing capabilities. You can monitor your heart rate, track calories burned, and engage with Apple Fitness app content. There are tons of pre-programmed workout types-yoga included-that make it easy to track your workout activity as well. Water, sweat, and dust resistance add to its ability to hold up to a broad spectrum of active lifestyles.
Because the device is still an Apple Watch, there are additional benefits. For example, you can use the device to listen to music, make or place calls, send and receive text messages, and more.
You can get the Apple Watch Series 7 here starting at $400.
Set the mood and create ambience with these cool gadgets
Sometimes you just don’t feel like working out. It can be the same with yoga. When motivation is lacking, the little things matter. Finding ways to help you enjoy the experience more will, in turn, inspire you to push beyond the mundane. Spice up your sessions by creating an inviting, relaxing ambiance. Pleasant scents, calming tunes, and immersive lighting are all ways you can accomplish this. Here are some devices to get you started!
If you’re a fan of incense, you owe it to yourself to check out this super-sleek gadget. The Kin Moon Horizon Incense Burner helps fill the air with enjoyable aromas and fun symbolism. Its self-balancing bronze ring is reminiscent of the moon slipping beyond a distant horizon; a cycle turning over into the next.
This minimalistic decorative piece is made from high-quality materials and looks amazing on any table or stand. If you’re looking for a new incense burner that brings style to your yoga sessions, hop on over to the official website and see it for yourself.
You can get the Kin Moon Horizon Incense Burner here for $88.
Another option for adding relaxing scents to your yoga environment is the Ginko Smart Diffuser Lamp. This nifty gadget is able to boost your space’s ambiance by emitting a warm, inviting glow that radiates through its frosted glass casing. It then releases an aroma of your choice using its copper-plated oil-burning diffuser.
The device comes available in two different wood finishes: White Ash and American Walnut. It includes 3 lighting modes to choose from along with up to 10-hours of battery life per charge.
You can get the Ginko Smart Diffuser Lamp here for $69.
Sometimes it’s easy to underestimate how effective ambient lighting can be. Few brands have been as impactful at delivering this lighting a such a wide variety of ways as Philips Hue.
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambience gradient lightstrips are an amazing way to turn your designated yoga area into a relaxing, moody environment. They provide 80-inches in length and up to a 10 year lifespan. It’s also useable inside and outdoors to diversify your options. They’re all completely dimmable and adjustable as well.
You can get the Philips Hue White and Color Ambience gradient lightstrips here for $180.
Ways to get and display your guided yoga sessions
Need a little help with your yoga routine? No problem. There’s a myriad of ways in which you can get help with that-including guided workouts. A wide range of apps and online services can stream guided yoga classes right to your smartphone, tablet, or TV. For example, Apple Fitness is a service for those using iOS devices. You can use it on your iPhone or iPad and cast it to your TV for a larger demonstration. These next items are a great way to enjoy a guided yoga experience.
Apple iPad Air (4th Gen) Official Promo
If you want guided workouts but want to maximize your mobility, you should consider getting a tablet. Tablets allow you to access and display a wide range of content and are typically easy to throw in a bag and take with you. Add a kickstand case or a similar device and you’ve got an effective way to get classes on the fly.
The Apple iPad Air (4th Gen) is a perfect choice for an easy-to-use tablet. There are plenty of compatible accessories and it weighs less than 1 lb. Not only that, but it has a gorgeous display and with to Apple Fitness. Apple Fitness includes a myriad of different guided workouts, including yoga classes. Well worth the investment if you’re serious about practicing, but don’t want to be tethered to your TV.
You can get the Apple iPad Air (4th Gen) here starting at $600.
Need an affordable TV to stream your guided workouts and classes on? No worries, Amazon’s got you covered. The Amazon Fire TV 4-Series has exactly what you need to get going.
The Amazon Fire TV 4-Series brings up to 55-inches of 4K Ultra HD, UHD, and HDR10 display technology along with Dolby Digital Plus. This smart TV also includes Alexa support and all of your favorite streaming apps. All of the features you would expect in a modern display with a low price tag. Whether you need to replace your living room television or you’re looking for one for your home yoga studio, you can’t go wrong.
You can get the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series TVs here starting at $330.
It’s never too late to start and tech only makes it easier
If you’re still a little intimidated at the thought of taking up yoga, don’t be. It’s never too late to start. You also don’t need to have the skills of a master and the gracefulness of a swan either. Chances are, there will be challenges in the beginning. That’s normal, though. Don’t sweat it.
Speaking of sweat, it isn’t necessary to do tougher kinds of yoga at first. Types like hot yoga might be a little extreme for beginners. We get it, at times you want to dive into the deep end and learn how to swim. However, even when learning to swim, this tactic can sometimes do more harm than good. Tip your toes in, take it a little bit at a time, and don’t worry if you aren’t good at it right away. You’ll be glad you did later.
Thankfully, technology also makes things much easier. In fact, it makes things a whole lot more fun in our opinion. That’s why we’re glad you made it through our ultimate yoga gadgets buyer’s guide. We hope it helps you to enjoy your journey into the practice even better.
Do you enjoy yoga? What are your favorite gadgets and devices? Let us know in the comments below!
The Gadget Flow Daily Digest highlights and explores the latest in tech trends to keep you informed. Want it straight to your inbox? Subscribe ➜
Originally published at https://thegadgetflow.com on February 6, 2022.