Lately, “Mommy and Me” yoga has been all the rage. And we get why.

Mommy and Me Yoga is just as beneficial for you as it is for your child and your relationship with them. And it’s mad fun.

In this post, we’re going to cover the reasons why you should give mommy and me yoga a try. Some of the benefits are scientific with evidence to back them up. Others are based on research using anecdotal evidence. Some are from personal experience. And some are just common sense.

Let’s go over just some of the reasons why you may choose mommy & me yoga as your next activity:

1. It opens your kids up to new sports & activities
   • Who needs soccer, football, baseball, etc. when you can have tree poses, downward dogs, and headstands?
2. You get to workout
   • Finding time to workout while you have a small horde of screaming kids vying for your attention and time can be difficult. With mommy & me yoga you get to workout while spending time with them. Way to multi-task!
3. You don’t have to worry about finding a babysitter while you yoga
   • If you want to get to an evening class, it may be tough when the kids need watching, feeding, and help getting ready for bed. No need to find a sitter or ask your hubbie to look after them, just take them with you!
4. It can expend some of their endless energy
   • You will probably get some more quiet time around the house when you get back from class. Also, quiet time after yoga is the best.
5. Increased flexibility = decreased chance of some injuries
   • You may not wince as hard when they jump down stairs or off outdoors features. The more flexible they are, the less likely they are to get injured.
6. All the Celebs are Doing It
   • Yes, this is not really a valid reason, but it does show how much this trend is catching on

   Princess Elsa came to our mother daughter yoga class. #magicdays #iloveolive

   A photo posted by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on Apr 6, 2016 at 3:48pm PDT

7. Your Kids Will Get to Make New Friends
   • And not just internet friends – like the real, in-the-flesh, I can talk to you face-to-face type of friendship
8. It Can Enhance Your Child’s Imagination
   • As if kids didn’t already have enough of it, yoga can help enhance imagination. Their imaginary friend may start to make some more appearances in your future.
9. You’ll Find Like-minded People in a Similar Situation as You
   • Sometimes you just want to talk to other adults. And others in your mommy and me yoga class may also be looking for the same thing. Perhaps after class one day you can hang out with the other moms and let the kids have a playdate while you enjoy a glass of wine. Nice.
10. You don’t have to find things to do or run errands while your kid has sports practice
    
    • Mommy and Me Yoga is so much better than soccer practice. No need to worry about if you can check everything off the grocery/dry-cleaning/errand list and still get there to pick them up on time
11. There May Even Be Some Moments of Silence During the Class
    • Silence. Do you remember what that sounds like?
12. Your Did Gets to Play
    • Kids need time to be kids. You may find them rolling around on the floor more than doing yoga, but so what?
13. You Get To Be a Bit of a Kid Again With Playful Poses
    • Who said fun and play was just for kids. I mean, how much fun does this look? And another question – who is having more fun?

    He loooooooves this one!! #Acro bird (not quite flying yet😉) + #puppykisses 🐶😂 for day 4 of #BloomingMinis with beautiful yogi mama’s @kellymarie_yoga @strengthinbreathing @sdharamr and generous sponsor @albionfit 😘🙏💚

    A photo posted by Melisa Soares-RYT 200 (@meliyogibeatriz) on Apr 27, 2016 at 3:12pm PDT

14. You Get to Bond with Your Child
    • Sharing new experiences with them and introducing them to something you may already love can help you guys get close. You may even find activities you both enjoy.
15. You and Your Kid Get Some Stress Relief.
    • We all hate to admit it, but it seems like kids face more stress at younger ages these days. Yoga can help them relax a bit.
16. It Gets Them Out From Behind The Screen
    • Give their eyes a break. With the popularity of minecraft, texting, snapchatting, and movie watching, kids are spending more time than ever staring at a screen. Bonus points if the class is outside and surrounded by nature.
17. Yoga Can Improve Mental Ability
    • There is some evidence that yoga can improve cognition in kids. Watch out! An athlete and a smartie. That’s a combo to be reckoned with.
18. Your Child’s Spatial Memory May Improve
    
    • Yoga may be able to help them navigate faster in minecraft. How’s that for a way to persuade them to come to class with you?
19. It May Result in Better Coordination
    • Maybe after some practice with your tot, you could do this….psssssst…yeah right

20. Calm
    • Yoga can help with hyperactivity and is a complementary treatment for kids with ADHD
21. Mommy & Me Yoga Can Improve Yours and Your Child’s Strength
    • You have a nice little weight in the form of a small baby or toddler human being that can add depth to stretches. Bonus calories burned! And of course, it can also increase your child’s strength.
22. It Can Improve Posture
    • I don’t know about you, but I have a habit of slouching that I developed when I was young. Maybe if I had worked on it at that time, it wouldn’t affect me as much to this day. Should’ve done yoga with my mum.
23. It is Gentle
    • Your kids aren’t exactly putting on football helmets and running into each other in yoga class, making you wince when they hit the ground. Mommy & me yoga is a much gentler form of exercise.
24. Yoga Can Curb Obesity
    • The gentle exercise of yoga can help kids stay active and lean. Taking up yoga may even help you start to make small positive changes for your health that can parallel your kid’s health as well.
25. Your Child May Have Fewer Discipline Attacks
    • Kids who did yoga were less likely to defy their parents orders. Unexpected but awesome benefit, right?
26. It Can Decrease Anger and Panic Attacks
    • Not even kids are immune to the calming and happiness increasing effects of yoga
27. Mommy and Me Yoga Can Help to Improve Focus
    • With the barrage of information we face everyday, yoga can help kids focus on the task at hand – which may translate into improved focus in school and at home.
28. It May Help Improve Academic Performance
    • To add to the above point, yoga for kids has been shown to improve academic performance. Do you notice a theme on this list? More fun, more relaxation, more smarts!
29. It’s Just Plain Fun
    • If the above reasons aren’t enough for you, then at least give mommy and me yoga a shot for the sole reason that it is fun.

So there we have it. 29 Awesome reasons to take up mommy and me yoga class.

References and Other Great Resources

• The Young Yoga Master’s Blog. They offer awesome tips for doing, teaching, and introducing yoga to kids.
• The Little Yoga House Blog. Great kid’s yoga articles, plus fun lifestyle articles for mom, too.
• Cosmic Kids Yoga. Think adult yoga videos meets the wiggles.
• NK, M., & Telles, S. (2004). Spatial and verbal memory test scores following yoga and fine arts camps for school children. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 48(3), 353-356.http://minimeyoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/SPATIAL_AND_VERBAL_MEMORY.pdf
• White, Laura Santangelo. Pediatric Nursing. 35.5 (Sep/Oct 2009): 277-83, 295. http://search.proquest.com/openview/377d408748bac0d4ee2c5030fc33c762/1?pq-origsite=gscholar
• Galantino, M. L., Galbavy, R., & Quinn, L. (2008). Therapeutic effects of yoga for children: a systematic review of the literature. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 20(1), 66-80. http://journals.lww.com/pedpt/Fulltext/2008/01910/Therapeutic_Effects_of_Yoga_for_Children__A.10.aspx
• Haffner, J., Roos, J., Goldstein, N., Parzer, P., & Resch, F. (2006). [The effectiveness of body-oriented methods of therapy in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): results of a controlled pilot study]. Zeitschrift fur Kinder-und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, 34(1), 37-47. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/16485612

In this article, we’ll cover the three rules for yoga clothing. We’ll also go over ten different yoga outfits and accessories you’ll need for various types of yoga class as well as different options for different preferred styles. Finally, we’ll show you what not to wear to yoga class.

Yoga clothing has become a culture of it’s own. And it all started with the simple yoga pant.

This super-comfy, fantastically stretchy, butt-flattering pant made yoga apparel cool. At first, we wore them to actual yoga class. Then, our boyfriends loved us wearing them around the house after yoga class. Soon, they moved outside the yoga studio and the house and into the public eye.  No yoga class required.

The sheer selection of brands, price ranges, materials, lengths, and rise ranges is huge. Which means that almost everyone in the USA has a pair of these in their closet. Which also means you have half the required apparel for yoga class. So you have that going for you, which is good.

But yoga clothing doesn’t end at yoga pants. And not all yoga clothing is just for women.

There are yoga tops, socks, accessories, bras, shorts, undies, gloves, bags. You name the clothing piece, and there’s most likely a yoga version of it out there.

So, how do you put together the perfect yoga outfit?

First, there are some basic requirements and rules for all yoga clothing. There’s only three of them. They’re simple. And you should not break them. They are:

1. It needs to be able to moooooooove and stretch

Let’s warm up our imaginations. Think of yourself doing a split (don’t worry – we can’t do one either, but let’s just go along with it for now). Would your pants be able to handle it? If you think they could – then get those bad boys on your body and get your butt to yoga class. If they can’t? Get yourself to any place that sells athleisure apparel.

For a bargain, we love Marshall’s, Ross’, & TJMaxx. For shit that’s going to last a bit longer try Athleta and brands like Prana, Alo, and Onzie. You can search through a ton of brands on a yoga-specific site like yogaoutlet.com.

2. It needs to not fall off, go over your head, or get caught. Another way of putting this – it needs to hug your body like an overly touchy friend.

Everybody loves warm hugs from clothing. A nice pair of warm socks that have the perfect compression. A hoodie you can pull your arms into and fit over your legs. Sweatpants that are fuzzy on the inside. If it were winter all
year, we’d get fat just because of our clothing choices. But this is not the clothing you want to wear to yoga. Sorry.

While we like warm hugs, yoga clothing needs to be more like a tight hug from an overly touchy friend.  It almost needs to stick to you – but you can still peel it off without it being uncomfortable. If you’re going in to downward dog, you don’t want your shirt falling down to your neck.

This doesn’t mean that it has to be tight-fitting. If you’re self-conscious about your tummy, tops with a banded waist are excellent. They afford you some extra coverage and ensure that your shirt will stay put while you move around.

3. It needs to cover you in any “revealing” poses.

We couldn’t understand what the big deal was when the see through yoga pants scandal happened. But that was before we started yoga. Now we get why.

You’re in a standing forward bend. You reach up into mountain pose a breath before the person whose mat is in front of yours. You get an eyeful of something you did not want to see.

Please, for the love of spock, buy some opaque leggings or pants. And buy the correct size please. Especially if you’re going with a pair of short yoga shorts. We don’t want to see anything hanging out…if ya know what we mean.

Okay, so now that we have our 3 requirements defined, let’s get into examples of outfits that meet them.

Great Examples of What to Wear for Yoga

1. Generic Yoga Class Outfit #1

Onzie High-Waisted Yoga Leggings + Marika The Bella Yoga Tank Top

Simple. Tried and true.

You really can’t go wrong with a simple tank and a pair of black leggings for a yoga class. The leggings having a perfect amount of compression and have an awesome high-waist. That way, you don’t have to worry if you’re flashing your crack as your trying to balance in crow pose.

2. Generic Yoga Class Outfit #2

Marika Balance Collection Knot Front Yoga Shirt + Onzie Yoga Capris

Here’s another go-to outfit when it comes to yoga. A solid top. Fun and wild print bottoms. It’s kind of like the mullet of yoga wear.

3. What to Wear for a Yoga Class for Men

Prana Bear Hug Fitted Tee + Prana Men’s Flex Yoga Pants

This outfit looks like you’re not trying too hard, but you’re still totally prepared at the same time. The pants have spandex cycling length shorts built in to them, so you won’t be flashing a whole lot of leg once the class gets moving.

4. What to Wear for a Yoga Class if You Don’t like Super Tight Clothes

Yak & Yeti Indian Harem Yoga Pants + Yoga Rx Feelin Good Pullover Long Sleeved Shirt

When you’re not feeling tight clothes, these awesome looser options still won’t budge and are super flexible.

5. What to Wear to Hot Yoga

Marika Yoga Shorts + Beyond Yoga Low Back Yoga Cami Tank Top

In hot yoga, you’re going to be sweating a lot, and sweating through to the fabric you’re wearing can make you uncomfortable. Try opting for shorts in a hot yoga sesh. An open back tank with built-in support also lets the heat escape from your body easier while not having to add an extra sports bra layer.

Don’t forget to bring water and a towel to hot yoga class with you.

6. What to Wear to Hot Yoga for Men

Hurley Dry Fit 18″ Volley Short + Asics Muscle Tank + Nike Sweatband

Men, you may want to go a little shorter in hot yoga to let those gams breathe. A sweatband can also help sweat from running into your eyes. And again like stated above, don’t forget your water and a towel!

7. What to Wear to Yoga if You Have the Sweaty Gene

Toesox Yoga Socks + Gaiam Yoga Gloves

Some of us are sweatier than others and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, as a fellow sweaty person, you may be worried that you’ll slip off the mat due to excess moisture. Adding these babies to your wardrobe, keeping a towel handy, and getting a super duper grippy mat can help you overcome your tendency to ‘glisten’ more than others.

8. What to Wear for Yoga if You Practice at Home

Onzie Circle Yoga Bra + Onzie Side String Yoga Shorts

Practicing yoga at home is the perfect excuse for you to buy the skimpiest, cutest yoga clothing that you would probably never wear out in public. But that’s OK. Because if cute outfits mean more yoga practice, then we’re all for it.

9. What to Bring to Yoga Class if You Want to Look Super Cute

Satya Jewelry Silver Evil Eye Studs + Gaiam Dual-Grip Headband + Hugger Mugger Batik Mat Bag + Magic Carpet Traditional Turquoise Thick Yoga Mat

You can go with with pretty much any yoga outfit you love and add some pretty accessories to amp up the “cool” factor. These accessories and gear we think can add to any yoga experience.

10. What to Wear to Yoga Class if You’re Overweight

Marika Tummy Control Plus Size Yoga Capris + Marika Ella Plus Size Short Sleeve Yoga Shirt

There’s really not much of a difference in yoga clothing if you’re overweight. And there are definitely some cute options out there for you. These printed pants and simple pants will help keep your lines smooth while still letting you smoothly move between poses.

All great examples of what to wear.

Now, let’s get into the “what NOT to wear” section.

Poor Examples of Yoga Outfits

1.) Anything including inflexible materials – such as denim

2.) Sheer clothing

4.) Improperly Sized Clothing – too big or too small, it doesn’t matter!

Conclusion

And there you have it! Our 3 requirements for yoga outfits, 10 examples of what to wear for a yoga class, and 3 examples of what not to wear to a yoga class.

We hope this provides you with a great starting point of picking out your next outfit for yoga.

And please share this (or pin it) if you liked it or have a friend that may find it useful! Cheers & happy yoga-ing!

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Think of the word “yoga”. What images does it bring up in your head? A young woman doing advanced asanas on a beach in California? Or an older middle-aged man from Georgia doing a forward bend? Or a school aged kid moving through a sun salutation in a gym class?

I’m going to bet that the first image that popped into your head was the beach yoga mind image, but we’re here to let you know that all those other scenarios are perfectly normal (and actually more common) yoga scenes.

There are some pervasive myths surrounding yoga. You may have heard or said any of the following to yourself at one time or another:

• Only chicks do yoga
• If I can’t do a handstand, I’m not that good at yoga
• I only do yoga to improve my flexibility so I’m not reallllly “doing” yoga
• Yoga is only something for those granola crunchers on the West Coast
• I wouldn’t be able to do all those poses they do in classes. Everyone would be better at it than me.
• I’m not into any of that yoga anti consumerism hippie-shit
• Slogging over to a yoga studio is time consuming and expensive
• Yoga people aren’t athletes
• I don’t even know where I would start if I wanted to start doing yoga
• Yoga is a fad

As you can see – most of these are negative. In this article, we’re going to go over how pretty much all of these notions are Totes McGotes wrong and what trends in yoga are actually occurring – hint – it’s awesome and becoming more diverse.

Only Chicks Do Yoga

False. Around 28% of individuals practicing yoga are men. In fact, there are more male and older practitioners than ever before (approximately 10 million male practitioners and almost 14 million practitioners over the age of 50 – up from about 4 million men and 4 million 55+ year olds in 2012). And about half of all yoga teachers are male. How’s that for gender diversity.

If I Can’t Do a Handstand, I’m Not That Good at Yoga

False. You’re perfect at yoga just the way you are. In reality, only 2% of yoga practitioners would consider themselves advanced. 56% would identify with beginner, while 42% would identify as intermediate. So don’t worry if you won’t be publishing any inversion pose pictures on instagram any time soon. Just get on your mat and get to practicing and maybe some day you will be able to post those types of pictures on instagram or whatever social channel is cool at the moment.

I Only Do Yoga to Improve My Flexibility So I’m Not Reallllly “Doing” Yoga

False. Just because you’re not in it for the “zen” piece doesn’t mean you don’t qualify as a participant. The most common reason people start yoga at 61% of all practitioners is that they want to improve their flexibility. Meanwhile, 56% start for stress relief reasons, and 49% want to increase their overall health and general fitness. I don’t see becoming a buddhist monk as a reason to start yoga anywhere on that list. Do you?

Yoga is Only Something For Those Granola Crunchers on the West Coast

False. While there are a large amount of practitioners on the west coast at ~6.8 million individuals – surprise, surprise! – the west coast is beat out by both the mid-atlantic region (NJ, NY, PA) with 8.0 million practitioners AND the south atlantic region (DE, MD, VA, WV, NC, SC, GA, FL) with 7.7 million practitioners. And we wouldn’t call them granola crunchers at all – just good people. According to the study, nearly 50% of all practitioners report donating time to their communities compared to just 26% of non-yoga practitioners.

I Wouldn’t Be Able To Do All Those Poses They Do in Classes. Everyone Would Be Better At It Than Me.

False. With 56% of all yogis identifying as beginners, and pretty much every studio within driving distance of your house offers some class catered towards beginners just like you. And since your eyes are closed throughout much of the class, that means that no one will be watching you, and if they do have their eyes open, they’re probably yoga-ing so hard they don’t even care what else is going on around them.

I’m Not Into Any of That Yoga Anti-Consumerism Hippie-Shit

False. While many yogis don’t need much to be happy, they still love to spend money on yoga shit. Of all practitioners, 41% have spent money on yoga equipment, 60% have spent money on yoga clothes, 59% have spent money on yoga classes, and 35% have spent on yoga accessories. If you’re super enthusiastic about the sport, you probably spend 10% more than other people on it. A total of $16 Billion (with a “b”) was spent on yoga just last year.

Slogging Over To A Yoga Studio Is Time Consuming and Expensive

False. Only 4% of classes cost more than 25$ and you’re more than likely to be within a 15 minute drive of a yoga-specific studio in your town. And also, not every yogi has practiced in a yoga studio. Of all yoga practitioners, 65% have practiced at home, 48% have practiced at a gym, while 45% have practiced at a yoga studio. That means that a majority of yoga peeps have never set foot in a studio, and with the availability of online courses, we kind of can’t blame them.

Yoga People Aren’t Athletes – They Only Do Yoga

False. Actually they are very athletic. Over three quarters of practitioners also engage in exercise including running, group sports, weight lifting and cycling. Yogis are far more active in other sports than non-practitioners of yoga. See….you can still be competitive and enjoy yoga at the same time.

 I Don’t Even Know Where I Would Start If I Wanted To Start Doing Yoga

Yoga Is A Fad

False. The number of American practitioners has grown by over 50% over the last 4 years. There are about 37 million practitioners of yoga in the US right now. That’s a whole lot of stretchin’ and flexin’ taking place.

We hope you now know a few more facts about yoga in the US. We also hope that if you had any doubts about yoga being as awesome as it is, we refuted those doubts with cold hard logic and statistics. Boo yah!

So to wrap up, just because you don’t practice at a studio, are not a chick, and are not between 20-29, does not mean you aren’t a yogi. You are. So unroll that mat and get to work….you yogi you!

Yoga can be intimidating when you’re first starting. You first think it’s just stretching, but after some quick research you learn that it can be so much more. All that sanskrit. All those poses. All that gear. All those strange words.

Here are some of the more common words you may overhear when getting in to yoga. This list could have been more extensive by covering the various types of yoga as well as the eight limbs of yoga, but you’re unlikely to come across them in a beginner environment. If you want to know more about them though, just check out our ultimate beginners guide to yoga.

#yogaeverydamnday: A popular instagram hashtag designed to show off how much you practice yoga

Asana: Another name for a yoga pose or posture

Athleisure: Term used to describe athletic apparrel that is socially acceptable to wear outside of the gym and in public. See also “lululemon”

Ayurveda: An traditional indian style of medicine

Bikram: A standardized style of yoga that moves through 26 poses in a heated room

Bolster: A cushion or pillow that aids in support during some yoga poses

Chakra: A “center” of spiritual power

Chatarunga: A yoga pose where you just kinda hang out in the bottom of a push-up

Guru: A spiritual teacher who teaches yoga – not real estate or marketing classes

Eight Limbs: Eight elements of yoga that make up a comprehensive yoga practice

Handstand: A yoga pose that requires a bunch of balance and strength. Makes for great instagram pics. Bonus points for beach or sunset background.

Hatha: Gentle, beginner friendly yoga

Hot Yoga: Yoga…in a heated room

Karma: A bitch. But really, you already know what karma is.

Lululemon: A store selling athleisure apparel and expensive yoga pants

Mala: Strand of 108 beads/gemstones with particular “energies”. You repeat your mantra each time you go over a bead with your fingers.

Manduka: A popular brand of yoga mat. Also makes apparel.

Mantra: A saying or phrase. Your jam.

Mudra: Symbolic ways to hold your hands and fingers

Namaste: “I bow to you” – typically used as a sign of respect and often the word that designates that class has wrapped up

Om: A mantra, or something you say over and over again to zone your mind out

Pranayama: Strategic breathing

Sanskrit: Classical Indian language. Most yoga poses (asanas in sanskrit) have traditional sanskrit names in addition to their common names.

Savasana: An amazing yoga “pose” that lets you lay on your mat like a dead person

Studio: A space dedicated to yoga practice. Studio yoga is different from “gym yoga” in that it is more “true yoga” focused.

Sutra: Classic yoga books

Tapas: Self-discipline. Not to be confused with small plates of food.

Yamas: Codes of moral conduct

Yoga Block: A rectangular cube made of foam designed to help you with poses you haven’t quite mastered yet or to provide support where you need it

Yoga Retreat: A travel getaway that typically includes around three classes of yoga a day

Yoga Strap: A thing that looks like a fabric belt designed to help you with poses you can’t quite do yet or to get you deeper in to a pose

Yoga Teacher Training: Typically requires 200 hours of training – way cooler if you do it in southeast Asia or India

Yogi(male)/Yogini: A practioner of yoga – although the default is “yogi”

Vinyasa: A type of yoga focused on “flow” between poses

Zafu: Fancy name for the cushion you sit on during meditation

There you go. Some of these may not exaaaaccccctly be directly related to yoga, but still may come in handy one day.