Yoga is such a good way to destress, work on flexibility, and sneak in some high quality “me time.” If you have a friend who is just getting started, you’ll want to grab everything off this list of Great Gifts For Yoga Beginners list.
If you’re getting into working out, check out all of our fitness posts.
A few years ago, when we were visiting Dirtbag Ales in Fayetteville, part of the day included beer yoga. For someone who owns multiple pairs of yoga pants, I do very little yoga.
Yoga is so much fun, once you start to get the hang of it. At the start, it’s hard and your body just doesn’t want to hold those poses and you feel funny swinging your leg around from one side of your body to the other. But once you get used to the moves, it’s great.
If you have a friend who is getting into yoga, and you want to be supportive, pick up anything on our list of Great Gifts For Yoga Beginners. It’s not everything someone needs to start doing yoga, but it’s what we think are the best yoga gifts for someone who is getting started.
If you’re doing a lot of shopping, you might need some more gift ideas. Be sure to check out our Holiday Gift Guide filled with tons of shopping lists to help you find the perfect gift this holiday season.
Great Gifts For Yoga Beginners
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Yoga pants
Yoga pants might actually be the one thing on this list that your friend already owns, so let’s start here. Why? Because they’re cozy. They’re perfect to sleep in, to lounge in … and believe it or not, to do yoga in.
I don’t know why I was so surprised at how well my yoga pants moved and stretched while I was actually doing yoga. That’s what they’re made for, so it makes sense. But it’s not something I think about when I’m wearing them while I sit and watch television.
It should be noted that you also want a good workout top and sports bra too, but the latter might be a little funny for you to buy for a friend.
Yoga mat
Believe it or not, a few weeks before we did yoga at Dirtbag Ales, I actually purchased a yoga mat. It was cute and pink and the perfect yoga mat for me. I had credit to spend on fitness equipment, and it fit in my budget. I had no idea that I would be using it so soon after.
So, when I got to Dirtbag Ales, I, literally, pulled the plastic off of my yoga mat.
Not too long after I went to Dirtbag Ales, Pete’s yoga mat ripped in half. “Oh, don’t worry,” I said. “You can have mine!” So for a while, he was using a pretty pink yoga mat when he worked out.
If you have a friend who is just starting with yoga, they may have their own mat. But, there’s a good chance they don’t have a backup mat. So you could get them one of those.
Yoga Mat Towel
If you’re planning on doing any hot yoga, or just doing yoga outdoors where you can get sweaty (like goat yoga, which is on my list!), a Yoga Mat Towel is a necessity.
Even if you’re not generally sweaty when you do yoga, there’s a good chance you’ll get sweaty palms. And you risk slipping when you’re trying to hold a pose, especially if you’re new to yoga and not used to the poses. So having a yoga towel, so you can wipe your hands, is ideal.
The towel is the same size as a yoga mat, so it’s really easy to roll it up with your mat and have it handy whenever you go to yoga class.
Yoga blocks
If your friend is just starting yoga and doesn’t have all the stretch and flexibility in her body that a seasoned yogi does, a great tool to help is a set of yoga blocks.
Yoga blocks act as an extension of your arms, so you don’t have to stretch as low to reach the ground. They also act as a extra support to help your hips, head, and back while you’re in a pose.
Yoga blocks can come in bamboo, foam, natural rubber, and other materials, plus in a range of colors, and they all act in the same way. You just have to decide what’s more comfortable for you.
Yoga straps
If you’re just starting yoga, a yoga strap can be very useful to help you get the poses correct. It’ll help you stretch your legs properly, aiding in putting your body (legs and arms) in a proper position and getting into those hard-to-reach poses. Once you get the hang of yoga, you can probably do this easily without a yoga strap, but it’s a huge help to start.
Even after your friend becomes a seasoned yoga fan, a yoga strap is super helpful with stretching after a workout.
Water bottle
Yoga seems easy and all namaste and low effort. It’s not.
You’ve seen those amazing women who have one foot on the ground and the other over their heads while they’re atop the edge of a cliff, right? That’s not easy.
So your friend will probably break a sweat when she’s doing yoga. Having a reusable water bottle handy so that she doesn’t get dehydrated and light headed is ideal. Plus, using a reusable water bottle helps reduce the amount of plastic bottles.
And since you can never have too many water bottles, this is a really great gift.
Cooling towel
We got a promotional cooling towel a few years ago and it hasn’t left Pete’s side. (You can actually see it in the photo above from when we were in the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico this summer.)
If you tie it around your head, it will keep sweat off of your face. If you dunk it in water, it will hold that cool indefinitely (it’s not forever, but it’s a lot longer than a traditional towel or a bandanna).
So, while a regular towel will be good, a cooling towel is exactly what yoga enthusiasts need.
Foam roller
When you’re done with yoga, you want to stretch out your back and muscles. Yes, yoga stretches you out, but the foam roller gets rid of any tightness that’s left behind from doing yoga — which someone will definitely have as a beginner.
Your friend doesn’t need anything fancy. Yes, foam rollers come in different colors, but we have the most basic of black foam rollers and it works just fine.
Eye Pillow
An eye pillow is usually used during Savasana and restorative yoga. They help block out the light better than just closing your eyes, giving you more relaxation. Restorative yoga is used to heal and relieve stress, so making sure you can get that deep relaxation is so important.
Plus, this is a two for one gift. Your friend can use it during yoga and can also use a weighted eye pillow when they’re just relaxing at home.
Essential Oil Diffusers
If your friend is doing yoga at home instead of going to classes at yoga studios, it’s really important to set a calm space with intentions. A great way to do that is with essential oil diffusers.
There are a couple types. The Air Wick Essential Oil Diffuser we have in our bedroom is programmable and mists according to the schedule we have set.
The other type is one that you fill with some water and drops of your favorite essential oils and then it diffuses as the water evaporates. This is the type that makes the most sense for your yoga lover. She can set this up when she’s getting ready for yoga practice.
Purchase Yoga Essentials Online:
Of course, these aren’t all the yoga essentials out there, just the ones that we think will make the best gifts. You can find more yoga items, like Yoga Wheel Back Rollers, at the following stores online:
Be sure to check a store’s minimum cart total to qualify for free shipping. Also, consider instore or curbside pickup to avoid shipping charges.
Which of these Great Gifts For Yoga Beginners do you think it’s the best gift for your favorite yogi? Be sure to let us know in the comments.