Yoga wear - loose fitting or tight fitting
May 19, 2017
Most people have heard of yoga's potential benefits. practicing yoga can improve your fitness, help manage chronic conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure and reduce your stress. But yoga newbies might find that preparing for class is a whole new source of stress. What to wear? Loose clothing or tight?
ray_killeen saysI like linen baggy shorts with a tie and a compression under liner in public and no liner at home.
yogadealer saysI also like to wear pants with material that is moisture-wicking (so crotch sweat doesn't show...sorry if TMI). Also just a personal preference, but I like form- fitting and stretchy rather than baggy.
Diann saysI completely agree with the moisture wicking/non-cotton pants! I wear tight like yoga pants with a flare leg so the thigh to the knee is form fitting and then it flares out at the ankle. Kind of a pain when you're on your back with your legs up or during inversions because they fall down exposing your lower leg but I like how the fit balances out my pear shaped body as I wear the same pants for running and walking the dogs.
Newpractice saysI wear compression pants, that help my body recover faster and hurts less after strenuous power yoga classes. Done at a gym, so they get washed as I shower. No smell, no infections, no pain.
Tight clothing, in particular, can be problematic to your health. Most modern exercise clothing is made with a variety of breathable and stretchable fabrics which are more comfortable and provide more ease of movement than non-exercise wear such as denim. Even with the added stretch, however, your running tights or yoga pants could cause you problems if they are tight in specific areas and if you have certain pre-existing conditions. For instance, exercise pants that are too tight over the hips can cause problems at the hip joints and negatively affect the spine. A condition called meralgia parenthetical exists, where the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh can be damaged by diabetic or other neuropathy such as from an injury. Therefore, tight clothing over the joint may cause pain and tingle similar to the sensation of bee stings. This can be exacerbated by pressure caused by long periods of standing, intensive leg exercises, and issues with the joint such as hip replacement. Low riding pants can also cause nerve compression in the back if they are too tight, thus causing numbness and tingling.
Clothing that is too loose, on the other hand, is more likely to cause physical harm from tripping or catching. Yoga pants that flare at the bottom can easily be caught under foot while exercising or stepped on by a passer-by. In addition to flared pants or sleeves, loose drawstrings, long jewelry, and ponytails can all catch on exercise equipment. This is especially dangerous when exercising on equipment with handles and pulleys, which have the potential to cause injury.
Not too tight, not too loose, is key in yoga wear. “I’ve seen people try to squeeze into a small when they’re large,” Rodgers says. She wishes people wouldn't get so caught up in the number or letter on the tag. “It’s very unflattering to be wearing a smaller size. Wear your true size.” Proper fit increases people’s confidence and helps them get the most out of yoga, she says.
Lisa Mae Osborn, an owner of the Bhaktishop Yoga Center in Portland, Ore., agrees. “Clothes that are clean, understated, in good condition and not too revealing are my general preference,” she said. “I like things that are comfortable but not tight, and I avoid baggy or loose-fitting items.” Too-loose shirts tend to separate from your skin during down dog and inversions.
Some Tips
MIND THE PANTS
Yoga pants require careful consideration. Lululemon saw its stock market value plummet after recalling thousands of pairs of too-sheer yoga pants. Your pants should be thick enough that when stretched to the max your classmates won’t see your underwear or skin shining through. To check sheerness, do a standing forward bend with your backside toward the mirror and peek around. This is especially important when you’ve been wearing the pants for a year or two. Sheerness increases over time.
Low-rise fashions are another way for your classmates to see more than you intend. Rodgers recommends going a little higher in the rise department. When your waistband moves downward in your dog, “It isn’t pretty,” she says. If you're a newbie, avoid these perils by wearing regular old sweatpants or gym shorts.
BE MINDFUL OF FABRIC
Yogis differ in their opinions about fabric. Some favor natural fibers, while others prefer the modern technology of moisture-wicking athletic wear. “I prefer cotton and fabrics that breathe,” says Osborn, who’s not a big fan of nylon weave fabrics. Rodgers likes a moisture wicking is nylon/lycra poly blend. “With cotton, you can get that peed-in pants look,” she says. She values materials which are durable, flexible and comfortable.
Fabric and odor are intimately related. While synthetics wick moisture and keep you dry, they also trap stinky bacteria. Sometimes these tenacious bacteria survive the washing machine. If you like synthetics, look for clothing lines that use odor- block technology.
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