I thought the new year would be the perfect time to get back to basics and talk about what you can expect from yoga and mat Pilates classes, so following on from the last blog, let’s talk now about equipment..
The essential yoga and mat Pilates stuff
My classes focus on Vinyasa Yoga and mat Pilates. This means your foundation is the floor. The great news is you don’t need a gym full of expensive daunting equipment! Here’s the absolute minimum kit you need:
1. The mat
This is the must-have. A good mat is your non-negotiable personal space and let’s be honest – cushion.
Which mat? For Yoga classes, a thinner mat (3-5mm) is often preferred for stability in standing poses like Tree and Warrior Three. For mat Pilates, a thicker mat (6mm+) offers better cushioning for your spine and hips during floor work.
Tip: Since I teach both classes and many members come to both, a 6mm-8mm mat is a great all-rounder for comfort and grip. Look for one that’s ‘grippy’, easy to roll up and light enough to carry on your shoulder.
2. A drink & cosy socks
Seriously, don’t forget these! I say you only need to bring a mat, a drink, and some cosy socks, everything else you can borrow!
Hydration – Keeping hydrated is important, especially when the vinyasa flows build or we do a tasty core set in Pilates! You may be surprised how puffed out you can get.
Cosy comfort – The socks are essential for the end of class lie down we always have, but more so for the blissful Yin and Nidra classes which often come at the end of term. We’ve dubbed it ‘sleepy yoga’, and yes, we encourage pillows and blankets.
3. Comfortable clothes
Just wear something you can move in. Whether you’re in yoga, Pilates for All or the stronger Pilates FLEX, you need to be comfortable while bending, stretching and having a lie down.
4. If you want to spend your Christmas money…
The equipment we use in class can be bought relatively cheaply online or in sports shops like Decathlon and Sports Direct – sometimes Aldi and Lidl have bits too.
Yoga blocks – These are hard foam bricks that we often use to offset moves, support us in balances or squeeze to increase resistance.
Pilates balls – Smaller than a yoga ball, you can deflate it really easily to fit in your bag. We use them again for squeezing, removing stability and rolling up and down!
Trigger point balls – Something the size of a tennis ball, trigger point balls are hard and get into your niggly bits for loosening the fascia. Great on your calves and shoulders!
Prickle balls – A spiky version of the trigger point ball…
Foam roller – Again we often disrupt our balance using a roller by placing our feet on it to do something like plank or bridge. You can use a Pilates ball instead though…
Resistance bands – Wide elastics that may or not be circular, we use resistance bands to increase stretches mainly. They’re great for aiding shoulder mobility moves too.
Booty bands – Smaller elastics that fit around both legs and add resistance to a squat, basically! We use them to step up the level of moves like hot potato…
As I say though, all this equipment is available to borrow from me, or usually someone in class has a spare, so if you don’t want to commit to spending just yet, you needn’t worry.
More than just a class
The Ad Astra Yoga and Pilates experience doesn’t end when the class finishes. I’ve been a member of the Carterton community for decades and I enjoy bringing my classes out to the local community. I often organise group walks and of course there’s the Ad Astra members private Facebook group where the fun continues…
And in that group, every term, we run a poll asking members what their bodies are asking for and what they’d like to work on. I then build the class content around the most popular requests. This is the best way I’ve found to make sure my classes are relevant to you.
Ready to join the fun?
We are a down-to-earth group, and whether you join our Monday night Vinyasa Yoga, the Tuesday morning Pilates for All, or Pilates FLEX on Wednesday nights, you’ll find your own level of ‘challenging’.
First-timers get a freebie, just message me before booking to make sure you get it and you can join us online via Zoom or in person in Carterton.
Come and experience a full-body workout where the most important stuff you need is your sense of humour (you can borrow anything else, but that has to be yours!)
See you soon, Jayne