Let’s address the most common question that echoes through most, if not all, male yoga practitioners. What do men wear to yoga class?
Right off the bat, it is almost unfair to have this deviation when it comes to finding yoga clothes for men, particularly in today’s day and age.
It is probably grounded by the misconception that yoga is dominated by women. Well, here’s the truth—yoga has become increasingly popular among men and its popularity is continuing to grow.
Due to the shortage of information on men’s yoga clothing, we have prepared this complete guide to walk you through the range of options. Keep reading to match your yoga clothing essentials to your needs. So, lets dive into what men wear to Yoga!
Yoga Clothing Essentials for Men
Honestly, most men find it easier to just wear their regular gym clothes for their yoga practice. The only concern is that yoga poses demand a lot more bending and stretching than other forms of exercise.
Therefore, it is ideal to pick clothes that aid your movements, even the challenging ones like backward bends. To enjoy your yoga classes, you need to choose clothes that will not get in the way of your poses.
Choosing the Right Kind
Start your search by looking for comfortable and breathable options. You have to clearly understand the purpose of your yoga clothes before you buy them.
You’ll be spreading your arms and legs, sweating, and forming challenging poses. The bottom line is you’ll be counting on your yoga clothes to hold and support for the most of it.
As you know, the joy of yoga lies in testing your flexibility, unlike other workouts like running on the treadmill or kickboxing. Your regular gym shorts will in fact limit you to stretch your legs in a lunging position, which is often a yoga requirement.
Top
Needless to say, yoga demands full-body movement, so the flexibility of the upper body is important as well. Choosing the right top that allows you to accomplish this is vital.
Tank Tops
Tank tops have become a popular choice among male yoga practitioners in recent times. Then there are also sleeveless tops, which are great too. Tank tops and sleeveless tops both have the same breathable factor.
Tank tops in particular have an additional benefit of a better and tighter fit. It helps to hold and support your body when you are in an upside-down pose. You will have minimum distractions when it comes to making adjustments.
The best way to choose a piece for your upper body is to make sure it’s comfortable, breathable, stretchable, and snug-fitting—not too tight or too loose.
Cotton Tops
Cotton tops can be easily found in most online and offline active-wear shops. They are extremely comfortable on your skin during yoga sessions, although probably not the best of options for a hotter climate or if you are into Bikram’s hot yoga.
You’ll find yourself dripping in sweat, and since cotton tops absorb sweat very quickly, they can make you feel quite icky.
Synthetic Tops
Synthetic tops are great. Unlike cotton ones, they wick away the sweat from your skin. Another winning upside is the lightweight feel of synthetic tops—they feel much lighter in comparison to cotton ones. They are very easy to maintain in terms of washing, drying, and durability.
Bottom
Now it’s time to talk about everyone’s favorite—yoga pants for men. There’s a reason why women swear by them. Once you put them on, you’ll know that the heavens have graced your buttocks—but of course, only if you buy the right kind.
There’s no pressure at all, as you’ll come across the option of yoga shorts too. The deciding factor in most cases is comfort and mobility.
Shorts
Shorts are best for hotter climates or a hot yoga session. Most men just go with their regular basketball shorts or running shorts, and it’s fine to do that as long as you can stretch comfortably. Another key piece of advice is to wear support undies to ensure you are not awkwardly flashing your private parts. They are ideal for hot yoga clothes for men.
Pants
There are loose-fitting pants that are loved by many male practitioners, due to the breathable factor. There is no standard rule here, so you can choose to wear joggers, track pants, or perfectly fitted yoga pants.
Whatever you choose to do, just ensure that your yoga practice is not being hampered due to the choice of your pants.
Tight Yoga Pants
If your yoga practice demands widespread movements like Vinyasa or power yoga, you must choose fitted pants. The last thing you want is to get distracted while shifting from one pose to another.
For an uninterrupted yoga session, it’s best to choose proper yoga pants or meggings. You can also wear a pair of shorts if you are not comfortable wearing tight, fitted clothes.
Dharma Pants – Loose Fit Yoga Pants
We have come across men who won’t buy tight-fitting clothes, which is fine. Your next best option would be slightly looser dharma pants. They are a hybrid version of yoga pants and track pants—almost like an in-between option. Then there are good fitted cuffed pants.
Where to Shop
It might be a simple question now, but the minute you start to search for shops, both online and offline, you’ll notice men’s yoga clothes aren’t easily available in comparison to women’s yoga wear. Although the scenario is changing now. More sports companies are introducing men’s yoga clothes.
There are also specific yoga websites that offer branded yoga clothes for men and women, but it varies depending on your location.
Activewear vs Yogawear
Let’s talk about the difference and similarities between regular activewear and yoga wear. Yoga asanas may seem like a series of physical movements, and your first instinct would be to wear regular gym clothes.
Yes, in most cases, they will serve the purpose. But if you are wanting to reap the benefits of yoga to the fullest, you might have to reconsider your choices.
You have to weigh your options based on comfort, breathability, mobility, and the most important one—if it absorbs sweat properly. This rules out your cargo shorts or cotton joggers, as they will rather limit you while bending, twisting and stretching.
The fit of your clothes matters a lot during yoga if you are in search of a yoga dress for men. Loose-fitting tops or pants will keep on sliding down during inversion poses or downward dog poses, which can be annoying. You’ll have to shorten your pose time to adjust your clothes all the time.
Yoga Pants vs Shorts
So, do guys wear yoga pants? Yes, they do; in fact, some love them! But this comes down to a personal choice. Are you a pants or shorts person? The answer probably depends on factors like the room temperature of where you practice or just your individual preference.
Some yoga styles like hot yoga or power yoga can heat your body very quickly, and the best option might be wearing shorts in such cases.
Yoga pants, on the other hand, come in two different types: loose-fitting and tapered legs. If you are a Vinyasa lover, then you know the shift in poses demands fitted clothes. Otherwise, loose sleeves or legs can get in the way of your asanas, ruining your flow.
Synthetic vs Cotton
Here are some facts straight up for you! Cotton can absorb up to eight percent of water—but what this really means is sweat! Synthetic materials, on the flipside, absorb less than one percent.
An above-average synthetic top will be five times more breathable if compared to cotton tops. As mentioned earlier, they are great for keeping moisture away from your skin, unlike cotton, which sticks to your skin. Synthetic tops are also lighter in weight. For example, a cotton t-shirt will weigh almost double.
Factors to Consider
Comfort should be your guiding light all the way when searching for what men should wear for yoga. It’s the same for size. Your yoga clothes will only feel comfortable during practice if they are the right size.
Typically, men prefer to buy loose clothes for their workout, but keep in mind yoga is a different type of exercise. It demands particular body movements, so it’s probably a good idea to shift from your typical gym clothes to suit your yoga needs.
However, your yoga instructor would love for you to wear snug or fitted yoga wear as it’s easier for them to keep an eye on your postures. For newbies, if you’re concerned about what to wear to yoga for your first time, let’s look at a few factors before you go shopping.
Materials
Some of the activewear brands are now offering men-specific yoga clothes, which is a great sign. More men are contemplating yoga as a workout option.
Getting back to the point—these available branded yoga pieces have been designed to suit different styles of yoga. They are usually breathable and good quality fabrics that tick all the boxes.
Cotton Fabrics
Organic cotton is popular for men doing yoga. The downside remains in the quick absorption power —which isn’t great when you’re sweating it out during your yoga practice. You’ll end up feeling muggy and sweaty by the end of your workout.
Moisture-wicking Fabrics
This includes breathable fabrics like synthetic materials. They allow the sweat to escape, keeping your body cool even after your workout.
Loose Clothes
Loose tops like T-shirts, tank tops, sleeveless tops, or muscle tees in the stretchy fabric are all great options, as long as they are not too loose. If your top is long-sleeved, sometimes your yoga instructor will find it challenging to monitor the alignment of your posture.
Comfortable Yoga Clothes That Stretch
Pick stretchable clothes, as your yoga asanas demand. You want to wear clothes that will allow you to flow your body in every possible direction. So when trying on clothes, make sure you do a quick lunge to feel your comfort level.
What to Avoid
Refrain from packing your basketball shorts when you are headed to the yoga studio. Same with your gym clothes: They are not the best option for your yoga practice. Trust us, you’ll notice the difference in your flexibility by wearing the right clothes. So it’s best to avoid clothes that will limit your asanas.
Shorts
For obvious reasons, you’ll end up showing more than you need to if you opt for shorts. So if you do wear them, try to wear meggings or yoga pants underneath for that extra support.
Topless
As appealing as it sounds to practice yoga shirtless, it isn’t the wisest choice out there. Even if you have great abs, being half-naked on the mat will get in the way of your practice. You might end up with bruises too.
If you are a part of a yoga class, you probably won’t be allowed to go shirtless, as much as the girls would love it. It can be distracting for the entire class. Also, people will probably be put off by the visible sweat marks on your mat.
Although some hot yoga classes allow it—so if you’re comfortable joining in, go ahead!
Hoodies
The worst possible mistake you can make is to wear a hoodie to your yoga class. Most poses will be interrupted by your hood falling over and distracting you, probably ruining your balance on the mat too. So remember to strike out hoodies when you’re doing yoga.
Thick Sweatpants
Anything thick and heavy is a big no! Thick cotton sweatpants can mess with your balance, making you feel heavier and uncomfortable. It can also feel really hot. Pick track pants if you must! They are lighter and are available in synthetic fabrics. Just ensure the stretchable factor before buying them.
Takeaway
Yoga is no longer geared toward women only. More men have begun to explore yoga to improve their mental, physical, and emotional health, which is fantastic. The number of guys searching for what men wear to yoga is increasing exponentially.
Hopefully, men’s yoga clothing options will also start to become more available due to the market demand. For now, enjoy your yoga shopping spree!
