Our Favorite Stuff

Take it from us… we live and breathe everything fitness.

Here are our HOT PICKS!

Nowadays, the saturation of gear and attire can be overwhelming. However, we’re confident that we’ve narrowed it down to the best! And here it is…The Yoga Barre’s recommendations and tell all to set you up for success. Research coupled with trial and error makes us fit to make qualified suggestions. Not to mention we did a studio vote, and the results were as expected!

 

Let’s start from the bottom up! A strong foundation is key and what is the most important yet often the most overlooked detail when taking a class? A good mat. This one may get some eye rolls because one might argue that a mat is simply a mat. We beg to differ!  A quality mat that doesn’t slip is the single most important part of your gear!

Here is a breakdown of what a quality mat will offer you versus an average mat:

1.    Safety – If you’ve attended any of our classes, you know we place a very high regard on our member’s safety here at The Yoga Barre. We believe a quality mat will not only guard against slipping, but allow you to reach your full potential knowing you’re safe to push yourself in postures without fear of losing grip.

2.    Shelf life – When making the move to invest in a quality mat, you’ll find the need to purchase a new mat will be far and few between. It’s an investment that will yield a great return for a long time when cleaned and properly cared for.

Now, don’t worry, we won’t share this pro tip and leave you without our teacher recommendations!

Collectively we’ve found that at The Yoga Barre we have 2 mats that we would consider are the creme de la creme of yoga mats. The first one is from a brand called Manduka. This amazing brand offers a wide range of colors and materials to suit any kind of yogi whether you do hot or non-heated yoga. Responsibly sourced products designed by yogi’s for yogi’s

The second brand we recommend when investing in a quality mat is the Lululemon mats, a crowd pleaser and OG in the yoga and athletic community. These mats are not only reliable, but also offer a cohesive look for those of our students who enjoy making a statement with their yoga attire and accessories.

Both brands offer high quality products and mats that have made quite the impression on all our teachers here at The Yoga Barre. If you’re interested in trying before buying, we have Lululemon mat rentals for $5 a class. Unfortunately, we do not offer Manduka mats to try. Sara and Christina both swear by these mats, talk to them, maybe they will let you take a test chaturanga to see if it’s a good match before purchasing.

Let’s talk about yoga towels now. To accompany your high-quality mat, should be a sweat wicking high quality towel. Manduka came in again as high ranking in this category. Another favorite is Nomandix. Nomandix is sold in surf shops as well for sand free beach days. We do offer these towels at the studio, but they sell out fast! So, if you see it grab it!

Having covered the mats, let’s work our way up to attire. There are some big companies out there that market well, and though they may be aesthicaly pleasing, are uncomfortable, expensive and can’t hold up in a yoga room. We took to the opinion of our beloved teachers, because they spend all day in yoga clothes, and here’s what they have to say and what they consider to be the superior attire.

Setting the bar high we’ll start with a crowd pleaser: The Lululemon align leggings. These leggings feel like they were made special for our hot yoga girlies. Nicole says she lives in these leggings and probably has every single color! We know they come with a decent price tag, but it’s worth it! If taken care of they will last for years to come.

Vuori is another favorite. The Yoga Barre girls all voted that anything Vuori is a must lately! If you’re new to this line Emily suggests starting with the daily legging or Yosemite bra, you won’t be disappointed. For after class and running around town, Sheri’s favorite is their performance jogger. Vuori clothes are super cute, comfy and functional for Southern California living.

Free People Movement is another brand that ranked high with our tribe. Amanda and Amy love anything by Free People, especially their tops.

We have two Amazon favorites that are on our list as well. We can’t guarantee they will last long, but they get the look and job done for a fraction of the price.

Check out HeyNuts and CRZ Yoga.

Another overlooked detail in barre and hot yoga is keeping your hair out of your face. The hair ties we offer free in the studio are hands down everyone’s favorites and must have in class. If you have grabbed a hair tie lately then you know. Click here to check out the unsurpassed hair ties and get your own stash for home.

Now that we’ve got you covered from head to toe, we can’t forget the importance of hydration for peak performance. High quality electrolytes are essential when regularly attending barre or hot yoga. With the amount of detoxing that occurs – it’s crucial to keep your body properly equipped for retaining the benefits of your hot yoga or barre practice.

We SHOUT this from the rooftops…. You need more than just water to stay hydrated! We have detailed the importance of this in a previous post (for a more in depth dive about electrolytes, click here)

Below are our recommendations that have zero sugar added…

LMNT

Most of our girls are diehard LMNT fans when it comes to adding in electrolytes. We offer single servings to purchase in the studio, but we would suggest going on Amazon and stocking up, so you have it handy all the time. There are various flavors, Miriam and Katrina agree raspberry is the best.

Bala Enzymes

This is Stormy’s favorite electrolyte – they have added turmeric and bromelain for added recovery and support. A plus is that they’re a local San Diego based company. She suggests going with the pineapple flavor!

NutraBio Creatine made our list as well. This supplement is a precursor to your electrolyte fuel and helps build strength and increase muscle mass. NutraBio Creatine is a must have for Camille. If you’re looking to try, we have a 20% off with our code: mindbodysoul when ordering from Pure Nutrition Shop.

In conclusion, quality gear, attire, and supplements are not mere possessions; they are tools that empower us to reach new heights and conquer new horizons. The Yoga Barre only ever wants to see you – our members, thrive in every possible way.

Come talk to us about any of these products, we love questions! And if you have a favorite please share!

Namaste

The Yoga Barre Team