When shopping for yoga shoes it’s important to know what to look for, and how they work. They are like regular shoes but just with a few differences. Since they are specifically designed for use with yoga training and exercises, they allow for a lot of flexibility and have thin soles to allow for this. They will be lightweight and will have good air flow so your feet can breath better. There are many more styles and colors recently than there have been in the past and this is very important for a lot of shoppers. So just like most yoga clothing, how you choose to wear it depends a lot on you.
Why should you wear yoga shoes?
It really depends on where you will be training or learning yoga. A lot of people who do it at home, simply go barefoot. This is perfectably acceptable in those situations, and actually encouraged by many trainers and teachers.
If you will be practicing yoga at a class, or outside location, that is where shoes will most likely be recommended or possibly even required. The reasons for these are many, ranging from protection, to sanitary reasons. Many yoga teachers will use their own yoga mats and do not want bare foot after bare foot on them because it because harder to clean and if they give yoga classes through-out the day this can become a problem.
Just for some of the same reason that people wear regular sneakers or shoes when they are out, the same reasons people who are training in yoga wear yoga shoes. Many say the support and breathing they get from the yoga shoes make them very comfortable and protect them from germs and getting dirty in general. If you are in a public place, most people would reason that having some protection on your feet is probably a good idea. Keeping your feet smooth and not rough is also important because if you walk around barefoot your feel will be more likely to get bunyons and blisters.
The safety of wearing yoga shoes is another important thing to take into consideration. While they won’t be the most protective, they still provide a level of protection from stepping on harmful objects that you might run into when you leave your house, or even when you are inside your own house.
Why shouldn’t you wear yoga shoes?
As I’ve said before, it really ranges from person to person but there are some valid reasons people choose not to wear yoga shoes.
Some people feel that yoga means that they need to feel better connected to everything around them, and the more material, items, clothing, etc they have on, the less connected they feel. One of the biggest things about yoga in general is being closer to yourself, and to the earth, which is why a lot of people don’t wear anything at all when they do yoga!
If you learned yoga while wearing nothing on your feet, and then you try switching to shoes, it might just feel too awkward and might take you out of your “game”. Just like if you were to suddenly have to start showering with sneakers on, it just wouldn’t feel right and since yoga is all about body and mind connecting, anything that can distract from that is usually looked down upon.
Many people that believe and practice reflexology believe that your feet are directly connected to your entire body and having them free during your yoga practice, it will make you better overall in being one, and centered with everything else.
Ultimately it comes down to a lot of differernt factors on whether or not you plan on buying and using yoga shoes. Some people choose to buy yoga shoes and give it a shot, or use them sometimes and not others. Just make the decision for yourself and I’m sure it will be the best personally for you. You’ll find that the more you learn about yoga clothing, the better decisions you will ultimately make.
