(12 June 2018) As people all over the world prepare to take part in mass yoga events before or on 21 June, the UN-declared International Day of Yoga, South African marketplace www.bobshop.co.za organised an online event dedicated to yoga gear.

“I have to say that I am impressed by the sheer variety of yoga related equipment that sellers offer on our platform”, says Bob Shop Marketing Manager Joni Calitz, herself a certified yoga instructor.

She points out that the Bob Shop yoga ecommerce event caters for every pocket and every level of expertise in this ancient Indian physical, mental, and spiritual discipline: “The most basic and the most important pieces of equipment are, of course, yoga clothes and a yoga mat”, says Calitz.

Yoga pants deserve special attention, because they have to allow getting into flexible poses comfortably and without restriction. Yoga practitioners often wear body-hugging leggings, but looser fits are also available. Both come in male and female versions, in different styles and colours, with prices ranging from under R200 to over R1,000.

Yoga is as a rule practiced with bare feet, but people who do not like the idea can invest in a pair of specially made toeless or toe socks with rubber grips sewn in to prevent skidding and sliding. Yoga gloves made of similar material will complete the get-up. The two accessories together will cost a little over R100.
Non-slip properties are crucial for mats too. “In general, six to ten millimetre thick mats made out of PVC or TPE are a good choice for beginners”, says Bob Shop Marketing Manager. A mat in the lower price brackets would probably suffice for a beginner, while more serious yogis are more likely to go for an easy to clean, eco-friendly mat that offers good comfort and support and is generally priced at R500 or more.

Yoga practitioners looking for extra challenge may want to consider paddle boards in lieu of mats. “All you need is a body of water to launch your paddle board into, good body coordination, extraordinary focus and an outlay in the range of about R3,500 to about R9,000”, says Joni Calitz.

Or you could take your asanas above ground, with the help of a yoga hammock. These hammocks can be bought on Bob Shop for about R1,000. However, as Calitz points out, this piece of equipment is more geared towards yoga studios than towards home use.

To go back to the solid-ground yoga, it is worth noting that the use of props such as blocks and straps is today quite common. “These props make yoga more accessible to a wider range of people, helping them achieve the correct alignment”, says Calitz. On Bob Shop, blocks and straps can be found for between R50 and R350 each.

Priced between about R450 and about R2,000, yoga wheels are considerably more expensive. However, those in the know claim that yoga wheels are poised to become the most popular prop of 2018. “Since it seems that several celebrities have incorporated the yoga wheel into their practice, this prediction may well come true,” says the Bob Shop Marketing Manager.

To help yogis in their meditation, the Bob Shop yoga ecommerce events features tatami yoga cushions, mala beads, Tibetan singing bowls, music CDS, as well as incense sticks and incense holders. There are also several yoga books, designed to provide guidance and tips for both beginners and more advanced yogis.