Introduction

Yoga is a very popular form of physical fitness activity in the present day and is even practiced by more than 30 million people in America only. However, it is essential that they do it without shoes because it is easier to gain better grip and alignment when doing so. But not all shoes to be worn for yoga practice are good shoes. 

Yoga shoes are accessories that, if chosen correctly, will complement your practice; if chosen incorrectly, they will upset your equilibrium, or perhaps cause you discomfort. This guide will also show what you should consider when looking for perfect shoes to wear during yoga practice.

Bearing this in mind, the following are some of the factors that one should consider when choosing yoga shoes:

Grip

Yoga incorporates the flow from one posture to another and some of the transitions involve balance. When it comes to standing postures or vinyasas one ought to ensure they have shoes with good grip so that slippage incidents are discouraged. The outsoles should preferably be of rubber and should have a non-slip surface or a designed pattern, which gives grip in all directions. There are too many distractions when you are trapped in a hotel room; avoiding them can help you stay alert during the event. They should avoid high heels shoes because they can destabilize you.

Flexibility

Since Yoga is a process where an individual has to bend his feet and toes, the upper part of the Yoga shoes has to have a certain level of flexibility. Non Marking synthetic upper such as leather, mesh or stretchy knitted fabric that hugs the feet is preferred. It should be possible to point or spread the toes while wearing the shoes but at the same time, the shoe should not feel too tight. While too flexible shoes allow your feet to move freely during the poses, too stiff shoes limit your feet’s range of motion during poses.

Comfort and Breathability

You want a proper yoga shoe that can be most comfortable and feels like an extension of your feet. Choose soft and lightweight materials such as cotton canvas or mesh that are further flexible enabling the material to breathe. Other features include cushioned sock liners and detachable insoles which serve the purpose of additional comfort and absorption of sweat. It should not be a synthetic plastic material that does not allow air to circulate hence causing sweaty feet and bad foot odors.

Coverage and Style

Some of the most preferred types of yoga shoes are flat shoes, easy fit shoes, flip flop, or strappy shoes. Decide the style you need – open back, closed toe, with straps around the ankle or at the top of foot. The more enclosing a silhouette is, the more helpful it is in maintaining balance for the balancing poses. Style is definitely subjective and depends on the climate the practitioner works in and perhaps most of all, what is most comfortable for them.

Yoga as an activity: Options for not wearing shoes

There are a few options if you prefer not to wear shoes for yoga:There are a few options if you prefer not to wear shoes for yoga:

Bare Feet: Due to the carpets being slippery, practicing poses with bare feet also assists in acquiring better feeling and balance on a mat. It also offers the best traction when your palms are sweaty with calluses, making it suitable for hot yoga. The only thing to note is that the studio floor must be clean.

Non-Slip Socks: Base layers of the seamless yoga socks are designed to provide a non-slip surface through rubberized outsoles while foregoing shoes. They maintain feet dry and ensure the wearers do not slip in the house or in slippery floor areas.

Paws/ToeSox: These kinds of covers just fit over the fingers and toes and the soles are left free as they make direct contact with the floor. The textured dots provide the necessary friction on multiple surfaces to ensure balance.

Yoga is a form of exercise that involves a lot of balancing, stretching and building body strength, stamina and flexibility and this means that when choosing a shoe for yoga, there are some factors that you ought to consider, depending on the type of yoga that you are participating in.

Hatha and Vinyasa Flow Yoga are two most popular forms of Yoga:

For basic Hatha and dynamic Vinyasa lessons, it is better to use trail running shoes or yoga wear shoes. Non-slippery athletic models with thin flat rubber outsoles enhance the ground friction required in standing and balanced positions. The shoes are breathable in design with a mesh upper for those feet that get sweaty with extended activities; the lacing is well secured for support to the ankles during jumps or movements from one pose to another.

Ashtanga and Power Yoga

Ashtanga and Power Yoga involve extensive flow and motion, leaps, and high energy with sweating. Choose the shoes with the breathability feature of the shoes; this will allow for proper handling of perspiration by using moisture-wicking fabric uppers. The models worn from the materials that are closely woven prevent dust and dirt from penetration while allowing free passage of air with tons. This is so even when the physical activity involves wearing of shoes and the only ones acceptable are the ‘barefoot’ style minimal shoes. Cutting down on weight and ensuring that the design is as versatile as possible.

Restorative and Yin Yoga

As for the soft, slow-paced forms of Restorative and Yin, go for the soft and plump cushioning. The slippers are soft which are made of durable materials such as cotton jersey padded soles together with uppers that are suited for long stretches where one relaxes in poses. Soft compounds allow for easy pointing and flexing of the feet in a comfortable manner without restrain.

Hot Yoga

Shoes for hot yoga are designed to be highly breathable, especially in the upper part of the shoe to dispel moisture and the stench from sweaty feet. Micro-ventilation zones help to circulate the air inside the shoe, as temperatures threaten to rise. Some of the hot yoga shoes also have antimicrobial linings that help in preventing the build up of sweat thus discouraging the growth of bacteria. While they are running or performing balances in standing the secure fit straps across the mid-foot holds them in place without rubbing.

Aerial Yoga

For aerial yoga which involves suspension from silks such as for inverted positions, this should be footwear with straps that go over the top of the foot. This is true especially if you are trying to cross train sneakers with a caged or strapped upper that has Lycra or spandex stretch fabric. High-top models also negate a situation where shoes end up upside down and can easily fall off. Ensure the boots have no-slip rubber soles for firm standing on the floor when performing aerial stunts or recovering from a flip.

Elements Owing to Which Shoes are Inappropriate for Yoga

Rigid Soles: Inflexible rubber soles which do not have any amount of giving when it comes to flexing or pointing, spreading the toes etc.

Narrow Toe Boxes: Shoes that have small space for the toes, which are very constricting, are uncomfortable when performing balancing poses and distort the body’s alignment.

High Heels: This is because any heel lift above the flat surface might disrupt balance and proper positioning of the feet when grounded in standing poses.

Slippery Soles: Inadequate ensure of the rubber outsoles makes the sliding and shifting of feet to be unstable.

Heavy/Bulky: Obesity and girth reduces the possibility of deliberately performing controlled movement, as well as making fine adjustments to the position of the feet.

No Heel Support: Ankle instability in the back foot and slipping of feet allows the movement of ankles and feet in different directions.

Poor Ventilation: Other synthetic fabrics do not let air pass through and the sweat and heat accumulate, which is rather uncomfortable.

Some yoga footwear brands that one should consider includes

Vibram FiveFingers: Shoes which resemble the feet structure, lack of any extra cushioning Heel to toe connected type shoes that facilitates natural splay of toes.

Sanuk Yoga Sling: Comfortable yoga sandal or flip flop complete with yoga mat footbed and nylon webbing upper to keep it in place.

Toplus: Cheap yoga shoes with thin, rubbered soles for added traction and a strap system to ensure that the shoe stays in place. Mesh knit fabric.

Gaiam: Yoga footwear includes flat rubber soles, slides, and comfortable athletic shoes designed specifically for yoga with the perfect amount of give.

YogaToes: Comfort sandals made of smooth leather or suede and rubber sole for firmly stepping on the ground with softly knit or microfiber insole.

FitKicks: Sensory shoes are light (3oz) and ‘foot gloves’ that are slim fit to the feet without any extra padding for contact with the ground.

On the next slide, I would like to share on how to properly fit your Yoga shoes.

When it comes to the size of the yoga shoes, one must be very careful since it should fit the feet tightly in order to provide comfort, but at the same time should not be too tight to allow some movement. Here are tips for fitting them correctly at home:Here are tips for fitting them correctly at home:

Perform yoga exercises in the evening after shopping when the feet are somewhat enlarged.

Try both shoes on. Assume the mountain pose first before performing lunges, squats and balances so that one can feel well grounded in them.

Ensure that you get about ½ an inch space between your longest toe and the tip of the shoes when you are standing.

To further validate flexibility and traction, walk and stretch in them.

The heel should also not slide up/down considerably every time you try to lift it. Stay put when gripped.

Tie sneakers tight but not in the way that restricts the shoe’s width.

Wear shoes for shorter home practices first before wearing them to intense classes as they will have been ‘broken in’.

The cracking sound is another indication one should listen to since it is a sign of inflexibility.

To be precise, you should wear these shoes and forget that you have them on as if you are walking barefoot.

The exercise shoes specifically for yoga should be changed at least 4-6 months when the rubber treads on the bottom become smooth.

So, to answer the question, here are the best yoga footwear based on the type of foot:

Flat Feet

• Shoes with extra support for the arch – Motion control; Brand: Brooks Adrenaline GTS.
• Vionic Orthaheel technology Stability sandals with deep heel cups – Vionic Tide II
• Supplements that help in orthopedic insoles for the pronation problem.

High Arches

• Comfortable and fully covered slip-on shoes — Hoka One One Bondi SR
• The review of a comfortable sandal with a neutral design and especially cushioned midsole is the Oofos OOahh.
• Plain non-athletic shoes for minimal foot support and stability.

Wide Feet

• Roomy toe box athletic sneakers – comfortable, lightweight and made for natural movement – are Altra Paradigm.
• Slip-on sandals – Teva Original Universal men’s hiking sandals
• Trail running shoes – very close to lightweight hiking shoes but slightly heavier and with more ankle support – Merrell Moab 2 Vent

Bunions / Bunionettes

• Non-slippery, comfortably soft fabric shoes which do not cause friction on erratic protruding skin part- Tom’s Shoes.
• Shoes for bunions – Orthofeet Verve open-toed sandals for women & men with bunion window
• Orthotic devices that shift the weight-bearing forces

Plantar Fasciitis

• Stability Running Shoes for high arches with motion control feature – New Balance 940v4
• Comfort and Arch Support Footwear – Vionic Tide II
• Night splints to help maintain plantar fascia length in the night.

Conclusion

Choosing the right yoga shoes requires considering the grip, flexibility, breathability, and comfort together with the design appropriate for the kind of Yoga practice. Try out new patterns during floor poses and standing balances as well during transition. They should feel like your feet are not wearing any shoes and at the same time provide enough support in terms of padding without the harshness of a fully enclosed boot. Address minor discomforts and keep fine-tuning until you find balance in supportive shoes that fuel your practice. Thanks to the technological development of the contemporary shoe manufacturing industry, footwear that yogis wear today is perfect for every shape and size of the foot as well as for different conditions.