Before you discover the positive benefits offered by yoga, which include increased flexibility, mood enhancement, muscle strengthening and better health, you might be wondering what kind of equipment you’ll need to get yoga’s full benefits.

What you’ll need
•    Yoga mat – Thicker mats will provide more cushioning, but a mat that’s too thick can make it harder to stay balanced. A ¼ inch or 6.2mm mat is generally adequate. Sticky mats are perfect for gripping the floor. If you aren’t familiar with them they are just as they sound – sticky, which means they’ll hold tight to almost any surface. They also provide a better gripping surface for hands and feet. Yoga mats can be purchased for as little as $15.
•    Comfy clothing – The same as with Pilates, yoga practitioners require clothing they can move in. It’s a good idea to wear a close-fitting shirt so you don’t expose yourself when you’re doing a downward dog. Pants can be a bit looser, but avoid slippery materials that can cause you to lose your hold in some poses. Yoga outfits have become increasingly fashionable as well as being functional so it’s easy to find clothes that work and make you look stylish.

Extras
Yoga has become as much about style as it is about . There are literally hundreds of brands selling thousands of styles of yoga bags, clothing, accessories and
•    Yoga bag – Bags of all shapes and sizes are handy when it comes to carting your mat between home and classroom. Bags with a drawstring or full length zipper and roomy interior are a good choice. As are any with straps that you can easily sling over the shoulders.
•    Props - Blocks, blankets, straps and ropes are used by beginner and advanced yogis for several reasons. Ropes are secured to a wall and allow the yoga practitioner to perform advanced bending, stretching and abdominal movements. Blocks are made of a lightweight foam and give support and height during different moves. Sand bags act as soft weights for the limbs or torso. Yogis use them to intensify stretches. Blankets are used for padding and comfort. Straps add length between limbs that can’t reach each other naturally. They would loop over the foot of a straightened leg and be held in one or both hands.
•    Neti pot – This yoga accessory is not one you’d expect, but it offers benefits you might just come to rely on. A neti pot is a tool used to push salt water into one nostril, up through the sinus cavity and back out through the other nostril. The rinse, also known as nasal irrigation, removes allergens, pollution and other irritants, making you breathe easier during yoga practice. Neti pots have been used by yogis for thousands of years.

When you’re serious about staying in shape, going for a walk or run involves more than just pulling on a pair of old sneakers and heading out. If you want to be comfortable, stay safe and have fun you’ll want to consider a few essential pieces of equipment.

What you’ll need
•    Shoes – Asics, New Balance, Saucony, Nike, Adidas – the list of respected athletic shoe brands is long. Make sure when you’re *choosing shoes[Athletic Shoes] that they are made specifically for the activity you’ll be doing. Walkers have different needs than runners and require different footwear.
•    Warm weather clothing – Since your plan is to work up a sweat you should be wearing moisture-wicking clothes that pull the sweat away from your body and keep you cool and dry. Cotton is an ok choice, but it can get wet and cause chafing. Clothes should be comfortable and non-restrictive. It’s handy to have a zippered pocket somewhere on your outfit to hold house keys or other valuables.
•    Cold weather clothing - If there’s a chill in the air it’s best to layer clothing on the body and keep extremities warm with lightweight mitts and a hat. Wind resistant outer layers keep away cold breezes. You’ll be glad if you splurge on thermal socks. If you live in an area that gets lots of snow and ice, strap a pair of Ice Joggers over you’re shoes; they have tiny plastic spikes on the bottom to keep you from slipping.
•    Skincare – Skin lotions and lip balms don’t exactly sound like walking and running essentials but they are. Products with an SPF will protect you from the sun’s damaging rays all-year-round, while extra moisturizing products will keep your skin from getting dry and chapped in the winter.

Extras
•    Pedometer – Basic *Pedometers[Choosing the Best Pedometer] can be bought for as little as $10, or more advanced ones for as much as $50. The better models will include a calorie counter, heart rate monitor, distance calculator and be able to differentiate between walking and jogging steps. Some keep track of your steps for up to a week at a time and allow you to upload your data to computer.
•    Tunes – Whether you want a top-of-the-line iPod to hold your library of 10,000 MP3s, or a bargain basement player that’ll hold 250, having some sort of music or instructional tape to keep you motivated is a good idea.
•    Nordic walking poles - Want to boost your calorie burn by as much as 46 percent without feeling like you’re working that much harder? How about reducing tension in your neck and shoulders just by walking in a way that also reduces stress on the knees? These handy poles are the answer. They generally cost about $70 to $100, and come with tips to help you tackle all terrain, including metal tips for slip-free winter walking.

When I ran outside and took 10 minutes to complete 1 mile (or 1.5 km for those more familiar with the metric system), I was a little unsure of whether I could duplicate the results. I also wondered if I’d be able to do the same on a treadmill.

It’s not that I’ve never spent time on a treadmil before, and yes I realize treadmill running is easier than road running (obviously, since the road isn’t revolving under your feet), it’s just that I tend to find the treadmill a bit boring. There’s nowhere to go and most of the time you end up staring at a wall, the backs of other runners, or a television that you can’t focus your eyes on without feeling nauseus. If you’re really lucky, you get a window view.

So I sucked it up and cranked the volume on my MP3 player. After a warm-up I increased the speed to 6 MPH, the incline to 1 percent and settled in for the not-so-long haul. And I did it pretty comfotably for 11 minutes, which took me past the mile marker. The best part was I felt comfortable enough to continue jogging at a reduced speed for another 10 minutes.

So now I know firsthand that the wisdom I impart to others is true. Small increases can help you reach your fitness goals without burning out.

Next goal…I think I’ll work up to a total running time of 30 minutes before addressing speed again.

It’s the time of year when semi-avid runners plot their return to the streets, tracks and trails. And let’s face it, at least a little plotting is necessary. If a runner’s mileage has been scaled back for several months, or hasn’t continued at all it’s going to take some work to get back into top running form. Even if the total amount of running stayed close to the same, and the road was simply replaced with a treadmill, there’s work to be done. We’re not talking marathoners here, just simple folks who want to transition from walking to running, or add a few miles to their routine.

Since I’m one of those summer warriors whose ambition goes out the window when the temperature drops, I too realize I need a strategy if I’m going to be up and running this summer. I hate to admit it, but last year was supposed to be my “summer of running” where I’d finally break the 10 minute mark and transform my usual run/walk intervals into one fluid running workout. The biggest problem last year…I started too late. When I finally began making decent progress the fun races were over and the running group numbers had tapered off. Besides, in the middle of the summer it’s much too hot to run unless you do it before the sun rises. Ya I know, lame excuse.

To make things simple on myself, and the rest of you, I’ve devised a checklist of things to do so we can both meet our running goals this summer. Here are the first three tips:

1. Start now – As soon as the snow is off the sidewalks, get your butt off the couch and strap on a pair of running shoes.

2. Start slowly – This may seem like bad advice to the over-achievers out there but it’s important for those who haven’t had much running success in the past. As an example of how it works, you would go for a 29 minute walk and add one minute of easy jogging. The next time out, add another 30 seconds or a minute of jogging. When you feel ready add a few more minute-long jogs during your walk. Your joints will be able to gradually prepare themselves to deal with the stress of running and your lungs will thank you too. As a general rule, don’t increase the time or intensity of your run more than 10 percent a week. And keep track of your progress.

3. Map it out – If time isn’t the most important factor, you need to find out how far you’re going. Gmaps Pedometer is a great way to do this. You can increase the distance you’re running at each workout and see yourself get that much closer to your goal.