How to Use a Yoga Towel for Your Next Class

Adding a yoga towel to your practice can truly elevate your experience. It offers more than just an extra grip. It also enhances hygiene, stability, and comfort, making each session more enjoyable and effective. Whether you're sweating it out in a hot studio or sharing mats with others, a yoga towel provides the support and cleanliness you need to stay focused and grounded.

If you're seeking that perfect blend of support and security, a yoga towel is your secret weapon for a more focused practice. In this article, we will know how to get the most out of it in your next class.

Can You Practice Yoga On a Towel? 

Bringing a yoga towel to a group studio is a wise idea, particularly when mats are shared and passed around after each session. While these mats are generally sanitized, using your towel adds a personal barrier, protecting you from the reduced grip and wear that comes with frequent use. For hot yoga, a yoga towel is an essential item. It offers a more stable, sweat-resistant surface that helps prevent slipping during practice.

What Type of Towel Do You Use For Yoga? 

For an effective yoga session, a towel designed for yoga is essential. A beach towel, for example, needs more grip and support, and its dimensions might need to align properly with your yoga mat. Moreover, general-purpose towels are less absorbent, making them unsuitable for hot yoga, where sweat management is crucial. To ensure the best experience, choose a towel explicitly crafted for yoga practice, as these are tailored to meet the unique demands of the activity.

How to Use a Yoga Towel? 

Before diving into your session, it’s essential to set up your towel correctly to maximize its benefits and ensure a smooth, uninterrupted flow. Here’s how to use a yoga towel effectively.

1. Place the yoga towel over your mat, ensuring it lies smoothly without any wrinkles. It's a good idea to wrap the top edge of the towel slightly around the top of your mat to minimize the risk of it shifting during your practice. 
2. When you begin sun salutations, your hands and feet might still be dry, making the towel slippery. To improve grip right from the start, lightly spray the areas where your hands and feet will be during downward dog with a plant mister or similar spray bottle.
3. During the first sun salutation, you can fold the towel slightly, allowing your hands to contact the mat directly. 
4. Once you notice the towel needs to be gripped, simply unfold it back into place. Throughout the class, a yoga towel is primarily used to provide extra traction in poses where your hands are grounded.

Usually, you use a yoga towel during class mainly for extra grip in poses where you place your hands on the ground. Think, for instance, of the downfacing dog, plank, and push-up poses.

How Do I Make Sure I Don't Slip on a Yoga Towel?

Certain yoga towels are designed with features like non-slip padding on the underside, ensuring you stay firmly in place during your practice. This is particularly beneficial during fast-paced flows, where maintaining your meditative focus is key. The added grip prevents the towel from bunching up or shifting, allowing you to concentrate fully on your movements without the distraction of constantly adjusting your mat. This extra stability can enhance both the safety and effectiveness of your yoga session.

Related: How to Wash & Clean Your Yoga Mat

Do Yoga Towels Work Without Mats? 

If you’re in a situation where carrying your full yoga mat isn’t practical, a yoga towel can be an excellent alternative. Whether you’re practicing on a challenging surface like gravel or a wooden deck, a yoga towel offers the grip you need without the mat. That said, yoga towels are most effective when used alongside a yoga mat, as the extra grip and sweat resistance help you stay focused on your practice. Additionally, a yoga towel can be quite versatile; you can roll it up to replace a bolster, cushion your knees, or provide added support under your hips during seated poses.

Conclusion

A yoga towel is a simple but effective way to improve your yoga practice. It is especially useful if you suffer from slipping and also do a gentle yoga form with lots of floor exercises. It is a useful tool for extra hygiene and protecting your mat. What's more, a yoga towel is lightweight, folds up small, and can be used in many different ways, including outside yoga class. We hope we've inspired you to start using a yoga towel so that you never slip again during your practice, no matter the temperature!