mat

Trish Stratus Launches Yoga Kit

Taya / News, Props / , , , , , , , , / 0 Comment

Fitness icon, entrepreneur and WWE champion, Trish Stratus, has teamed up with HoMedics Canada to produce her own line of unique yoga and fitness gear, Stratusphere Living, following the success of her Stratusphere Yoga Studio in Ontario.

The Stratusphere Living line is all-inclusive yoga kit including an the weighted Fitgloves – which they claim is a first for yogis – an eco-friendly TPE yoga mat, ultra-absorbing yoga towel, a yoga block, Trish’s Stratusphere Yoga DVD and her nuTrishion journal.

Q. What makes the Stratusphere yoga DVD different from others?
A. This workout is something I developed by accident actually – it’s what I call a happy accident! Coming from a fitness background and having to perform in peak condition with WWE for so many years, it was all about cardio and strength training for me. I don’t think I would have ever pursued yoga if I hadn’t used it like I did to aid with my back injury recovery. I think this is how most ‘fitness-minded’ people perceive yoga – I hear it all the time ‘but is yoga a workout?’ OnceI began seeing the positive effects yoga had not only on my level of fitness, but on my overall sense of wellbeing, that’s when I decided that my yoga practice is something that will forever be a part of my life.

As a busy person, I’m forever trying to multi-task, so I was trying to figure out how to balance my yoga sessions and my weight training sessions – who has time for both now a days?! So, what I’ve done with my workout is integrate resistance training movements into a yoga flow so you get the best of both worlds. I also broke the workout down into manageable 10 minute blocks that focus on different parts of your body. So you focus on trouble spots or get a complete 50 minute workout that is truly a total mind body workout […]

Trish Stratus’ Stratusphere Living is currently available at London Drugs and Sportchek; Sears, GNC, and Home Outfitters will sell the kit in early October.

Yogini (And Yogis!) Cleanies

Taya / Accessories, Tips / , , , , , , , / 0 Comment

Yogini Cleanies‘ Sunday and Madison are a mother daughter team in every sense of the word.  They are both practitioners of Yoga and have been since Sunday brought Madison to her first class at 8 years old.

During one of her practices, Sunday realized that she wanted a product that would allow her to freshen up after yoga class in order to meet friends for dinner.  She also wanted to keep her mat clean and free of germs before yoga.  She couldn’t find a product that combined the convenience of disposability with the sustainability of bamboo and the natural antibacterial proprieties of organic essential oils, so she made one!

Yogini Cleanies are sustainable, disposable wipes made of 100% bamboo, using the natural antiseptic qualities of certified organic essential oils (available in lemongrass or lavender scents). All Yogini Cleanies wipes are free of paraffins, have no petroleum based ingredients and are bleach free. They’re great to freshen up with after a yoga class, or the gym, and to wipe any dirt or grime off your yoga mat in between regular cleanings.

Mindfulness And Me (3 Tips)

Guest Author / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips, Yogis / , , , , / 0 Comment

I’m thinking about walking the talk more. As I work towards being mindful in my yoga practice, I’m exploring how to be more mindful in my life. It doesn’t make any sense to be committed to being conscious and thoughtful on my mat and then float through the rest of my day on auto pilot. So I’m going to take my mindfulness practice off the mat…

How? you ask.

I have some thoughts:

1. Turn off my laptop more. Can I do this and keep my identity? Probably. It may be hard, but I bet I could do it if I made more of an effort (“I am not my mind, I am not my mind, I am not my mind”).

Less time reading the New York Times online would probably be good for me.

2. Slow down. Looking out the window is not necessarily a waste of time.

3. Pay more attention to food and drink. I need to remind myself that eating is sacred, not something I do for entertainment, and it’s not just fuel. My heart loves to enjoy and savour food, but sometimes I forget.

So in May I am going to start living my yoga off the mat one mindful moment at a time…

(source: www.mindfulconstruct.com)

DIY: How To Make Your Own Yoga Mat Bag

Taya / Accessories / , , , , , / 0 Comment

I love my lululemon velcro mat strap – it also doubles as a yoga strap for stretching. However, when I’m trekking around Vancouver, it would be more practical to have an actual yoga mat bag to keep my mat free of dust, dirt and grime.

If you’re relatively crafty, there’s a fantastic eco-friendly DIY project that can be done in a short amount of time: Fitsugar’s step-by-step guide to making your own yoga mat bag with an old pair of jeans.

You’ll need:

  • old jeans
  • yoga mat, for measuring
  • scissors
  • thread
  • sewing machine (you could do it all by hand, but it will take a lot longer)
  • drawstring or ribbon
  • cloth belt or scarf or tie, for the strap

This would also make an excellent gift for the holidays, for a yogi in your life. Not very crafty but like the jean-yoga-mat-bag look? Here, you can purchase a new Gaiam denim yoga bag.

Happy sewing!

DIY: How To Make A Natural Yoga Mat Cleaner

Taya / Tips / , , , , / 1 Comment

If you practice yoga on a regular basis in Vancouver you’ve probably invested in some expensive mat cleaners to break up sweat, dirt and odors, and prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Why not make your own natural cleaner that costs much less and is free of harsh chemicals?

If your mat is super soiled, you can toss it in into your washing machines. Just make sure it’s on the cold and gentle cycle, and don’t put it in the dryer as heat will breakdown your mat.

Alternatively, you can give it a good washing in your bathtub. Use a very mild soap, and hand wash in a tub filled with a couple inches of water. Gently scrub with a brush as necessary to remove dirt and stains. Rinse with clean water and hang to dry.

To speed the drying process, wrap your yoga mat around a dry towel to soak up excess moisture. Just unroll and separate from the towel before hanging to dry. Your mat can take a day to fully dry after the submerging treatment.


To create your own natural, cost effective cleaner you’ll first need a small spray bottle and a soft cloth or sponge. Then, you have a few options depending on what you currently have in your pantry:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar OR baking soda OR witch hazel
  • 8 drops tea tree oil
  • Optional: 6 drops of other essential oils (lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint, whatever your like)

Don’t like the smell of vinegar? Once your mat is dry, it won’t smell overly vinegary. Also the essential oil will be the predominant scent, so choose your favorite aroma.

Happy cleaning!

Don’t Step On My Yoga Mat

Taya / Tips / , , / 13 Comments

One of my pet-peeves during yoga class is when people occasionally step on my yoga mat. Normally, it doesn’t bother me that much, but when it happens with sweaty feet during a hot yoga class at Bikram’s or West Coast Hot Yoga-it grosses me out!

Here’s an excerpt of a hilarious list of other things you should NOT do during your yoga class:

  1. Cultivate Ujjayi breath that rivals Darth Vader. Did I sign up to have phone sex with you? I don’t think so. I don’t need to feel like I’m on the wrong end of a prank phone call as I attempt to quiet my mind.
  2. Om, Sat Nam, etc. like your life depends on it. A yogi/ni is not made by the volume of his or her chanting. I promise. There’s no door prize for being the loudest Om-er.
  3. Step on the mats of others. If you’re a foodie, think of it as a dinner plate. If you’re religiously or spiritually inclined, imagine those mats are sacred texts. You wouldn’t put your foot in either spot, would you? This kind of disrespect could get you an ass kicking in a place you’d least expect it.

For the rest of Y is for Yogini‘s top 10 list click here.

Tell us your yoga class pet-peeve in the comments below 🙂

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...