Best Reasonably Priced Gifts for Yoga and Pilates Enthusiasts

Hobbies, especially sport hobbies can be expensive. With the focus on inner body strength, yoga requires less equipment than most sports and fitness regimes. Here are inexpensive gifts for the yoga or Pilates enthusiast on your list. Our oldest daughter has practiced yoga and Pilates for almost ten years now. She has tried many yoga products and accessories. Here is her list of most useful, inexpensive yoga and Pilate's equipment and supplies.

Yoga mat: Gaiam is the most widely recognized manufacturer of yoga equipment. A Gaiam yoga mat will cost around $15 to $20. With our youngest daughter now getting into yoga, I want to start her off right, but not spend big money on what may be a passing fling. I found a reasonably priced line of yoga equipment at Wal-Mart called 'Gold's Gym'. Their brand of yoga mat with nylon carrying bag, sells for $9.

Yoga, Exercise and Pilates ball: Also from the Gold's Gym line, I found a large inflatable yoga ball for $9 without the DVD and $19 including the DVD. Barnes and Noble also sells a Gaiam yoga ball with DVD and inflater for around $30 retail. Here is a link to The Ultimate Ball and Band Workout Kit at Barnes and Noble for $17.95. But I have often seen the kit in the Bargain Fitness or activity book section at the sale price of $20.

Yoga pants, leotard or unitard: Danskins, formerly an exclusive dance supplier is now being distributed through Wal-mart. Danskins makes dance leotards and unitards (with leggings built in) as well as exercise and yoga apparel. Yoga pants may come in lightweight flared leg style, knee Lent flared Capri or the snug legging style exercise pants. I like the flexibility of the flared leg yoga pants. These yoga pants retail at $9 to $12 per pair.

Yoga and exercise bands: I have purchased the exercise cords with foot stirrups, but prefer the plain latex stretch bands. If the foot slips out of the stirrup, it can snap back and hit the user. Yoga and exercise bands are color coded according to stretch and resistance. These yoga bands are also marketed under the label Thera-band and are used to increase mobility in physical therapy.

Yoga exercise DVD: Yoga is best practiced under the guidance of a yogi who talks you through each pose. The yogi should have a calm, serene voice that soothes you as you work through the poses. Barnes and Noble as a large collection of reasonably price yoga DVDs

Lavender eye pillow: Amazon has the lowest mail order price, $7.61, for the lavender eye pillow used to relax and wind down after a yoga workout. Here is my article on how to make a lavender eye pillow also.

For more great gift-giving guides, visit me at www.giftgivingguides.blogspot.com. For more on shopping and saving money, visit me at www.shopchat.blogspot.com and www.pennypincherpost.blogspot.com .