The best clothing to wear for yoga is anything that you’re comfortable to move in. Think light, loose fitting clothing that allows your skin to breathe and your body to move in any direction without getting caught on anything. The less bulky or bunchy, the better—it’s easier to move easy when you can easily move. Say that 5 times fast.

The practice of yoga is one of paying attention to how the body connects with the world it moves in. When you begin to cut out all of the distractions (slowly, slowly) and focus on the sensations that come up while you practice, you’ll probably find it easier to do that when you don’t have to worry that your pants are going to tear at the crotch every time you step one of your feet forward between your hands. You also might find that your body will be more sensitive while your practicing, so there will be less distractions if you keeping your clothing simple.

Here are a few guidelines when deciding what to wear to class:

-Light, loose fitting clothing. It’s being mentioned a lot here because you are going to hear that everywhere else.  Good: cotton, linen, most athletic gear (leave the hockey pads at home). Bad: Denim, corduroy, leather, rubber (or anything squeaky, for that matter).

-But not too light or loose. There is one thing that men have to worry about that women don’t (during yoga, that is): the penis. Whatever you wear should offer support for your situation down there—not just to keep you from flopping willy-nilly, but so others don’t have to risk seeing one of your lil’ buddies trying to sneak out during a forward fold. Running shorts offer a nice first line of defense with the sewn-in genital hammock, although make sure that your shorts aren’t too short.

-Don’t hide the body, just cover it. If you are swimming in a sea of fabric like you’re dressed up as a ghost for Halloween, your teacher won’t be able to see your posture or alignment. This means that they can’t offer valuable insight or tips for your practice. Less is more here—show ankles and bear your arms like it’s high fashion on Coney Island circa 1907. It’ll be easier to place your hands and feet where and how each different posture requires, as well as for your teacher to give you a few helpful adjustments.

-Natural fiber or special anti-sweaty stuff? This choice depends on you. If you wanna keep it organic, go with cotton or similar materials. Cotton, however, absorbs sweat and holds onto it. You might start off nice and dry, but if you sweat a lot, you’ll soon be having a wet t-shirt yoga class. In this case, sweatier average jogis might want to look into quick-drying athletic gear that wicks away sweat from the skin, allowing your body to breathe easier. Important to note: wash this gear regularly, as it tends to develop a smell over time.

-Avoid excess baggage. Take off your watch, your hat, your sunglasses, and as much of your jewelry as you can bear to part with. Not only will you be able to move easier without fear breaking anything, but your teacher will have a better chance to give hands on adjustments when necessary.

-Don’t practice in street clothes in public studios. People have gone through effort to create a sacred space for others to practice in. Bring a change of clothing and give yourself a chance to leave any stress, negative energy, or dirt outside with your shoes. Use the time it takes you to change into your yoga gear to slow down and prepare yourself for the class. Also, this will ensure that you don’t have to leave the studio all sweaty because you’ve got an extra pair of pants, dapper dan.

Again, the most important thing is that you get on that mat and do yoga. It doesn’t really matter what you wear or how you look, but that you give yourself the chance to move, breathe, and listen to the body.

The first thing to remember is that sweating is good. It is one of your body’s tools for cleaning house. A large part of the physical practice of yoga is designed to purify the body through a series of folds, twists, stretches, and balances.  As the body moves, the muscles and organs release toxins.  One of the main escape routes for these toxins is through sweat. The more toxic the body, there better chance you’ll get your sweat on.  If you are a big meat-eatin’, beer-drinkin’, cigar-chompin’ average jogi, your body might have a little more to work out than others. Big deal.

Combine the fact that you’re wringing out your insides with the accumulation of heat from other bodies in a poorly-ventilated room, and throw in a dash of genetic predisposition, and we have a prime candidate for rapid perspiration.  It isn’t pretty. In fact, it can be downright laughable. Countless times I’ve found myself standing at the front of my mat, hands hotly pressed together in tadasana while fighting to observe a runaway breath, scored by the leaky faucet drip pouring off of each elbow and the tip of my nose. Oh, great. Everyone is looking at me. I know it.

My name is Johnny McSweatsalot, and I’ve been that guy for all my life. My first ashtanga teacher used to walk around the shala during mysore practice and count how many floorboards that each yogi’s pool of sweat would traverse.  I hit 15 boards once, a bittersweet victory:  “Well done, Scott. This is a new record. GROUND YOUR FEET.”

Sweating is a double-edged sword. We want the sweat because we feel the benefit of the practice. We don’t want the sweat because we’re vain. We do want the sweat because it’s healthy. We don’t want the sweat because nobody likes their hands and feet to slide across a sloppy blue sponge which at one point used to be a yoga mat, or the feel of a soaking wet shirt clinging to body hair. At least I think nobody does….

What To Do?

–Don’t panic. You aren’t the first average jogi to sweat profusely, you won’t be the last, and it’s safe to say you probably aren’t the worst.  If you freak out, you’ll probably just sweat more. The most important thing to remember is that it is perfectly OK to sweat during yoga. Don’t let it stop you.

–Wear proper clothing. This is a whole other Q&AJ. The long/short here is to find what works for you. Light, loose-fitting clothing that allows the skin to breathe will be the best. If you go cotton, expect that cotton to soak up sweat. If you wear sports gear, that gear will become very smelly. Avoid business suits, denim jeans, wool anything, and polyester everything.  If it’s appropriate, consider not wearing a shirt. There, I said it. You don’t have to be the first guy to run into the studio bare-chested and ready for asana, but if you’re cool with it, give it a try.

–Bring a towel. This seems like a no-brainer, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten into my first downward, only to feel the familiar drip of sweat run down my spine and realize that I left my towel at home. It’s OK to wipe your brow every so often. Hand towels are great for this. If you are in a class where the teacher gives adjustments, bring a bigger towel and make sure it’s readily available—not only for you, but for the adjuster.  It’s polite, yo.

–Use a yoga rug. Years back, I purchased a yoga rug from YogiToes and it literally changed my life. I was tired of playing slip-and-slide every time I stepped on the mat. Essentially, it is a thin beach towel with lil’ plastic nubs on one side that grip into the yoga mat. What really got me was that it doesn’t really start working until it gets moist. Most people would spray theirs down before class. I just laughed. The other alternative is looking into a Mysore Rug, a thicker rug spun from wool. Both yield definite results. I call mine my magic carpet, and it makes me feel like a yoga ninja when the going gets moist.

–Flip your mat over. Ok, so things are starting to get slippery. You’ve only got a few more minutes to go before shivasana. Wait for the right time, quietly step off of your mat, flip it over, and then drop back into the class. Don’t make a big deal about it. Just do it. There, isn’t that better? Your hands don’t hate you anymore.

–Grab a yoga strap. It’s looking pretty grim. You’ve forgotten your towel. Your shirt is completely soaked through. That yoga rug thing you’ve been meaning to order online hasn’t arrived yet. It’s only been 25 minutes, you’ve already flipped your mat over, and your hands are skating around like Disney on ice. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Grab a yoga strap and lay it across the top of your mat, running a few inches parallel to the front edge. When in downward dog, place the base of your palms below the strap, and the knuckles above it. It doesn’t look good, it doesn’t feel that bad, and it gets the job done.

–Clean up after yourself! If you really want to be that guy, I suggest leaving a few puddles on the floor after class. Bonus points if you don’t hang or wipe down a borrowed mat. Soon enough, you’ll be getting noticed for all the wrong reasons. Proper studio etiquette prevails here. They don’t swim in your pool, so… don’t sweat… on their mat. Yeah.

–Use your own equipment. Let’s face the facts. The idea of rolling around in sweat can be a little gross sometimes—especially if it isn’t your own sweat. Of course, we like to think that yoga studios clean their mats regularly, and most do. Usually, the surprise of unrolling a loan mat to find a rorsharch blot of two clowns fighting over a donut left by the last person using it isn’t a good one. Using your own mat has many benefits, ranging from hygiene to function. Most of the free mats get slick after a few drops—go buy yourself a fancy non-slip situation, and see how your practice benefits.

–Keep practicing and eventually it won’t matter. So what if you sweat profusely? Big deal. Yoga isn’t about how you look; it’s about how you feel. These tips should help you feel a lot better once the heat rises and the sweat starts to fall. Whether your body eventually sweats less or you end up getting used to that perpetual shine, the most important thing to remember is to keep going. A little sweat can go a long way.