Most of us spend our days wearing some type of shoes. And there’s a good reason for that—shoes are great for many things, but not for everything. You don’t see them on people doing yoga and here’s why.
A common practice in yoga studios is to remove your shoes at the door. You can stay in socks or take them off, too, but bare feet are the best way to have a stable contact with the floor. This is essential for many standing poses. Shoes aren’t flexible enough and socks are often slippery.
Barefoot yoga is an amazing opportunity to stretch and work out the muscles in your feet and you shouldn’t miss it. This is important for supporting your arches and preventing foot pain.
Are there situations when you should keep your shoes on in yoga? You may want them on when you’re doing yoga outside, depending on the weather conditions. It’s absolutely possible to do yoga in shoes, although not ideal. If you’re thinking about staying in shoes because you’re self-conscious about your feet, try to get past that and accept your body because that’s one of the things yoga is good for.
