Fancy taking your Yoga equipment down to a local class but aren’t quite sure where to begin? There are lots of different Yoga-based activities to try - and none of them involve sitting cross-legged in silence.

As the London Evening Standard reported, fitness fans can get their Yoga kicks by, well, trying KickYoga, which combines Thai boxing techniques with deep stretching followed by calm reflection. As well as getting your heart rate up and burning off those post-Christmas calories, you’ll feel great afterwards from all the breathing exercises.

Then there’s AcroYoga, which appeals to those of us who have ever marvelled at the circus. This involves hanging upside down and practising Yoga poses while battling gravity, which is great for toning muscles. Take a friend with you as you’ll need to partner up to do some of the stretches.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a mover, why not have a go at YogaDance? This is "a unique way of combining free flowing movement with Yoga", explained instructor Katie from Yoga studio Yotopia. "There is a new understanding of how the body best moves and is trained - using spiral movements, pulsing and repetition, instead of linear and static movements."

You may find that once you start taking your Yoga mats to the class of your choice, you’ll want comfortable clothing you can wear to get your poses right. Bamboo Yoga wear is a good option for those who get a bit sweaty as they work out, because it wicks away the moisture on your body and transports it to the outside of the fabric.

Bamboo clothes are made from one of the most sustainable plants in the world, which makes them perfect eco-friendly gifts for green-minded friends. Bamboo has natural antibacterial properties and allows skin to breathe easily, making it the perfect material to wear in hot gym studios.

Posted by Sam Wallace