Choosing the Right Yoga Mat

By Daniel Szalok

It doesn't matter if you haven't tried yoga yet or you've been into it for a number of years, you will either need a mat now, or you'll have to get new one in the near future. You might have started off with those really colorful but inexpensive mats, but found out they smelled strongly of chemicals? Or you tried the more earth-friendly yoga mat created from jute. It smelled alright, but then it didn't last for more than a couple of months, right? What does a Yogi do in such a situation? How do you actually choose a good mat?

Regular Plastic Yoga Mats

This is a mistake made by many first timers. It really is inexpensive, which is why many newbies go for it. But let me tell you, it's a big mistake if you're looking for Yoga to be a long term thing. First and foremost, it's really very thin. Apart from that doesn't it doesn't give a lot of good cushioning. Also, it smells of strong chemicals, and these are definitely not good for your health! Such types of mats are produced using Phthalates, which is a chemical that turns any hard plastic into soft plastic causing kidney and lung damage in rats. Never leave this form of Yoga mat in the car, ever. As it releases a harmful chemical it's left in a hot environment. And if you're big on the environment and surroundings, these are definitely not for you. This is because they are made using environmentally dangerous procedures.

Jute Yoga Mats

Jute yoga mats on the other hand are highly environmentally friendly. However, even they have some negative points. They are created using porous plants, that's how they are able to absorb any of your sweat while practicing yoga. This gives rise to kind of a matching smell to your sweaty body, which weakens structure with time. It won't fall apart just like that but you can't expect a long life from it if you're planning to do Yoga for a long time.

Rubber Yoga Mats

These are one of the best types for anyone who is environmentally conscious and wants to save money. They are strong and not too expensive. Rubber happens to be a replaceable resource, but just make sure the mat isn't created out of synthetic rubber. It's made using a process that's environmentally unfriendly, and can give rise to the same type of health problems, although but not really as bad as the other phthalate mats. If you're allergic to latex, natural rubber mats could be a problem. But you do get latex free and phthalate free mats, they are just costlier. These are worth it and better than exercising on dangerous chemicals or the rubber that just aggravates your allergies.

Best Yoga Mat - Choose The Yoga Mat That Would Suit You

The best yoga mat for you will depend on what types of yoga you practise. Different types of yoga have different requirements and this is reflected in the type of mat to use.

The Best Yoga Mat For Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga practitioners generally prefer using sticky yoga mats. The sticky mats will help with the more difficult postures and forms, giving you traction to the mat.

Sticky yoga mats are available in many different patterns and colors. As these are fairly standard mats, you can find them in most yoga studios, sporting goods store or various stores online - from normal online stores to auction sites like Ebay. However, don't always buy the cheapest one you can find - remember, you get what you paid for.

The Best Yoga Mat For Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga (sometimes called power yoga) is a vigorous form of yoga, so you will want to buy a mat with good padding and durability, much more than the mats for Hatha yoga. If you are a serious practitioner, then you might want to spend a bit of extra money and get one of the best yoga mats, like the Manduka black yoga mat.

If you don't want to pay extra, look for a standard yoga mat with a thickness of at least 4mm. Some Ashtanga yoga practitioners prefer to use a rug instead of a mat, as the rug absorbs perspiration better than the mat. This is quite important for a more active type of yoga, as it will reduce the chances of you slipping.

The Best Yoga Mat For Senior Citizens

Generally senior citizens prefer thicker yoga mats to help cushion their joints or spine and prevent injury. This is especially important if you have joint problems. A good thickness will be 6mm or above, which are widely available at sporting goods stores and online.

The Best Yoga Mat For Children

Luckily mats for children will not break the bank, as they can use regular sticky yoga mats. However, most children will want a mat with a certain motif on it. These more colorful yoga mats are a little more expensive, but will certainly get children more excited about yoga.

There are various stores selling yoga mats with children themes on them, but your best bet is to search online for the motif your child wants.

The Best Yoga Mat For Environmentalists

Normal yoga mats use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in the mats, which has been linked to different types of cancer and also cannot be recycled. Therefore worn out mats need to go to a landfill, where it will take years to break down.

If you are worried about polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in your mat, there are various other more environmentally friendly options. You can, for instance, go for an eco-Yoga mat or an Earth Elements mat. There are a lot of natural fibre mats on the market, so all you need to do is choose one.

Improve Your Yoga Experience With Yoga Equipment

Around the world Yoga is considered an enjoyable way to keep fit and healthy. And, though it has been around for ages, only recently has Yoga caught the American fancy. It is a well-rounded workout designed to tone up and strengthen muscles; at the same time it increases flexibility. Yoga is also an excellent way to shed weight and boost energy and vitality. As you start to practise Yoga or Pilates, for that matter you will notice the need for some basic Yoga or Pilates equipment and accessories.

Yoga Mats

Good Yoga mats help increase balance and coordination. Most folks are not properly aligned. As a result we do a lot of what we do asymmetrically. For those intending to balance and a sense of symmetry a Yoga mat is a must. Then again, we strongly recommend a hand-woven Yoga mat. However, for those into dynamic and vigorous kinds such Power Yoga, Sticky Mats are well worth considering.

Yoga straps

The Yoga strap is highly beneficial for beginners. They are either fabricated from cotton or nylon and let you grasp your limbs, you couldn't reach. They also help you hold a pose longer. Yoga Straps are especially helpful in bound poses when the hands cannot reach each other or for asanas where you need to hold both feet but cannot reach them.

Yoga blocks

Yoga blocks are also called Yoga bricks and are useful in executing a variety of Yoga poses. Yoga blocks help in execution of poses and offer many other benefits. Some of the benefits of Yoga blocks are that they provide stability and support for proper alignment; they also help reduce the distance between the body and the ground.

Yoga cushions

Yoga cushions help practitioners establish proper spinal alignment so that the posture stays steady, straight, and comfortable. Yoga Cushions are also beneficial to pregnant women and to people recovering from surgery. With Yoga cushions, most poses can be done comfortably as you sit on a chair or using a chair to maintain balance while standing. For added support or cushioning, Yoga Cushions are also used on top of a Yoga Mat or Yoga Chair height.

Yoga balls

Yoga Balls are a versatile prop for many postures. Fabricated from durable vinyl, they help achieve the necessary balance and support for asanas. Yoga Balls effectively increase your flexibility, improve your range of motion and balance, as well as tone up the muscles. Besides, they also help shape the body and relieve of stress.

Types of Yoga Mat

Yoga is fast becoming popular because of its many health benefits to its practitioners or the yogi. If you are interested in starting yoga, you must first know the required materials in the yoga practice. This will include loose and comfortable clothes, yoga mat and maybe a yoga ball. Indoor yoga is done barefoot and for outdoor yoga, you can wear a sock or a pair of flat shoes.

A mat for yoga is necessary in providing cushion against the hard floor. In addition, it allows the yogi to perform various yoga pose and positions by giving a non-slip surface to grip on. Traditionally, these mats have a jute or cotton structure. However, as the number of practitioners increased, and so is the variation of these mats.

Today, there are different types of yoga mat. Some of the common mats are PVC containing mats, traveling rubber mats, sticky mats and cotton mats. Each of which has a different use. For example, the cotton mat is only for yoga classes and yoga practices done in the house. This is because they are quite heavy and moving them from one place to another is very hard.

If you are a traveler or attending a yoga class and you want to personalize your mat, then the light rubber mat is best for you. You can fold and roll it into a bag for easy transport. This type of mat is usually the ones recommended for people who are always on the go. You can go to work with the mat inside your bag and attend yoga class right after your work.

The other popular yoga mat is the PVC containing mat. You can commonly buy this cheap mat in sport stores and yoga shops. They are light and durable with a firm grip on the floor. However, this type of mat can have adverse effect to the skin and the body. Since the composition of the mat is PVC, prolonged contact and usage may bring about some skin diseases.

The sticky yoga mat is also getting popular lately. The mat gives a perfect traction allowing the user to perform even the most complicated yoga positions. This can help avoid injuries sustained from accidental slipping when trying out a yoga pose. Such mat is available in stores that specifically focus on yoga accessories and apparels.

In addition to practical use, some types of mats comes with a great pattern or design for aesthetic purposes. The yoga mat is a personal item and its appearance would reflect the personality of the user. If you are to going to buy a mat for yoga practice, buy the patterned mat.

For a patterned yoga mat there different designs like hibiscus, lotus, zebra stripes, leopard dots, simple dots and stripes. To make it even more personal, some stores offer services such as putting a picture chosen by you on the prints of the mat. To look for such yoga mats you can go online and make a search through the Internet. With these mats, you can now do yoga with style.

Choosing a Yoga Mat

By Robert Probert

If you are just starting out with yoga, you are probably thinking about purchasing a yoga mat. Now, you might think that there is not much to the these useful yoga accessories, and they are all pretty much the same. However, this could not be further from the truth. Anyone who has been practicing yoga for even a short amount of time can tell you that a good mat can make all the difference in the world, and it can actually be the difference between continuing to practice yoga for many years to come, and quitting after your first time. Below are a few tips to follow before purchasing your first yoga mat.

The first thing that you should consider before you go out and buy your first yoga mat is how comfortable it is. This is the most important thing to consider before you purchase your yoga mats. Some mats are made thicker than others, which should allow for a more comfortable feel when practicing yoga. If you have a very thin mat and you are on a hard floor, it will more than likely start to wear on your body, forcing you to either go out and purchase another new mat, or even worse, quit yoga all together.

Another thing that you might want to think about before you go and purchase is the size of the yoga mat. Now, there are two things to consider when it comes to the size of your mat. First you want to make sure that it is large enough so that you can comfortably perform yoga on it. But also, you will want to make sure that the mat is portable enough to comfortably carry it around. One thing to note, is that well made yoga mats, that are flexible can still be very portable even if they are large.

Something else that you will want to think about before you buy a yoga mat is the aesthetics, or how the mat looks. Some people do not really care about what their mat looks like, and obviously the looks are not as important as the functionality, but a yoga mat can have some personality if you want it to. There are countless different patterns, designs, colors and materials on yoga mats, so if you are looking for one that looks good, you should not have a hard time finding one.

To sum it all up, there are quite a few different aspects to look at before you purchase a yoga mat, above are just a few of the most important ones. If you search around and do a little bit of research, you should soon see that there is a wide variety out there to choose from, and it should not be all that difficult to find the right one for you. Just make sure you know what you want before you buy.

See Why Yoga Mats Are A Useful Accessory To Enhancing Your Yoga Experience

By Tim Gorman

If you enjoy practicing yoga, then you will probably find that a yoga mat enhances the experience. A yoga mat gives you a comfortable resting place for your body, and also helps to define your exclusive space for doing yoga.

When you go to purchase a yoga mat, there are a number of things that you should look for, including:

• Check the dimensions of the mat - it should be long and wide enough for your whole body
• The mat needs to be comfortable in all positions, including standing, sitting or lying down
• It's helpful it the mat is made of an absorbent fabric, to help absorb some perspiration
• The mat needs to be non-slip, so you can maintain balance and stability. Cotton is good if you wear socks, or leather if you don't
• If possible, the mat should be easy to transport
• Easy to maintain

There are also different types of yoga mats available that cater for particular branches of yoga. Here are some of the main options:

The Cotton Mat This has been the most popular yoga mat option for a while, with good reason. Cotton is capable of soaking up a high percentage of perspiration, giving it a cooling effect. This makes it easier to practice yoga for an extended period of time without discomfort.

The Sticky Mat This is a great choice if you plan to practice Power Yoga, which requires lots of bending, sliding and stretching. A sticky mat means you can achieve the various postures required without losing your balance or slipping. It will stay in place while you go through your fast-paced asanas, and is quite thin.

Ultra Double Thickness Mat This is basically just another variety of sticky mat, but it's thick because it's double padded. This gives a cushioning effect when you're practicing yoga. It's certainly very comfortable to use, but can be inconvenient to transport because of its bulk and fabric. Generally these are used for yoga classes, but they can also be beneficial if you have a weak back, elbows or knees.

Travel Mats If you need to transport your yoga mat easily, then this is probably the best option for you. A travel mat is easily foldable because it's so thin, and you can even tuck one into the corner of a suitcase if you need to. They're not very comfortable, so probably aren't the best option if you plan to use them for a prolonged period.

Meditation Mats If you're more interested in the meditation elements of yoga, including breathing control, then a meditation mat is for you. These help you to get into a relaxed, meditative mood, and include a pillow to give you added comfort and assist you in relaxing.