If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you wouldn’t have any doubt that the yoga mat is the basic, essential element in successful practice. As a beginner you may have purchased a mat without giving much thought to it. Newbies generally rely on what others in the group have purchased, or your instructor may have provided useful tips. While these are no doubt key elements in your decision, there are several other factors that come into play while zeroing in on the perfect yoga mat.
Before we tackle the issue of how to find the perfect mat, it’s great to understand the background and history of the yoga mat.
Where It All Began
The first thing to keep in mind when talking about yoga mats is that they are different from skipping mats, gym, aerobics, Pilates or weight training mats. Yoga mats have a very different function and intention. While all mats are intended to offer protection, safety and comfort, yoga mats are specially designed for better grip and slip prevention. Since the practice of yoga requires various positions such as standing, sitting, twisting and lying down, your yoga mat helps to enhance the practice and make it more effective.
The story of yoga mats is closely linked to the origins of yoga itself. Ancient yogis practiced meditation on bare ground or grass, and sometimes while seated on an animal skin.
As yoga became popular as a form of exercise especially in Western countries, mats made of cotton found favor. Thick towels were also used. It was by chance that an English yoga instructor found that carpet underlay cut to the right dimensions was a good option. This caught the public imagination, and sales boomed. However, this material was not durable and the material was too brittle to last.
Later, several other materials were used and today you can buy mats made from PVC, natural rubber, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), cork or hessian layer on rubber, hemp, cotton, wool and more. Pricing is wildly different across countries, materials, brands and markets. You can get a basic mat for as little as $50 and go all the way up to thousands of dollars if you’re brand conscious.
You can find the best eco-friendly yoga mat online at reputed websites too.
Do You Really Need a Yoga Mat?
While there are compelling arguments to be made on both sides of this question, in the final analysis, most people agree that it is almost impossible to practice yoga without a mat.
Yoga mats:
- Provide grip and stability
- Absorb perspiration
- Keep the floor clean and dry
- Provide a barrier against dirt and pollution from the floor
- Protect the body against injury and friction burn
- Prevent slipping and sliding
- Allow you to hold complex poses for longer
- Ensure balance for active poses
- Provide comfort and cushioning
- Ensures even temperature during hot or cold days
How To Select The Right Yoga Mat
Authentic yoga deeply rooted in philosophy goes above and beyond props and mere physical aspects. However, today there are hundreds of variations on traditional yoga, and these are practiced keeping different goals in mind. Some are for weight loss, others are for maintaining fitness and flexibility, to combat medical conditions, manage stress or to promote wellness and general mental and physical health.
Whatever your personal health and fitness yoga goal, a yoga mat is an essential accessory. Practicing on the bare floor can injure your joints and make it difficult for you to sustain longer and more complex poses. Sitting on hard floors is uncomfortable and can distract your mind from staying focused and calm. If you practice in a group or in a gym or studio, they may provide mats for all participants. This is not a good option in terms of hygiene and personal cleanliness.
It is crucial that you select the right yoga mat because an unsuitable one can not only cause damage, but can counteract all the benefits that yoga offers.
- Examine and analyze: the type, style and level of yoga that you will practice. For more active styles such as power yoga, ashtanga or vinyasa yoga, you will need a mat with more grip. If you are a beginner, you can buy a basic yoga mat and upgrade as you progress.
- Thickness: Yoga mats can range in thickness from 1/8th inch to 1/4th inch, and you can choose the one that best aligns with your needs and preferences. You can purchase a separate mat for travel that’s super thin and easy to store.
- Weight: Choose mats that sync with the style of yoga you practice. Some mats are lightweight and weigh just 2lbs, while at the other end of the range you can purchase mats that weigh a hefty 7lbs. Standard mats weigh somewhere in between and provide firmness and stability. Your own body weight is another factor that you have to consider.
- Right Outlet: Avoid buying your yoga mat from a discount store or even a sporting goods store. Instead, visit a yoga-specific outlet and talk to an in-house knowledgeable expert. They can advise you and help you to buy the most appropriate mat.
- Texture: You may find yoga mats that offer super cushioning and are foamy or fluffy. Avoid buying these as they don’t give you the right support. Some mats have raised bumps or patterns that can be uncomfortable when you sit or kneel on them for a long time. PVC mats tend to wear out in places of high impact and the surface becomes uneven. If you like mats that have design or alignment guidelines, ensure that they are non-fade and don’t interfere with your comfort.
- Price: This is a matter of personal preference and your own financial status. Remember that it doesn’t have to be about brands, and buying a mat endorsed by a celeb can put you back by more than the mat is worth. Being status conscious or looking for bragging rights goes against the very spirit of yoga. But cheaper is not always better. While buying your mat, get a combination of quality, purpose and price together and select the one that best fits these parameters.
- Grip: This is of paramount importance, because it’s easy to injure yourself when you use a mat that slides or slips. Try out the mat for grip and stickiness on the kind of floor you aim to practice on before you make your purchase.
- Material: This is again a matter of personal choice. Your personal philosophy may lean towards eco-friendliness and natural materials, in which case you can select natural rubber, jute or cotton mats. Choose a material that is easy to clean and fast drying.