When humanity was limited to their houses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they turned towards Yoga more and more to hold on to the break free passion, courage, patience, resolve, reasonableness and most importantly, mental health. It continued until Yoga finally became an international phenomenon, with more than 300 million people rehearsing it today.
However, everyone do not have the comfort of a garden, lawn, or courtyard close to their home; subsequently, performing yoga on fresh green grass, as everyone should do, is not possible, mainly for those living in busy cities.
This factor has raised an accessory concern to yoga: the yoga mat. The choice of purchasing a yoga mat or not is determined by the branch of yoga you are going to rehearse. The yogas which include relatively more physical activity like Ashtanga Yoga, Acro-Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Power Yoga, Hatha Yoga Restorative, Sivananda Yoga, Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, etc. are better performed on a mat. Why? Here are the reasons explained by the experts:
● What would you do if the floor is not clean and you don’t have a Yoga mat? No one would surely not like to skip your session due to such a situation.
● If you use a mat, modifying or dropping your practice is not needed due to the hardness, slipperiness, or roughness of the floor.
● The chances of strains or cramps are reduced.
● A mat protects you from both germs and colds.
● Individual space is specified along with an increased comfort level.
● A mat can guide the positioning of feet and hands in a better way.
There is a reason behind yoga mats being called “sticky mats.” They give you good grip and comfort while performing an asana. They are available in different sizes and forms to support different yoga styles.
However, mats 10 mm thick or more are okay for all types of yoga. Which size mat will be best for you has to be decided through your height and the amount of padding needed. Generally, yoga mats are of 6 ft. x 2 ft. size. But if you have wider shoulders, a 7ft x 2.5 ft. mat will work best for you.
Best Type Of Mats That Can Be Used For Yoga
Rubber mats
They are easily available in the markets. Apart from that they are natural, renewable, and biodegradable too. Rubber mats have good gripping as well as are reasonably firm. The new hybrid mats alleviate worries like heaviness or strong smell also.
PVC mats
PVC mats are not always of poor quality. Many brands are selling their Pro series yoga mats, which are considerably thicker and almost unbreakable.
TPE mats
Mats made of thermoplastic elastomer are eco-friendly, without smell, and super soft and lightweight, and also prevent slippage. However, they are not much durable.
