Yoga is quite popular in today’s time and is proving quite beneficial to everyone. It has been one of the main impetuses for a decent wellbeing. There have been numerous changes in the continuous routine of the fundamental yoga asanas. It has turned out to be more helpful in the right positions and appropriate balance. There have been occurrences where you feel that you have been doing all the yoga asanas instructed on the planet, however, don’t appear to do any wonders to your body. This can be changed by having the best Yoga Mat which can prove to be exceptionally helpful.
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What is a Yoga Mat?
Yoga mats are specially designed mats used while performing yoga to prevent you from slipping during asana practice. They are also known as the non-skid mats, non-slip mats or sticky mats.
There are distinctive sorts and styles of yoga mats which may vary as indicated by the requirements of the people. These mats can be of various sizes, qualities, density, thickness, hues, surfaces and materials. The yoga mats are chiefly used to bring an improvement in your balance and coordination which you may need to perform asanas. Some asana are firmly established with your posture, so enhancing your posture and balance would also help in enhancing your health. The range of diverse mats is a match for different purposes as they help in making that demonstration of balance in your body. It might be an alternate feeling initially, however you will get accustomed to it over the long haul.
The use of these mats may forestall wounds which might be created by the tricky surface. It is prudent to perform yoga on a mat instead of on the exposed floor. The mat keeps your body warm and the energy which is produced remains in your body as opposed to passed on to the floor. It is a sort of padding which makes your asanas more accurate. There are distinctive sizes of mats contingent on the person. Children can also perform yoga which is great and you can discover mats of their size too.
Top reasons to buy a Yoga Mat
Here are some of the top reasons to buy a yoga mat:
- Traction: An essential function of a yoga mat is to provide you with better traction while you’re performing yoga postures. Positioning yourself as vital for some yoga stances requires your feet to be emphatically planted on the ground. Not having great traction could bring about harm from slipping and falling. Regardless of the possibility that you don’t fall, it can be hard to completely focus on your breathing and postures when your feet continue sliding on the hardwood floor.
- Padding: Although this is not its primary function, padding between your body and the floor is a major advantage of a yoga mat. Numerous yoga mats are thin, yet thicker mats have turned out to be better known. Thick and additional thick yoga mats are decent for heavier-than-normal people or any other individual who needs somewhat more solace out of their yoga mat.
- Improved balance: A yoga mat can really enhance your balance. The delicate surface gives your feet a chance to sink only a tiny bit, giving your foot more support. The delicate base additionally permits your foot to move less demanding and all the more inconspicuously for minor modification important to balance.
- Warmth: Yoga mats give a protecting layer against floors that can in some cases is frosty. Lying on the cool floor is awkward, as well as causes your muscles to lose their glow, making stretching more troublesome.
Factors to consider before buying a Yoga Mat
You need to choose a yoga mat which is affordable by you. These mats can last for many years so you need to check well before buying a mat. There are mats of various thicknesses so accordingly, you can make a choice. Some mats join cushions which can likewise be utilized as a feature of the gear for your asanas. By sitting and feeling the surface of the mat can help you in picking your mat. The mat which makes you most comfortable is the one made for you. It is up to your attentiveness which mat would be most comfortable. The distinctive hues and diverse brands in the market make your work simpler.
Here are some of the factors which you need to consider while buying a yoga mat:
- Thickness
The thickness of your yoga mat has a considerable measure to do with how comfortable it is — too thin, and your knee may get beat up amid bow rush. The trade-off is that thick yoga mats can make it harder for you to feel a solid association with the floor, making you all the shakier in Tree Pose, for instance.
A standard yoga mat is around 1/8 inch thick, while the thickest are around 1/4 inch. There are likewise skinny yoga mats, often known as travel yoga mats that are just 1/16 inch thick. They can easily be folded and light in weight.
- Material
The material your yoga mat is made of directs its surface, stickiness, eco-friendliness and lightness, and how it wears after some time.
Most standard yoga mats are made of PVC, also called vinyl. More up to date, more eco-friendly option incorporates characteristic and reused elastic, jute, and natural cotton or regular cotton.
- Texture
Traction of a mat depends upon the texture it has. Just like stickiness, texture also affects how much sliding and slipping you do. It gives physical obstructions to sliding. Since texture affects the way a yoga mat feels it’s also a great feature to look for overall comfort.
Texture can be either artificial or dictated by the materials — for example; jute yoga mats have a natural roughness to them, while PVC yoga mats, however somewhat finished, have a gentler vibe.
There’s a yoga mat texture to suit each impulse — from totally smooth to out and out harsh.
In the event that smoothness is of prime significance to you, a PVC yoga mat is the best option. In case you relish stickiness, however, are interested in the more up to date, more eco-friendly options, do test a few before buying anyone.
- Stickiness
A sticky yoga mat shields you from sliding everywhere and helps you keep up your arrangement as you move starting with one posture then onto the next, and when you hold postures for a few seconds.
PVC yoga mats have the most noteworthy sticky variable.
- Eco-Friendliness
As yogis, we hold dear the fundamental of ahinsa, or peacefulness. That makes honing on a yoga mat that will at last wind up stopping up a landfill for a considerable length of time to come troublesome.
Eco-friendly yoga mats are ordinarily produced using characteristic or reused elastic. These yoga mats may likewise incorporate normal materials, for example, jute or natural cotton.
If eco-friendliness is vital to you, maintain a strategic distance from yoga mats made of PVC, which does not break down in landfills and is troublesome and expensive to reuse. Jute, elastic and cotton yoga mats, while accessible in a scope of thicknesses, have a tendency to be thicker and slicker than PVC mats. You can get a yoga mat that is eco-friendly, has a thickness that addresses your issues for solace and movability, and has a surface, that anticipates slippage.
- Price Range
Normally, an essential 1/8 inch thick, plain strong shading PVC sticky yoga mat will be toward the low end of the value go. From that point you may pay more for examples, plans or logos; premium thickness; antimicrobial medicines; and cool surfaces, particularly raised material examples. Eco-accommodating yoga mats have a tendency to be toward the high end of the value goes.
- Style
Once you’ve limited your choices as per the material, thickness, stickiness, texture, price and eco-friendliness, there’s just a single variable left: style! So simply go ahead and pick your most loved shading, print or pattern.
Top 4 Best Yoga Mat Reviews of 2020
1. Sivan Health and Fitness NBR comfort foam Yoga Mat
It is one of the thickest mats available in the market. It has memory foam and offers superior impact absorption and comfort. It has non-skid ridges which ensure that the mat will never slip during use. The mat has an integrated carry strap for your convenience and wipes easily and quickly.
Its key features:
- Its 71 inches long and 24 inches wide
- It ensures comfort for people of all shapes and sizes
- Ideal for Pilates, yoga, stretching and toning workouts.
- It is 1/3 inches ultra thick mat specially designed memory foam. It is thick enough to protect your knees and joints while allowing you to grip the floor for proper balance.
- It has a ribbed surface on one side with a smooth surface on the other. It has non-slip surface grips to provide floor grip and to prevent injuries
- It’s easy to clean, durable and made up of long lasting material.
2. Gaiam Print Premium Yoga Mats
It is one of the extra-thick print premium yoga mats which provide a stable, non slip surface for your yoga practice. It is perfect to use in a studio or home. This mat provides extra cushioning to help protect joints and knees. You will love the prints of this yoga mat.
Its key features are:
- It is lightweight, extra thick for additional cushioning and durable
- It has a non slip surface for excellent traction
- its 68inch longs, 24 inches wide and 5mm thick
3. Gaiam Print Premium Reversible Yoga Mats
It is one of the most durable and chic yoga mats available in the market. It provides a stable, sticky non slip surface for your yoga practice. It’s perfect to use in the home or in the studio. This mat ensures safety and comfort you need to enhance proper balance and to maintain proper posture. It doesn’t have any harmful phthalates, which makes it a healthier choice for you and the planet.
Its key features are:
- Lightweight, durable and has extra cushioning with extra thickness
- Reversible textures sticky non slip surface to provide excellent traction
- Its 68 inches long, 24 inches wide and 5mm thick.
4. Gaiam Print Yoga Mats
It is perfect for home and studio usage. These 3 mm thick mats will provide you with the best cushioning as per your body requirement to enhance proper alignment and help you in maintaining postures. Your hands and feet will love the stability which is being provided by this mat. These mats are lightweight PVC, latex free and have no harmful phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DINP, BBP, DNOP and DIDP)
Its key features are:
- Its durable and quite light in weight
- It has non slip texture surface for excellent traction
- Its 68 inches long, 24 inches wide and 3 mm thick
Since you love practicing yoga, you must do it in the proper way for which you need a yoga mat. Investing in a yoga mat will only help you in practicing more asanas properly and accurately. Your mat should be your island where you can practice yoga without any worry of slipping or falling.
Try few of the yoga mats first and then decide which one you want to purchase. When you will find the right yoga mat, you will see the difference in your practice yourself. Consider the factors above and as per your requirements and need you can select the best yoga mat.
