Yoga Mats - sticky mats and more
February 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Yoga mats are very important in your every day practice - with the right yoga mat, you can practice anywhere.
Sticky Mats
If you want a mat that is perfect to cover your practice area and provide steadiness when practicing the poses, Sticky Mats are just right for you. These yoga mats are thinly made and come in a variety of colors. They’re light, and easy to take with you.
The good thing about these yoga mats is that they has a guide which show you where to place your feet and hands. If you are a beginner, of course you are not yet oriented and used to the hand and foot placements. These yoga mats are just perfect in mastering those poses. These mats are helpful in preventing you to slip off and sliding.
Here’s a tip to keep the mat sticky. The technique is to sprinkle a small amount of water on the mat and let it air dry. Using sticky mats is appropriate and applicable to all types of yoga.
There are also those ultra thick sticky mats which are known as the Ultra Double Thickness Mats. These yoga mats provide cushioning and stability which is very useful in applying to some certain poses. These ultra thick yoga mats are perfect for Ashtanga practitioners as they move or jump from one pose to another.
Most people love using the ultra thick yoga mats because it provides the most convenient cushioning that no other mats can give. Practitioners use these mats in their classes.
Take yoga with you with a travel mat
Travel Mats, as the name implies are perfect for traveling. If you are the travel-type person and couldnít get away with your daily dosage of yoga exercise, this would be the perfect choice. Travel mats can be thrown in your luggage or suitcase when you are on a trip or on a vacation.
If you are practicing Ashtanga or Bikram Yoga, Cotton Mats are perfect for you. Cotton Mats are made for absorbing sweat. These cotton mats will help you to stay in shape and not slip off. If your mat is not absorbent, then it is quite dangerous because wet surface can be very slippery. The damp mat is good for gripping so that your feet and hands stay just where you place them.
The Yoga Mat Bag is a part of your daily yoga activity. It is perfect for carrying your yoga mats to work, class or anywhere you want to go. You don’t have to miss as session of your yoga practice.
The yoga mat bag has enough space for your extra clothes, water bottle and other accessories.
Choosing a Good Yoga Mat
April 27th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Yoga mats are sold in nearly every variety imaginable. They are made of synthetic materials, all natural materials, and combinations there of. Plus yoga mats can be purchased to compliment any persons taste or style.
There are a few basic categories of yoga mats: sticky mats, natural fiber mats, and natural rubber/vinyl mats. Each mat has its benefits depending on the type of yoga, the person’s individual preference of feel, and the budget allowed for the item. Every store or website a person will search for yoga mats will be faced with many products that all look the same, each claiming to be the best. The best yoga mat is really in the eyes of the beholder.
Some people which are interested in the mat for power yoga (also known as hatha yoga) will be doing more physical activity and are likely to sweat more. For this reason a natural fiber such as cotton or other natural woven fibers would give a better grip while sweating. People interested in using the mat for complete forms of yoga that include relaxation and meditation will want a longer and possibly thicker mat designed for lying stretched out flat. Many of these mats will be made from natural rubber or vinyl depending on the manufacturer.
For stretches and balancing poses many people prefer the security of a sticky mat. These mats are made of PVC a synthetic material which is designed to help people keep their grip. The mats are often light weight and easy to carry.
Buying Basics
Regardless of the exact material to be used for the mat, there are a few basic considerations to be taken with any yoga mat. The yoga mat should be durable; to test the durability some people use a quarter to rub away at a sample of the material counting the strokes. At the end of the test, this person can deduct that the mat that was able to withstand the largest number of strokes is the most durable.
A yoga mat should also be easy to care for. Much like clothing, yoga mats which are machine washable are preferable to mats which require hand washing or other special care. Yoga mats are frequently used on public floors, for sanitation and personal comfort machine washable mats will fit the bill.
Most machine washable mats cannot withstand the spin cycle, for maximum life of the mat it should be removed and allow to air dry flat or hanging. Rolling the mat or folding it before it has had time to dry can also affect its longevity.
Yoga Sandals: 
