Are Yoga Mats Useful?

Yoga mats are an excellent tool for getting the most from your yoga experience.

The practice of yoga can be done with nothing more than your body and mind. But sometimes, certain tools can be quite useful for ensuring you get the most from your yoga. Yoga mats are one of those tools. Yoga mats enhance physical comfort while working out and they provide a nice delineation to your personal work out space to help keep you focused.

Many factors determine which yoga mat will be the best option for you.

One consideration is ease of transport. If you need to travel to and fro to get to class, you don’t want to be wrestling with an over-sized or heavy mat if something smaller or lighter will do the trick. Also, try to give any prospective yoga mats a ‘test drive’ whenever possible. You’re looking to see if the mat is suitably comfortable whether you’re sitting, standing or assuming some of the more challenging asanas.

Is the yoga mat the correct size to accommodate your body’s length and width? Will you comfortably fit on the mat while practicing yoga? If the answer to those questions is no, you may need to select another mat. Keep in mind absorbency as well. Yoga is often a challenging activity. The last thing you want to worry about is pooling moisture causing you to slip. To that end, make sure to select non-slip mats for further stability as well.

A final consideration when selecting yoga mats is maintenance. Is your mat easy to care for? Washable? Does it maintain its absorbency or non-slip characteristics after several uses? These factors all play into finding the most useful yoga mat for you.

So what benefits of yoga mats are the most important for your personal yoga style?

If your goal is to achieve a peaceful meditative state while practicing yoga, a mat designed for this purpose is best. You’re looking for a mat that will promote relaxation, breathing control and calm. Some mats are designed specifically for this purpose by enhancing physical comfort.

Some folks, however, are interested in a more intense yoga workout that focuses on physical challenges. Certain asanas coupled with controlled breathing can indeed require strength, flexibility and movement. For these types of yoga, mats that grip (sometimes called sticky mats) are excellent. The benefits of yoga mats with grip include added safety and stability while you master the challenges of your yoga routine.

While portability is certainly an issue with yoga mats, sometimes it’s much more useful to have a nice thick mat to cushion and support the body. There are double thickness mats created just for this purpose. These are especially useful when working out on hard, uncomfortable floors or if you have issues with knee, back or elbow strength that interfere with a full yoga workout. Again, you may have to balance portability with overall mat thickness and weight. You choice will depend on what’s most important for you. So, take some time to choose the best yoga mat for your personal style.