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Yoga Mats - Are They All Created Equal?
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Yoga mats are a basic part of every practice. What you might not realize is that there are several types of yoga mats that you can choose from.
Sticky Mats
These yoga mats offer a covering for your practice area, as well as some stability for you when doing poses. They are thin, lightweight, and come in a variety of colors. Some of them have guide marks on them to illustrate proper hand and foot placements. In order for these mats to be sticky and prevent you from slipping and sliding, you need to sprinkle them with a small amount of water and let them air dry. You can use these mats for most types of yoga.
Ultra Double Thickness Mats
These yoga mats are basically sticky mats that are ultra thick. They provide both stability and cushioning which is useful in certain poses. They can be a great choice for Astanga practitioners who often jump from one pose to another. I personally love the ultra thick mats because of the extra cushioning they provide. It is the only type I take with me to classes.
Travel Mats
This type of yoga mat is great to throw in your suitcase or carryon luggage when you are on the go, so you can practice no matter where you are. Travel yoga mats are very thin. You would use one either on a carpeted floor or on top of a towel or blanket on a floor that isn't carpeted.
Cotton Mats
These yoga mats are excellent for those types of yoga that traditionally cause you to sweat a lot such as Astanga or Bikram. Because they absorb sweat, they help keep you from slipping and sliding during these heat-producing practices. They work best when they are sprinkled with a small amount of water. The damp mat gives you a good amount of traction so your hands and feet stay where you place them. Many of them have lines in the patterns, which can help with your body alignment.
Cotton mats also provide cushioning. They can substitute for blankets by helping to bolster your body during certain asanas. Some people use cotton mats over sticky mats during their practice.
Yoga Mat Bag
A yoga mat bag is a great accessory for carrying your yoga mat or mats to class, work, or anywhere else you need to go. Many have extra space where you can put your keys, water bottle, and tee shirt. The bag protects your mat and helps make it easier for you to transport your yoga gear.
Now that you know about the different yoga mats that are available and what each one does, you choose the right mat or mats for you.
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
MORE RESOURCES:
Health Calendar: Yoga for seniors; infant CPR Dallas Morning News, TX - Discover Yoga for Seniors and Body Recall taught Monday, Wednesday and Friday through March 13 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road at ... |
Resolve to practice Yoga KSEE, CA - By KSEE News Marie Dibona from Coil Yoga is live in the KSEE 24 studios to show you how Yoga can become part of your New Year resolution. ... |
Practice Yoga for Better Orgasms Mom Logic, CA - We've always known yoga is an effective exercise and helpful for relaxation -- but it turns out it's also a great way to spice up your sex life. ... Another Reason to Exercise: Better Sex Through Yoga |
Sports Yoga Classes now offered at North Myrtle Beach Community Center NorthMyrtleBeachOnline.com, SC - Sport yoga is a modern practice utilizing various forms of yoga, Pilates mat work and sport stretching techniques in order to strengthen muscles, ... |
 Examiner.com | Do you need to detox? Try this yoga move. Examiner.com - I'm not talking about the master cleanse diet, or even the eat clean diet, but rather simple detoxifying yoga moves. A few simple yoga moves can really open ... |
Renu Yoga Launches New Line of Organic Cotton Athletic Wear, Other ... PR Web (press release), WA - Oakland, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2009 -- Renu Yoga, an LA based manufacturer has launched a new line of organic cotton apparel. ... |
Yoga to fill Delano space when bath shop moves The Wichita Eagle, KS - She's able to make the move because Adrian Tartler decided to take over her space at 535 W. Douglas for Siva, a wellness business that focuses on yoga, ... |
Anna Portela: Benefits of Group Yoga EmpowHer, AZ - I’ve practiced hatha yoga, which consists of postures and breathing exercises, for a number of years in my living room, with the aid of a book. ... |
Palm Yoga to offers free kids Yoga in Carrollwood Temple Terrace University Beacon, FL - Rebecca Wood-Deichert, owner of Palm Yoga, will teach the class. Wood-Deichert has taught yoga since 1998. She holds two teaching certificates, ... |
Health from the inside out Dallas Morning News, TX - A series of yoga-related poses – the "five Tibetans," which Dailey gleaned from Peter Kelder's book, Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth: Book 1 ... |
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