Different Yoga Mat Types
May 17, 2009 by Robert Probert
Filed under Health
The practice of yoga has been continuously increasing over the years of its existence. This is mainly due to its many health benefits to the practitioner. If you are interested in trying out yoga, you must first know the thing that you need to have. There is no specific apparel or uniform for yoga, you just need to wear loose and comfortable clothes allowing you to move freely. You may also need to have yoga mat for your yoga exercises.
The yoga mat is a must in this kind of practice. This is can provide cushion that the body needs during meditations and postures. As the demand for this mat has increased over the years and so are the types of the mats. However, whatever the type is, the purpose of the mat stays the same. It still provides a non-slip surface allowing the practitioners to shift between poses without the risk of an accident.
The most common mats are sticky mats, cotton mats, traveling rubber mats and cheap mats containing PVC. Each of these mats has a different feature and purpose. An example for this is the cotton yoga mat, which you commonly find in yoga class. They are mats that can give optimum comfort but are heavy. Thus, they remain in place where the yoga exercise is done.
If you usually travel or you prefer attending different yoga class, then the traveler yoga mat is best suited for you. Some of the features of this mat are its light and flexible. This would allow the user to fold or roll the mat up to fit in any small bag making it easy to transport. This type of is lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around.
The other type used commonly is the mat that has PVC contents. This type of yoga mat is actually different types of mats that have synthetic chemicals in them. You can buy them cheap from any sporting goods stores. However, prolonged usage of such mat is not good for the body. This is because PVC has numerous adverse effects to the user.
Sticky yoga mat is also getting popular lately. The mat gives a perfect traction allowing the user to perform even the most complicated yoga positions. This can help avoid injuries sustained from accidental slipping when trying out a yoga pose. Such mat is available in stores that specifically focus on yoga accessories and apparels.
Moreover, some mats are not just for practical use. There are also mats for the aesthetic sense. The yoga mat that you commonly see has a plain color. However, there are also mats that have unique designs or colors. The popular designs that you will find today are the zebra stripes, leopard dots, lotus flower and hibiscus.
For a patterned yoga mat there different designs like hibiscus, lotus, zebra stripes, leopard dots, simple dots and stripes. To make it even more personal, some stores offer services such as putting a picture chosen by you on the prints of the mat. To look for such yoga mats you can go online and make a search through the Internet. With these mats, you can now do yoga with style.
