By Rhonda Schlesinger
Yogis can choose from a plethora of studios and classes of many styles, levels and temperatures. Not surprisingly, there are also many choices when it comes to yoga gear. Let’s talk mats. To start, there are many types of mats to park our down-dogs on. There is no question that yoga was more challenging before the advent of the sticky mat. Today the wood floors in yoga studios are covered with mats in many colors, densities, lengths and widths—even round mats!
Yoga wasn’t always like this. Did you ever wonder how the ancient yogis practiced before “mats” as we know them today? Yoga lore suggests that the mats preferred by some of the revered, ancient yogis were tiger skins; some might have been fortunate enough to practice on softer, deerskin chamois. Truth be known, for most, the bare ground worked just fine.
In more recent times, as yoga emerged on the “exercise” scene, newer practitioners started bringing terry cloth towels or cotton mats to practice. As we know all too well, practicing on a finished wood floor with a cotton towel can lead to a yogic catastrophe.
Then came Angela Farmer.
Angela taught yoga in the London area and gets kudos for being the first person to address the need for a yoga surface that wouldn’t slide around as much. As the story goes, while traveling in Germany, she discovered that a simple piece of carpet padding—yes, that somewhat off-putting, multi-colored squishy material, cut down to size— provided a stable surface on which to practice. She was thrilled to get an improved grip with less strain and fear of slipping.
In 1982, recognizing a potential business opportunity, her father collaborated with a local padding manufacturer and made what we commonly refer to as the “sticky mat.” Unfortunately, they were pricey to ship to the United States and did not hold up all that well.
About 10 years later, Sara Chambers, founder of Hugger Mugger, worked with a chemist to develop a sturdier, stickier mat, designed specifically for yoga. The “tapas mat,” introduced in the early 1990s, was more affordable, more durable and available in an array of colors. But this was only the beginning.
Today you can visit any yoga studio, browse through almost any yoga- or athletic-oriented web site or thumb through a yoga magazine and be overwhelmed with the choices. Before choosing your mat (or mats), it’s important to understand the needs of your body as well as the intensity and the type of yoga you practice.
Let’s have a look at some popular mats:
Manduka Black Mat PRO
manduka.com
Price: around $100
Thickness: 1 inch
Sizes: 26 x 71 inches and 26 x 85 inches
- Known as the Rolls Royce of yoga mats
- These weigh over seven pounds without a yoga bag
Jade Harmony Professional
jadeyoga.com
Price: around $70
Thickness: 3/16 inches
Sizes: 24 x 68 inches or 24 x 74 inches
Made of eco-friendly natural rubber
- Not as thick or cushy as other mats
- Among the stickier mats, it grips very well
- For indoor practitioners and those not practicing on radiant-heated floors
- In my experience, tends to wear out quickly and begins to pill in heavy wear areas
Kind Mat from Vernice Vita (formerly known as the Studio Mat)
vernicevita.com
Price: around $100
Thickness: 1 inch
Sizes: 24 x 68inches or 26 x 70 inches
- Memory-foam-like feel
- Excellent for practitioners with hand or wrist issues, or those looking to soften the impact on their shoulders or when jumping back
- Light, but bulkier than typical mats and likely too thick for most yoga bags
Rhonda Schlesinger is a massage therapist and yoga teacher.
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