The yoga mat you will buy will be your companion for a long time throughout the sessions. Isn?t it smart that you make the right choice from the start?
If you?ve recently started learning yoga, then you are going to need a yoga mat very soon. Your practice sessions can be a lot easier and comfortable if you choose the right product. With hundreds of online yoga mat buying options, you will get confused. So, we take the responsibility to help you understand how to understand the difference between the various types of mats available and choose the one that fits your needs.
Start By Understanding Your Level
Beginner Level
For an absolute beginner, knowing everything about what they need in the mat for yoga is challenging. So, let us inform you about what you need. In the beginning, the grip and thickness matter the most. You will be doing Hatha, Yin, Prenatal, or Restorative yoga for starters. They require more focus on the postures, and you?ll be more in contact with the floor. Hence, you need a greater comfort level which can be provided by mats of thickness between 5 to 8 mm.
Intermediate Level
At this level, the mat for yoga you are going to need will focus on medium intensity practice. The sessions will involve working on muscles, and you?ll sweat a lot. Because this is a transitioning level, you will need a mat again in the same thickness from 5 to 8 mm but with better quality for long hours of practice.
Advanced Level
Advance yoga practitioners are going to need a thinner mat as they will be indulging in the standing poses of yoga. Instead of comfort, the needs will be stability and grip. Hence, it?s better to get a yoga mat which has a thickness of 1 mm to 5 mm maximum. Also, it will be better if you purchase a pure rubber mat that can offer a firm grip.
Points To Consider While Buying A Mat for Yoga
The first thing people pay attention to is the price for yoga mat. However, other factors have more significance. We are listing them for you so that you can make a more knowledgeable decision.
1: Thickness & Weight
A mat for yoga has different dimensions than other mats and also have lightweight to make it easier to carry around. You can easily find a ? inch mat with only 7 pounds of weight. If you have no idea of what you need, then buy a standard 1/8 inch thick mat for a smooth practice flow. It?ll give you solid contact with the floor that is needed for many poses.
For restorative and therapeutic practices, more thickness will be better to comfort in kneeling positions and forearms. But remember these mats will make it hard for you to maintain the balance during standing postures.
2: Material & Durability
While looking online for yoga mats, people can?t see the material and touch it to know the quality. As a result, they mostly purchase the one with more thickness thinking that it?ll last longer. So, know this beforehand, the price for yoga mat won?t change with the thickness. It changes with the material. High-quality material means better durability and high prices. The best material for a yoga mat includes PVC, TPE, and Natural mats like rubber, cotton, or jute.
All these materials have different properties and offer slightly different benefits. For example, PVC is a non-biodegradable material that is not good for the environment, whereas it offers durability and better grip. Thermoplastic Elastomer, otherwise known as TPE, is a blend of plastic and rubber polymers. It is environment friendly but less durable than PVC. However, they are still an excellent option for traction.
Now, to talk about the natural mats, their grip to the floor is not optimal but offers a good amount of traction for hands and feet. If sustainability is your priority, then eco mats are the best choice.
3: Price
The third factor to reflect on while buying a yoga mat online is the price. Believe it or not, but indulging yourself in yoga can be expensive. So, if you are looking at the price for yoga mat, you?ll realize that it?s best to invest once in a better product than buying a cheap one. Additional features like antimicrobial treatments, designs, covering, etc. will also add to the overall cost. If you are new, then buying a less expensive one would be fine. After you get the hang of yoga and move to the intermediate level, you can upgrade and pick another one.
The Store Zilla has the best mat for yoga at affordable prices and high-quality. You can choose to procure the mat from the site. If not, you now have a guide that can help you with the decision. And if Yoga is not for you, then these mats can be used for strength training, at-home exercises, and pilates sessions as well.
