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How Do You Choose the Best Yoga Mat?

Yoga has become a popular method of staying healthy and fit nowadays. When practicing yoga, a good yoga mat is very important.  However, many people still work out on slippery towels or over-soft gym cushions that often lead to injuries. As a result, most gyms and yoga studios provide mats for the trainees, but a more hygienic way is to own one yourself.

There are several kinds of options available in the market, and many mats can work perfectly for any yoga style. However, in most cases, the choice becomes a personal preference. Therefore, this article helps to buy premium large yoga mat usa according to your likeability.

Thickness

There are various kinds of yoga mats available in the market, weighing 7lbs or even just 2lbs. However, if you are confused about choosing one, then start with a mat that’s just about 3.175 mm. These mats will be good for people with continuous practice, as the base stays in solid contact with the floor, including stability while doing various poses. Compared to thick mats, these mats allow more fluidity when shifting from one pose to another.

Therefore, thin mats are great for increasing stability, while yoga prioritizes more focused balance poses or active poses.

On the contrary, thick mats are useful for extra cushioning and are ideal for therapeutic practices. Hence, cushioned and software mats are perfect during restorative yoga that focuses on fewer poses for longer periods. Moreover, for people with achy joints or tender knees, a good quality yoga mat is the one that provides comfort to their forearms and kneeling poses. However, the only downside of thicker mats is that reduced balance during standing poses.

People who like to perform yoga while on the move can go for portable travel mats. These mats are light, thin, and smaller than the traditional ones. Hence, they are easy to carry but have less cushioning. Therefore, now anyone can buy yoga mat online depending on their preferences.

Building Material

Apart from thickness, the building material and durability are also important while choosing the best quality yoga mat. Various kinds of materials are available, ranging from PVC to environmentally-friendly natural rubber. However, the material will directly affect the mat’s grip, durability, weight, and cost. Usually, a thicker mat is a more durable yoga mat than the thinner one.

One popular component for yoga mats is PVC which is plastic-based and durable. They have a good floor clip and can be cleaned easily. However, these mats become slippery when a person sweats heavily since they are non-absorbent. Moreover, PVC mats are also non-biodegradable and hence not environment-friendly.

Another popular material is TPE or Thermoplastic Elastomer. These are usually created from rubber and plastic polymers and are more environment-friendly than PVC, some fully recyclable. However, these mats are less durable than PVC mats but have good traction.

Finally, there are also eco-mats derived from various sources such as natural rubber, jute, and cotton. However, although they have a little less grip on the floor, there is much traction. Moreover, these are less durable than PVC mats but have better sustainability.

Therefore these are some of the factors that you should look into while you want to buy a yoga mat.