My intention with this article of the best yoga mat review is to help you find the best yoga mat for your practice. The benefits of having a good yoga mat are many. Whether you are an experienced yogini or a beginner there is no reason why you shouldn´t have the best yoga mat out there.
Best Yoga Mat Review
The last couple of years I have been falling in love with yoga. It is such a loving practice that teaches so much about how to live life. Yoga doesn’t stress. It just lets you try again. And again. And you will fall. But the yoga mat will catch you. Having a beautiful mat to practice on can make the ritual feel more fun.
Depending on what kind of yoga you practice there are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are buying a new mat. Are you practicing at home or in a studio? Do you love Hatha Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga?
There is no right or wrong yoga. You know what works best for your body. The best yoga practice is the one that keeps you flowing so make it a habit to always return to the practice so that you can live your best life.
Yoga keeps the body humble and the mind in check, the ego can’t be present in the different poses and it is such a beautiful way to honor life. Being alive feels so real after a yoga practice. It is important to remember that the yoga practice doesn’t always have to be so serious and strict. For me, it is a lot about breathing right and feeling the sensations of my body fully. It is about showing respect for the body and honoring the mind-body intelligence. Earth keeps you grounded and the law of nature helps you remember that you need to focus or else you will fall.
Yoga is a balancing act and the best way to listen to your body is to slow down and notice where you are tense and what you can let go of. You can have your head in the clouds but just remember to keep your feet on the ground.
Yoga is a practice, not a competition.
They say that who you are on your yoga mat is who you are in life. That is so true and it changed my perspective about falling and failing. Sometimes the balance isn’t as strong as you want it to be and other times we can’t stretch as much as we want to but yoga allows you to be yourself. It always has your back.
I have been playing with this idea and trying to change the way I respond to life by just letting my body tell me when it is enough. The same way that I can’t always stretch down my hands to my feet on my yoga mat, I might not be able to reach certain goals in life when I want to. But practicing every day or once a week I know I will one day reach down and make a comfortable stretch so I let it take the time it needs.
The same goes for real life. You have to make it a practice to always return to the things that you struggle with and find a new way to reach out and touch the things you have your eyes on with your hands. Sometimes it is completely fine to ask for help. Just as we use props in yoga class to get closer to earth or use a strap to get deeper into the stretch we can apply this thinking to life. Call a friend to help you out if you are struggling. Use a tool to help you accomplish your goals. It is not cheating, it is being smart. Admitting to yourself that you need help is a beautiful way to practice self-love.
Roll out your mat!
For me, one thing I struggle with is, returning to my yoga practice. Sometimes it feels hard to roll out the mat and get started. There are plenty of excuses I can come up with as to why I shouldn´t work on my practice. The most common ones are;
- I don´t have enough time. (Even though I always do.)
- I am too tired. (Get moving and the energy will flow.)
- I have pain in the body. (1 hour of yoga will clear the pain away.)
If you are struggling to find time and motivation to practice yoga I have one tip that will help you get started easier: Get a beautiful yoga mat that you love to roll out and that makes you want to spend all your free time on!
How do I know what mat to choose?
Below I have listed a couple of questions for you to help decide what mat to choose for your practice.
- Grip – Do you sweat a lot? Do you find yourself slippering in the more intense asanas? How does your mat react to the floor?
- Thickness – Do you need a mat that supports your knees in tabletop position? Is it good for your body to have a soft mat? Do you need a 2, 4, 6 or 8-mm mat?
- Weight – Are you carrying your mat around or is it always at home? Do you travel a lot? Do you need a heavy or a lightweight mat?
- Eco-friendly/Vegan – What kind of material do prefer? Is the material sustainable and environment-friendly? Is it PVC-free? How does the mat smell? (Your nose will touch the mat a lot…)
- Maintenance – Is it easy to clean? Does it absorb the sweat or can it be wiped easily?
- Design – Is there a specific color or print you like? Is the design of the mat important to you?
After you have answered these questions I hope you have a better understanding of your own needs and that it helps you to figure out what mat to buy.
I hope you found this review of the best yoga mat to be helpful and that you found it interesting. If you practice yoga I would love to hear about your practice and which mat is your favorite. Please, leave a comment in the section below and let me know more about your yoga experience. Also, if you have any questions about this review I will be more than happy to answer them below!
Namaste,
Pet
8 Comments
Dave
Hallo there Pet,
My wife and I have recently discovered the beauty of yoga and we have decided we are going to be doing it together but we have different mat tases and requirements as have different bodies.
I will use your very helpful post here as well as show my wife to get us the yoga mats of each of our fit.
Thanks a lot for the informative post.
Have a good one.
Pet
Hi Dave,
I am glad that you liked this article and I hope that you guys find the right mat for your practice.
Love,
Pet
Danny
Yoga mats are definitely an essential piece of kit for anyone interested in doing Yoga seriously. I imagine there’s probably a few different uses for the mat too? You could probably use it for regular exercises too, judging by the look of it. Is there any differences between mats for females and males; or are they unisex? Where would you recommend buying a mat from- Amazon? Thanks for sharing this great resource.
Pet
Hi Danny!
To practice yoga you don’t really have to have a mat but it helps and if you like to spend some money on this equipment than I think you should invest in a mat that makes you happy. I don’t think there is a difference between the sexes, they are often marketed to appeal to women but men can use them just as well. Amazon is the easiest place to find your products so sure why not. But I like to buy my mat from real yoga companies.
bigbux1
Honestly..having a quite interest on a thing is very good but getting a material that will enhance the interest and spur more passion into it of great value.I think yoga mat has come to fill the gap for most of us who initially had interest to be a yogini but without something to enhance the interest.Honestly with the help of yoga mat, interest to always glue to constant practice is in place especially for beginner like me..lol
Pet
Nice to hear that you agree with me 😉
Love,
Pet
Tina
Hi!
This a good article. I didn’t realize that there are so many factors to consider when buying a mat. I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for a few years now myself. I picked it up as a supplementary exercise to martial arts and begin to use it more after I had my baby to help strengthen my core.
I’m looking to replace the mat that I have with a new one. I do not know the difference between the styles of yoga (if that’s even the right word for it). But I practice holding stances for at least a minute if not longer. I also like to go for poses that are very challenging so I can burn the most calories. In that, I end up sweating a lot. I have carpet in my house so I’m not doing this on a hard surface. And patterns do not really matter to me. Do you have a recommendation on a mat?
Pet
Hi Tina!
Sounds like you need a cushioned mat that can soak up the sweat and stay in place. Look for a mat that has a rubber grip maybe on both sides. Sounds like a good combo with martial art and core strengthening practice. Hope you find a mat that suits your need.
Love,
Pet