“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are.” ― Jason Crandell

About 5000 years ago, Yoga originated in ancient India, which helps one get mental, physical and spiritual discipline in life. It helps a person uniting himself with his mind, body, soul and breath by relieving stress, anxiety and keeps you relaxed. There are multiple benefits of yoga if practiced on a regular basis.

The word Yoga makes us think about different yogic asanas, breathing exercises, yoga mats and accessories, clothing, etc. Yoga exercises can be performed as per body requirements whereas shopping for yoga mats and accessories is a bit of a hassle because of the wide availability in the collection of yoga mats and more in the market. Whether you are buying the yoga mats online or from your local markets there are some important things to be considered like: 

  • It should be comfortable and flexible
  • Easy to grip
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to clean

Nowadays yoga has become very popular and with its popularity, we find different yoga props, apparels which include a large variety of yoga mats for flexible stretching as well as for different types of yoga asanas. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced yoga student, a yoga mat is of utmost importance. Therefore, below are some options for yoga mats which will help you choose yoga mats of your choice depending on your needs, style and yoga postures.

1. Sticky Yoga Mats:

One of the most commonly bought and used types of mats are sticky yoga mats. They have a slightly sticky texture which helps in holding a yoga posture for a long time without slipping.

2. Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats:

Eco- friendly yoga mats are made from natural rubber, jute and organic or natural cotton. Natural rubber is a renewable source and yoga mats are made by tapping the rubber from the rubber tree which gives a firm posture to the yogis to hold their asanas for a longer time without slipping. Avoid natural rubber yoga mats if you are allergic to latex.

3. PVC Or VINYL Yoga Mats:

yoga-mat

If you are a beginner and don’t want to experiment then the best tried and tested option is a PVC yoga mat. It is very durable and helps to give a firm grip which avoids slipping.

4. Thickness of the Yoga Mat:

There is a wide range of mats available with different thicknesses.

The standard thickness of a yoga mat is ⅛ inch and the thickest mat is of ¼ inch. Travel mats are also available which are super slim with 1/16 inch thickness, lightweight and easily foldable which makes it easy to carry while traveling.

Though the thickness of the mat should be selected on the basis of an individual’s comfort and cushioning. The thickness of the mat selected should be such that it does not hurt your knees or elbows during the exercises.

5. Colors & Prints of Yoga Mats:

Nowadays yoga mats are available in different colors and prints on it. No doubt the classic plain yoga mats can never be out of trend. Now that you know quite a bit about yoga mats and can easily figure out your choice and style, so get going and grab the one that suits your style and personality.

Above we discussed a lot about yoga mats but along with mats second, comes apparels and accessories which play an equally important role in holding your yoga postures for a longer time and are also comfortable while performing the yoga asanas. A huge collection of yoga mats and more is available online also nowadays which helps you to pick out the best quality mat and style taking care of your budget and time simultaneously.