It's the details in a good quality yoga mat that help yogis take their yoga practice to the next level. So, here are 5 things to look out for in a good quality yoga mat
One of the most important things for yoga practice is a good yoga mat. It is the first step towards a successful and enjoyable yoga journey.
As your mastery of challenging yoga poses increases, the need for a good quality yoga mat increases as well.
In general, a good quality yoga mat enables yogis to remain focused on achieving the desired yoga pose without worrying about slipping.
We look at five things that any good yoga mat in Singapore should have.
Yoga Mat Material
Most exercise and yoga mats available in Singapore are usually made with PVC. This material generally offers a good grip on the yoga mat, and is easy to clean. However, PVC is a material that is not very durable—it can tear easily.
A good quality yoga mat material is natural rubber, which is an eco-friendly material for yoga mats. Some can also be ingrained with natural fibres like jute.
One thing to consider when buying yoga mats are allergies. While rubber yoga mats are better quality than yoga mats made from PVC, avoid rubber yoga mats if you have an allergy to latex. Instead, opt for good quality cotton or wool yoga mats.
Yoga Mat Grip
Yoga beginners will already realise that a yoga mat with a good grip allows the yoga newbie to hold poses with better ease. More advanced yogis will require the strong traction and grip of a good quality yoga mat to maintain advanced yoga poses with ease. How to tell that the yoga mat has a good grip? When you experience minimal sliding despite having sweaty palms. Take note especially if you are doing outdoor yoga in our humid weather.
Yoga Mat Thickness
The thickness of a yoga mat determines how comfortable it will be to use the yoga mat. The standard thickness of yoga mats is 4mm to 5mm, although some yoga mats can be as thin as 3mm.
Despite being of good quality, a yoga mat that is thin may not provide sufficient cushioning for poses that require placing knees on the yoga mat for balance. Conversely, a yoga mat that is too thick results in more distance from the floor, and may cause difficulty in achieving balance for poses on one foot, such as the tree pose.
Weight of Yoga Mat
The fast-paced, mobile lifestyle of yogis in Singapore does not stop us from bringing our yoga practice with us. We just bring our good quality yoga mat along with us to flow wherever we are in Singapore! Thus, weight is an important factor for the mobile and travelling yogi when choosing a good quality yoga mat.
Most brands (lululemon, Manduka, Alo, Madana, lorna Jane ) that carry yoga mats will also have a travel yoga mat. These travel mats can be folded to be placed into a bag, are lightweight, and can easily be washed in a washing machine. This is also the best good quality yoga mat to bring along for practicing yoga on, when travelling out of Singapore for a holiday.
High Performance Durable Yoga Mat
One of the core ideologies of yoga is ahimsa, which is a compassion for living things by being considerate and not doing harm to any living beings. One of the ways of having ahimsa through yoga is by buying a high performance quality yoga mat—when the mat is durable, it is sustainable, and this means less resources are used or will pollute the earth. So when you flow on a sustainable good quality yoga mat, you are both building on your yoga practice while living in ahimsa.