Yoga Mats Are Like Falling in Love
(Photo by Kastasha Harris/Pexels)
When I was a newbie to the yoga world, I was more focused on getting the moves right instead of focusing on the comfort and strength of my mat.
As I deepened my practice, I discovered the difference between each yoga mat. Each mat a different feel, security, and comfort to my practice.
Some mats protected my movement while others, increased my slip and slide. One thing to pay attention to is not one mat fits one person.
In a realistic world there will be one mat that caters to every need you have within your yoga journey.
That is why I compare a yoga mat to falling in love, has someone ever told you that we have three great loves in our lives?
If not, we have the love that we experience when were young. The one where we are just starting out and getting to experience things.
Then, we have our second love where it challenges us but helps us grow and lastly, there is the third love, the one we do not see coming; the one we are unaware could feel this good.
The same thing goes for finding that one yoga mat that touches and takes our mind, body, and soul to a higher level.
With the experience of having numerous mats, I decided to list the top 6 yoga mats to look out for during 2021.
Keep in mind I have selected mats that are beneficial regardless if you are a new yogi, intermediate yogi, or advanced yogi.
Manduka Pro:
The Manduka Pro mat comes in two sizes 180 cm and 215 cm, this mat provides you with a selection of wonderful colors.
One of the many things I love about this mat is that it lasts a lifetime. This mat will provide you support, stability, and comfort.
The Manduka mats always make sure you can hold each pose without slipping and sliding around whether you have location on your feet or baby oil.
This mat also makes sure that no moisture will go into your mat, which prevents bacteria from building up on your mat.
Lastly, this mat is great for anyone that needs a good amount of cushion for your knees or elbows. It is important to be able to do yoga with comfort.
Liforme Yoga Mat:
The Liforme Yoga mat comes in one size which is 185 cm long and 68 cm wide. This mat also weighs about 2.5 kg, which is pretty light weight.
This brand is one of the yoga mat brands to watch for because; their mats allow you to still have a great grip if you are doing hot yoga such as bikram or hot vinyasa.
The Liforme Yoga mat is biodegradable and planet friendly. In addition to providing great yoga mats, they also provide a beginner guide for new yoga students which is a great way to give back.
Gaiam Performance Grip Yoga Mat:
The Gaiam Performance Grip Yoga mat is a great beginner mat, this mat allows you get to deeper into your poses.
This mat is one of their best-selling mats due to the premium cushion that it provides, and Gaiam provides a lifetime guarantee.
The Gaiam Performance Grip mat was created to encourage easy movement and mindfulness to help your practice feel as comfortable as possible.
Jade Yoga Voyager Mat:
The Jade Yoga Voyager mat is a wonderful travel mat, it is a great portable travel mat.
This mat is easy to carry and can fold up to a size of a yoga block, which is wonderful if you are travel on the road or on a plane.
The Jade Yoga Voyager mat is also affordable, and comes in attractive colors such as olive, blue, red, or purple.
The Voyager mat is also an eco-friendly yoga mat.
Alo Yoga Warrior Mat:
The Alo Yoga Warrior mat will provide with all around support whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced.
This mat is a hundred percent non-toxic with a variety of attractive colors. The mat also is made with long lasting quality.
The Alo Yoga Warrior mat is a little on the heavier side and the dimensions are 6.2 ft x 2.2ft x 4.2 mm.
With this mat, you never have to worry about having enough room or support to complete a session peacefully.
The Atmananda Yoga Alignment Mat:
The Atmananda Yoga Alignment mat is another beginner-friendly mat that provides you with different sizes to fit your need.
The sizes consist of small which is 24” wide and 64” long, this mat is perfect for people that are 5’2” and below.
The next size is medium which is 24” wide and 68” long, this mat is perfect for people that are 5’3” to 5’6”
The last size is large which is 24” wide and 72” long, this mat is perfect for people that are 5’7” and above.
The Atmananda Yoga Alignment mat is eco-friendly and made with material that will support your wrists.
Being able to use a mat that supports your alignment not only gives you amazing support but, will allow you to deepen each pose with confidence.
As you can see each mat is made with the intent of support, security, and confidence. It is up to you to decide which mat you want to add to your yoga journey whether it is one or all six of them.
Each mat will help you during each part of your yoga journey as you improve and deepen your practice.
As you deepen your practice your mind, body, and soul will require different comfort to get you through your practice.
This why I compare falling in love to choosing a yoga mat because; each mat you will learn a lesson, you will experience trying times with your mat, you will experience a release with your mat and lastly, you will be surprised by the mat that you needed and wanted all along.
