Buying Yoga Mats

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Ashley Ludman from Seaside Yoga, here to review yoga mats. First of all, it is important for you to obtain your own yoga mat if you are engaged in a consistent yoga practice. Most studios or gyms will have yoga mats available to you, but to ensure proper hygiene, I will definitely recommend that you get your own and only practice on your own mat. So, depending on the style of yoga that you practice, you may want to invest in different types of mats. I have a few different styles here. The first one, this is a standard mat. And you can find these standard mats, called tapas mats or sticky mats. You can find them at most retail stores or on web sites. They are not very thick, they do have a little bit of traction, depending on the amount that you invest on your mat, you have different qualities mats that go in the $10-$15 range, they tend to have less traction. You might find yourself sliding on your yoga mat when you're in a pose like downward facing dog. So, if that's the case and you have slippery hands or slippery feet, I would recommend some of these eco-friendly mats. This is a mat made by Jade Yoga and has quite a bit of traction. And, this one in particular has a pretty intense thickness. This is about five sixteens of an inch thick. And, has a lot of traction and is pretty durable. You want to make sure that you don't dry these out in the sunlight, because they will loose their traction. And, this black mat that I'm sitting on, this is a style of mat that has greater density and it is pretty firm. You are not going to have any movement here. This is called a manduka mat, and different distributors have different mats that have the same density and thickness. This also about five sixteen's of an inch thick. It weighs a little more, about seven pounds, but you will never replace this mat. You will use this for years to come. So, that is a general mat review. Determine which mat is the best for your personal needs and your personal practice and enjoy your practice."