75762
« Home
Monday, February 25, 2008
How to Choose a Yoga Mat
If you're new to yoga or you've been at it for many years, you either need a mat right now, or you'll need a new one some time in the future. Maybe you started out with one of those colorful cheap mats, but found out it stunk to high heaven of chemicals? Or maybe you went the earth-friendly way and got a yoga mat made from jute. It didn't smell bad, but then it didn't last more than two months either. What's a yoga practitioner to do?
This is a common first-timer mistake, but it's the cheapest type of mat and therefore expected of the newbies. But it IS a mistake if you intend to keep doing yoga. If you're not sure, this type of mat may just turn you away from yoga altogether! First of all, it's very thin and doesn't provide much in the way of cushioning. Additionally it really smells of chemicals, and these chemicals are not conducive to good health! These types of mats are made from Phthalates. This chemical turns hard plastic soft and causes lung and kidney damage in rats. Don't leave this type of mat in your car, either. It will release this harmful chemical when it gets hot. And if you're concerned about the environment, these aren't for you, either. They are made using and environmentally dangerous process.
Cork and jute yoga mats are environmentally friendly, but they have drawbacks of their own. They are made from porous plants, and therefore absorb your sweat when you practice your yoga. This results in a matching smell to your well-exercised but un-showered body, and a weakening of the structure over time. Now, it won't fall apart like that "other brand" of paper towel on the commercial, but don't expect it to last very long if you practice yoga with any regularity.
This is the best type for the environmentally-conscious money saver. They are sturdy yet inexpensive. Rubber is a replaceable resource, but be sure your mat isn't made of synthetic rubber. This is made from an environmentally unfriendly process, and is liable to have the same health detriments, although not as bad as the phthalate mats. Natural rubber mats could be a problem for you if you're allergic to latex, but they do make phthalate-free and latex-free mats for a bit more in cost. They are well-worth it rather than exercise on harmful chemicals or the rubber/latex that causes your allergies to flare up.
pilates Mats?
Can you use pilates mats for yoga? Sure, but watch for a few things: First of all, a pilates mat is much thicker than a typical yoga mats because you spend more time on the floor doing pilates than doing yoga. It's beneficial in saving knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, and spine from contact injuries. You may want to consider it to cushion an old injury to prevent further damage. Second, pilates mats aren't necessarily made with non-slip surfaces. You need this for yoga, so be sure it has this feature. If you do both yoga and pilates and want to use just one mat for both, definitely use a pilates mat. Using a mat meant for yoga when doing pilates could cause injuries.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga
Yoga Mat Cool Lollipop Cell Phone Accessories Cool Online
Posted by 90252 | 1:21 PM | 
Dec 17, 2007 Dec 18, 2007 Dec 19, 2007 Dec 20, 2007 Dec 21, 2007 Dec 22, 2007 Dec 23, 2007 Dec 24, 2007 Dec 25, 2007 Dec 26, 2007 Dec 27, 2007 Dec 28, 2007 Dec 29, 2007 Dec 30, 2007 Dec 31, 2007 Jan 1, 2008 Jan 2, 2008 Jan 3, 2008 Jan 4, 2008 Jan 6, 2008 Jan 7, 2008 Jan 8, 2008 Jan 9, 2008 Jan 10, 2008 Jan 11, 2008 Jan 12, 2008 Jan 13, 2008 Jan 14, 2008 Jan 15, 2008 Jan 16, 2008 Jan 17, 2008 Jan 18, 2008 Jan 19, 2008 Jan 20, 2008 Jan 21, 2008 Jan 22, 2008 Jan 23, 2008 Jan 24, 2008 Jan 25, 2008 Jan 28, 2008 Jan 30, 2008 Jan 31, 2008 Feb 1, 2008 Feb 4, 2008 Feb 7, 2008 Feb 8, 2008 Feb 9, 2008 Feb 11, 2008 Feb 12, 2008 Feb 13, 2008 Feb 15, 2008 Feb 16, 2008 Feb 17, 2008 Feb 18, 2008 Feb 19, 2008 Feb 20, 2008 Feb 21, 2008 Feb 22, 2008 Feb 23, 2008 Feb 25, 2008 Feb 26, 2008 Feb 27, 2008 Feb 28, 2008 Feb 29, 2008 Mar 1, 2008 Mar 2, 2008 Mar 3, 2008 Mar 4, 2008 Mar 5, 2008 Mar 6, 2008 Mar 7, 2008 Mar 9, 2008 Mar 10, 2008 Mar 11, 2008 Mar 12, 2008 Mar 13, 2008 Mar 14, 2008 Mar 16, 2008 Mar 17, 2008 Mar 18, 2008 Mar 19, 2008 Mar 20, 2008 Mar 21, 2008 Mar 22, 2008