How to Choose Your First Yoga Mat

For beginners, the first question coming to their minds may be: “what kind of yoga mat suits me the best?” As yoga gains its popularity around the world, more types of yoga mat are created to cater to different users’ needs: from sticky mats that come in all different textures and levels of thickness to hot yoga towel-mats, just to name a few.

Here we list some of the different types of yoga mat for your guides:

Basic Sticky Yoga Mats

It is the most common choice for yoga beginners. The sticky texture of the mat enables to maintain your yoga poses for a longer period of time without slipping. For the thickness, one can select a range from ⅛” to ¼”; the latter is the better choice since it provides more cushioning as you do those challenging postures and practices. In terms of pricing, it is less expensive compared to other types; therefore it is highly recommended for the beginners.

Natural Rubber Yoga Mats

It is one of the first two types of yoga mats favored by the nature-oriented yogis. The mat is made of natural rubber materials, which is more environment-friendly. In terms of yoga practice, this kind of mat features good slip-resistance, which is a good choice for beginners and those easily sweat. Overall, it is recommended for the users who is an eco-friendly yoga enthusiasts.

Cotton and Hemp Yoga Mats

For those natural enthusiasts, you can go with cotton and hemp yoga mats. They provide good cushioning for yoga practice because the cotton has a softer texture and and can absorb sweat easily. The mats are also easy to clean on a regular basis since you can simply wash them after you use them. However, they are not as long lasting as other yoga mats. While for hemp yoga mats, it can last longer periods of time because they are made of weaved hemp yarns which is more dense and tight. Unlike the cotton counterparts, the hemp mats are very durable and thus are commonly considered the better option.

Travel Yoga Mat

Literally, this type of mat is designed for traveling. If one goes on a trip for more than 3 days and wants to continue doing yoga during the travelling, then the travel mat suits you the best. To be packed easily, the travel yoga mat is relatively thinner than other yoga mats. It can be folded and rolled up effortlessly so that you can pack them directly in your luggage; some brands also offer its own bag. However, being thinner does not mean the mat is poorer: it is non-slip, which is required for performing yoga poses. One thing to note that, considering its thinness, for non-traveller, it is suggested to go with other options.

After choosing your perfect mat, come and join our Trinity Yoga Cult and start yoga-ing with us!

Reference:

Types of Yoga Mats

The 6 Best Yoga Mats For Beginners