3 Things to Consider When Buying Yoga Mats

There was a time when the only way to practice yoga was to purchase those humongous black yoga mats which weighed at least 9 pounds and looked quite daunting to the new yoga student. However, today you have a plethora of options when it comes to yoga mats. With the advancement of science and technology, why should the field of yoga be left behind? Companies across the globe have come up with splendid yoga mats that have durability and enough cushion. It makes all those difficult and tricky postures a whole lot easier.

Have you signed up at a class already? If you haven’t purchased a yoga mat yet, what are you waiting for? Now some people might be choosing yoga mats based on the colour and the print. Well, rest assured, they are the ones who won’t attend their yoga classes after a week or so. If you’re really serious about it, you’ll buy something that lasts you a lifetime. There a few things to consider before buying a yoga mat. Here are the three most important ones-

Texture of your yoga mat

The texture of your yoga mat will decide the kind of traction you have. The grip you have on your mat will be determined by the texture. In yoga, you have to do a lot of balancing postures. How are you supposed to do them if you keep tripping and slipping? Plus, good texture will also make your mat much more comfortable. When you’re lying on your back or on your stomach, you want adequate cushion so that you don’t hurt yourself. Mats with raised and tactile patterns have been found to be immensely helpful.

Your budget

Now we all know that you spent quite a lot on enrolling for your yoga class, maybe you even splurged a bit while buying yoga clothes and now you don’t have a very generous budget when it comes to buying the yoga mat. But what you must realize is that this mat will determine the outcome of your yoga sessions. Without a good mat, you’re likely to fall behind if not drop out of the class altogether. Plus, isn’t it better to spend a certain sum of money now instead of spending money every alternate month because your mat’s all worn out?

Pay attention to the padding

When you first start out as a new student, you will be told to focus more on postures that enhance your muscle mass and strengthen your joints from within. Now that requires some vigorous training which is impossible without a good yoga mat. When you purchase the yoga mat, you must pay close attention to the padding. Is it thick enough? Does it provide enough cushion? Is it soft enough? Without a good yoga mat, you’re unlikely to be able to do your favourite surya namaskars.

If you haven’t bought your yoga mat already, you really need to be careful before you take the plunge. Because once you do, there’s no going back. A yoga mat can be your friend for life, but only if you make the right choice. Your budget, the texture and the cushion provided by your mat are three factors you must keep in mind before you shell out large sums of money for a yoga mat.  Only after having judged these factors and comparing different kinds of mats, can you make an informed decision.