Choosing the Best Yoga Mat for You

A short and effective list of the best Yoga mats available on the market.

thanks to yoga4beginners.org

The Best Yoga Mat if You Practice Hatha Yoga

Most sticky yoga mats are designed for those who practice Hatha Yoga. They are available in many different patterns and just about every color of the rainbow. You can find these standard mats for sale at almost any yoga studio, sporting goods store, online yoga store, or online auction site. The best yoga mat for you will depend on your personal taste in color and brand name.

The Best Yoga Mat if you Practice Ashtanga Yoga

Because Ashtanga Yoga is more vigorous, you'll want to look for better padding and more durability. If you practice daily, you may decide to shell out the big bucks for the so-called Cadillac of yoga mats, the Manduka black yoga mat.

Otherwise, look for a standard mat with at least 4mm thickness. Some Ashtanga Yogis choose to use a rug instead of a mat, because a rug is better able to absorb perspiration, thereby lowering your chances of slipping while holding a posture.

The Best Yoga Mat if you are an Environmentalist

Some Yogis have voiced concerns about the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in sticky Yoga mats. PVC has been linked to different types of cancer, and it cannot be recycled. Therefore, worn out mats with PVC must go to a landfill. To keep your conscience clear, consider an eco-Yoga mat or an Earth Element mat, neither of which use PVC.

The Best Yoga Mat if you are a Senior Citizen

To save your knees, elbows, and spine from any injury, you might want to consider a slightly thicker mat, perhaps 1/4 inch. These are easily available online and at retail stores.

The Best Yoga Mat if you are a Child

Children can also reap many health benefits from doing yoga. Kids can use a regular sticky mat. But where is the fun in that when they can order one with a Scooby Doo motif from Fitness Beginnings? Wai Lana's LittleYogis.com also offers a children's mat with pictures of kids in different asanas (postures). Wai Lana's also offers an entire yoga kit for child Yogi's, containing a video, mat, poster, and tote bag.

The best yoga mat for you depends on your age and the type of yoga you prefer to practice. Yoga is so popular that you should have no trouble finding the right mat for you.