Does yoga mat has any role in your asana practice?

Have you ever experienced your palms slipping on the mat, or your wrists feeling a lot of pressure and pain when doing Adhomukha swanasana (downward facing dog)?

Or, your knee (the one placed on the mat) feeling discomfort when performing Anjaneyasana (low lunge/crescent moon pose)?

Or, your foot (the one in contact with the mat) feeling slightly wobbly, and your balance is unstable while doing Vrikshasana (Tree pose)?

Downward facing dog (Adhomukha swanasana)

Low lunge pose (Anjaneyasana)

Tree pose (Vrikshasana)

Want actionable & useful yoga knowledge that you will not get anywhere else? Follow our Facebook page. Our gratitude to you for following, liking & sharing our content.

---

In the Chapter 2 : Sutra 46 of Yoga Sutra (the collection of Sanskrit sutras [aphorisms] on the theory and practice of yoga), sage Patanjali has mentioned:

Sthira sukham asanam

Asana (physical yoga postures) should be steady and comfortable.

The two keywords in this sutra are: steady and comfortable.

This is a common observation we all might have experienced one or the other time during our asana practice. And such an experience is neither stable nor comfortable.

Ever wondered why could this be happening?

One of the reasons could be that the practitioner may not be distributing the pressure on these body parts in the right way.

But, as per our experience with several yoga participants from our classes, we have found that the use of an improper mat contributes to some or all of these problems. How and why, you may be asking.

We will assess this problem by first assuming that the practitioner is using a flat and hard surface like the ones we have at in the apartments (like marble, granite flooring or vitrified tiles). Let us understand the different parameters to evaluate a mat.

Thickness

Yoga mats come in various thickness generally ranging from 4mm to 10mm. More the thickness, the costlier the mat is. How thick a mat is good for you? Go for at least 6mm mat if your weight is less than 65kg. Use an 8mm thick mat if your weight is more than this, or if you practicing during or after pregnancy. More the body weight, more is the cushioning required when we hold the weight on our palms and knees during asanas to avoid the pain in the wrists, heels, palms, knees or elbows. Alternatives: You can also increase the thickness with these tips:

1. Create a fold in your mat under your knees or the palms to increase the thickness

2. Place another spare yoga mat over the existing one

3. Use folded bedsheets to provide extra-cushioning for palms and elbows

4. Procure extra pads for the knees and palms

Material

Try doing the downward facing dog pose on a thick folded cotton sheet. You will notice how your palms and feet are pulled in opposite directions making you unstable. You may also notice the pressure on your wrists. Yoga mats are available in variety of materials like:

• TPE (Thermoplastic elastomer)

• EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate)

• Natural rubber

• Cork/cotton/jute and more

While natural rubber, cork and cotton material mats are more eco friendly, their downside is their higher price. I personally find TPE mats to be reasonably priced, while offering satisfactory performance. It is also touted as eco-friendly. The EVA mats are the next best on my list.

Texture

Softness - Mat should not be very soft otherwise balancing postures like the Tree pose will become challenging. Try Vrikshasana or any other balancing yoga posture (or just stand on one leg for 30 secs) to check if the mat is giving enough grip required for such postures. Mat should not be too hard to avoid pain in the joints. Non-slippery - For a comfortable flowy practice, or for holding the postures for longer durations, you would require the mat to be non slippery. Again check holding downward dog for a minute to check if your feet and palms get enough grip.

Guide lines

Some mats also come with horizontal/vertical/diagonal guide lines engraved on them. These guide lines are some times helpful for beginners to align their palms, knees and feet in the right place & angle. I personally do not have any special preference for these. I have also observed that costs can be slightly higher for mats with guide lines.

The 30 second test: Is this the right yoga mat?

There are so many yoga mat brands in the market and the experience for same material may differ across brands, hence I would advise you to check the mat physically on above mentioned factors before purchasing.

Before buying a yoga mat try out the three asanas mentioned above for 30-45 seconds each: Adhomukha swanasana, Anjaneyasana and Vrikshasana. If your poses are comfortable and steady with a good grip, then the mat is good for you.

Some sports goods stores in India allow you to try out the mats. You can also check with your yoga trainer, or check out the mats other participants in the class are using.

I would recommend to avoid investing in a mat just because of lower cost because your practice will require a good quality mat.

---

Want actionable & useful yoga knowledge that you will not get anywhere else? Follow our Facebook page. Our gratitude to you for following, liking & sharing our content.