You will not regret your decision to begin practicing yoga. The condition of your body, both interior and exterior, will improve and your mind will become sharper and more focused. The benefits of yoga are innumerable, with another positive bonus to this exercise regimen – you don’t have to purchase expensive equipment to practice it. A sticky mat is often the only thing you are required to own.
Invented by a yoga instructor named Angela Farmer and her father, the sticky yoga mat enables people to practice yoga safely. Each yoga pose requires balance, which can be hard to achieve when your hands and feet slip out from under you. By using a sticky yoga mat, your hands and feet are planted safely on the ground to give you a solid foundation to hold the pose. The yoga mats come in many colors and degrees of thickness, and for the most part the type of mat used is a personal choice. There are exceptions, such as Ashtanga Yoga which is a rigorous workout where the type of mat must be thicker (at least 4 mm for Ashtanga Yoga) and, in other cases, thinner.
Sticky mats vary in thickness and color as well as pattern and price. Most yoga mats cost around twenty dollars, but specially designed mats with graphics and name brands will cost twice as much. If you choose to spend less than twenty dollars for the less expensive mats, online purchases at auction websites are a good bet. Items on auction sites like eBay are often gently used and greatly discounted in price. Sometimes you can find new products on these sites as well.
Yogi are very health conscious, and some choose not to use sticky yoga mats due to the chemicals they contain. In this case, some people opt for rubber mats, or those made without chemicals such as the Earth Elements or Gaiam mats. Environmentally sound mats cost about thirty-five dollars but are worth the price for those who wish to practice yoga on safer mats.