How to choose a yoga mat

Which thickness to choose?

The thickness of the carpet depends on your practice and your need for comfort. The thicker a rug is, the more comfortable it will be and protect your joints. But it will also be heavier, which can be embarrassing if you have to regularly transport it.
In general, if you practice a gentle yoga , you can choose a rather fine carpet . However, if you practice dynamic yoga where jumps and standing postures are performed, it is advisable to take a thicker mat to protect your joints.
In both cases, the ideal is to have a carpet between 4 and 6 mm thick. If it is thicker, the carpet will unbalance you in certain postures and if it is too thin, you will feel the roughness of the ground.

Which subject to choose?

The choice of the material will depend on several criteria: your skin, your ecological conscience, your budget and the type of yoga that you practice.

Practical side and skin:
For people who tend to have sweaty hands or practice dynamic yoga that will cause you to sweat, it is better to choose non-slip materials to avoid slipping.
If you practice a dynamic yoga , avoid too soft materials and prefer rigid materials , it will prevent you from being destabilized in your postures and slip.

Ecology side:
The ideal is to choose ecological materialsto avoid toxic substances that can seep through the skin during practice.

Budget side:
You will find yoga mats between 10 and 100 € . Like all sports equipment, it is often more interesting to put a certain price to have a quality carpet that will last in time and protect you during your sessions.
If you are a beginner, you can try several mats to find the type that suits you best. You can use those provided by your room, by placing on your carpet a non-slip towel for hygiene.

Color side:
It is better to avoid light colors which are very quickly messy .

How to maintain your yoga mat?

It is best to clean the mat after each session to eliminate bacteria and practice yoga on a clean carpet.

Some mats can go in a machine with a cold cycle, but check with your supplier, that your carpet goes into the machine.
The easiest way is to clean it with white vinegar and essential oils of lavender and lemon. You will find several recipes to prepare this mix on the Internet.

You can also buy a specific spray to clean the yoga mats. You will find this type of spray in sports shops or on websites of yoga brands.