Yoga Mat for Balancing: Which is Finest?

Certainly one of yoga observe’s nice items is its emphasis on balancing. Poses reminiscent of Vrksasana (Tree Pose) are an integral a part of virtually each type of observe. The power to steadiness is a vital a part of wholesome growing old, and it may be useful to develop balancing abilities as early as potential. Typical knowledge has it {that a} thinner Yoga Mat (⅛ inch or much less, or 1.5mm to three.5mm) is most conducive to staying on our ft throughout one-legged balancing poses. The thinner the mat, the much less your standing foot goes to want to make changes. However is that optimum? After virtually 40 years of yoga educating, my unequivocal reply is: it relies upon. So what’s the greatest yoga mat for balancing?

The Finest Yoga Mat for Balancing Will depend on Your Intention

Counterintuitive as it might sound, the mat I often use for educating yoga—even in courses the place we observe numerous standing balancing poses—is the Final Cushion Yoga Mat. At ⅜ inch, it’s the thickest mat Hugger Mugger presents. (I alternate between this mat and the Para Rubber Yoga Mat (3/16″)).

Why would I need to make it more durable on myself? I observe balancing poses to domesticate and keep my balancing abilities. Certain, I can extra simply carry out balancing poses on a thinner mat, however I need to problem my steadiness. That’s the way in which we construct balancing abilities—by balancing in difficult conditions. So, to perform my goal in practising balancing poses, one of the best yoga mats for balancing are the thicker, more difficult ones.

As a result of I’ve a longstanding relationship with Hugger Mugger Yoga Merchandise, I’ve purchased many mats from them through the years. I discover that balancing on various kinds of surfaces—and mats of various thicknesses—is essential for constructing balancing abilities. So generally I observe on thick mats, and generally I observe on skinny mats. I additionally place my mats on varied surfaces. Whereas wooden and surfaces reminiscent of concrete are essentially the most dependable, I believe it’s useful to observe balancing on mushy, squishy surfaces, reminiscent of carpeting, as nicely.

It’s essential to respect the place you’re. In case your steadiness is mostly unstable, practising on a thinner Yoga Mat is an effective place to start out. As soon as you are feeling steady in balancing poses on a skinny mat, then you possibly can start difficult your steadiness on a thicker mat.

Balancing On and Off the Yoga Mat

Working towards yoga on varied mat sorts and ground sorts just isn’t the one solution to hone your steadiness. Listed below are some solutions for taking your balancing observe off the mat:

• Observe balancing in various kinds of footwear—thick soles, soft soles, skinny soles, and so forth. Except you commonly put on heels, I wouldn’t suggest practising yoga in them. (For that matter I’d suggest avoiding or minimizing carrying heels typically, due to the havoc they wreak on the integrity of your musculoskeletal system.)
• Observe outside. Mountaineering trails are not often utterly degree. Strolling, and practising balancing poses, on uneven surfaces problem your ft to steadiness otherwise. Subsequent time you’re taking a hike, cease for a minute or so and observe a one-legged balancing pose—Tree Pose appears applicable once you’re within the woods—on an uneven floor.

If you happen to’d prefer to study extra concerning the parts of creating steady steadiness, right here’s a latest weblog.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and started educating in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third guide is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Purple Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.