Choosing the best exercise mat for you depends on what you plan to use it for. Whether it is for general fitness, yoga, pilates or martial arts, these mats have various characteristics that make some more appropriate than others for each activity, such as thickness, length, portability and tackiness. Once you know more about these characteristics, choosing the best exercise mat becomes much simpler.
General Exercise Mats
General exercise mats are commonly used for classes that require you to do a variety of exercises on your knees, back or stomach. Performing push-ups, crunches, donkey-kicks and lower back exercises requires a soft, padded surface and a generous amount of space. General exercise mats will provide this padding and space, and are portable and have a durable surface. Everlast offers an outstanding 72 inch exercise mat that has a built-in handle, making it easy to transport with you to any location.
Yoga Mats
Yoga mats are designed to be functional for all yoga poses. Since yoga requires you to often be on your bare feet, you need a generous amount of real-estate, a tacky surface to prevent slipping, and a mat that is padded, but not so padded that it is bulky. Many people enjoy owning a yoga mat that is compact, so that they can roll it up and take it anywhere, even to a quiet, calming outdoor environment for their session. Manduka makes excellent yoga mats and even makes a 71 inch eKO mat that uses bio-degradable material, making it eco-friendly as well as perfectly suited for the practice of downward dogs and tree poses.
Pilates Mats
Pilates mats are similar to yoga mats, in that they need to provide a good amount of surface area as well as a tacky surface. A good Pilates mat needs to protect the user from hard floors and provide comfort during mat work. The mat should also be firm enough to provide a stable platform for the body. It is less common to have a need to carry a Pilates mat around as often as a yoga mat, so a thicker mat is less of a concern. Aeromat makes a cushy 3/8 inch-thick mat with a firm surface at a very reasonable price. You can even get one that is designed for both yoga and pilates if you prefer a dual-purpose mat.
Martial Arts and Gymnastics Mats
Mats can also be designed to provide extra-thick protection for more intensive and jarring activities. Martial arts and gymnastic tumbling exercises require mats that can be combined into various sizes and shapes, to provide a larger area for the required activities. They are also very thick and possess shock-absorbing qualities. The mats either come in sections that are connected like puzzle pieces, or they fold up. Portability is not as easy with these mats, but fortunately they are relatively light. The 4'x8'x2" Gymnastics Tumbling Martial Arts V4 Folding Mat is simple to use, folds out quickly, and has a built-in handle to carry it with.
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