Sticky Business . . . Yoga Mats

Do I really need a sticky mat?

If you are a casual yogi, dropping in occasionally for a class or two a month, you can certainly make do with the mats provided by the gym. The Group X room has two choices: one is blue, soft, and rather squishy; the other is charcoal grey, somewhat soft and more rigid. Some folks use one or the other, and some use both. These mats cushion senstive joints from contact with the hardwood floor. It's so much more effective to practice yoga without the distracting crunch of elbows, knees, and ankles against hard surfaces.

One downside to using the gym-provided mats is that they are very, very slippery. Doing any standing work that requires a shift in weight (such as from any warrior pose to triangle pose) or any balancing work (tree, dancer, even eagle pose) can be very dangerous on an unstable surface. For your own protection, it is essential to step off the gym-provided mat onto the floor. The other disadvantage to gym-provided mats is that they are next-to-impossible to keep clean. These mats are accessible to anyone at the facility; the mats can be taken out to the weight room, and are used by various Group X classes (Pilates, Lift, Yoga, S.E.T.). If you want to avoid the germs but not bring your own mat, consider bringing in a large towel to use as a bacteria barrier.

If you practice yoga on a regular basis, you will want to have your own sticky mat. You have the advantage of a safe, secure place for your footing. The material is non-slip on both sides, so you can shift your weight without the fear of falling or sliding. And, as cooler weather approaches with cold and flu season, you aren't sharing dirt, sweat, and bacteria with other gym members.

Mats are available in a variety of materials: rubber, microfiber, vinyl, even biodegradable materials. You can find mats that aren't too thick (about 2.3 mm); some that are superthick (up to 6.4 mm); and some that are in-between. Most mats average 24 inches by 68 inches; if you need a longer mat, there are those that are as long as 76 inches. You can get mats with their own built-in carrying straps. You can get fancy mats with graphic designs. The yoga mat market has a price-point and features for everyone. Some of us drive subcompacts; other drive top-of-the-line luxury models. Suit yourself and go for what makes you comfortable. Consumer reviews indicate that the more expensive the mat (some can set you back as much as $70!) the longer it lasts.

Which sticky mat is for me?

This is a matter of personal preference, of course. If your have sensitive joints or particularly knobby knees and ankles, a thicker mat might be more comfortable. If you are taller or have long arms and legs, you might enjoy having a mat with more length. For most of us, the basic 2.3 mm thick, 24 by 68 inch mat works just fine. The purpose of a mat is to improve, not complicate, your practice.

Where can I find mats?

Just about any sporting goods department or athletic equipment store has yoga mats. 24 Hour Fitness sells standard mats as well. If you want a mat that isn't the standard, you might look on line first to get an idea of what is a good price. There are scores of on-line yoga equipment distributors and they offer mats in a dizzying choice of sizes, thicknesses, colors, and customized options. If you are interested in the best value for a plain ol' sticky mat, swing by any of the secondary-retailers (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Northstroms' Rack) to look for a mat. There won't be a wide selection, but the prices will be lower than at spots such as Target, Walmart, and the like.

My mat is getting musty . . .

After a couple of months, while in child's pose, you might notice a funky odor wafting around your nostrils. That smell comes from accumulated sweat, grime, and bacteria. You might even notice that parts of your mat have darkened with grime as well. Maybe even little chunks have peeled off from foot and hand friction. Congratulations! Look at the offending mess as evidence that you've really been working at your practice and have logged in hours and hours of experience. But the mat? Yuck! Before you toss the mat as a hopeless mess, give it a cleaning.

If the mat is only lightly soiled, mix three parts water to one part mild laundry liquid (Woolite or its equivalent). Spray the mat with the solution. Rub the mat clean with a soft cloth or towel. Make sure that you keep the sticky on your mat by removing all traces of the solution.

If the mat is tragically dirty (as mine often are), you can soak the mat in a bathtub of cool water with just a drip of mild laundry liquid (again, Woolite comes to mind). Let the mat soak for 30 minutes, then use a washcloth or soft towel to scrub the mat and loosen the grime. Let soak for another 30 minutes. Then rinse the mat well. Use a bathtowel to roll up the sticky mat (jellyroll style) with the towel to the outside. The towel will soak up much of the water. Then hang the mat out to dry away from direct sunlight. If you wish, you can use your own washing machine in place of the bathtub. Use cold water settings and don't let the mat go through the trauma of the spin cycle.

If these cleaning procedures don't restore your mat, it just might be time for a new one. And that's not such a bad thing . . . hour for hour, the price of a sticky mat is a relatively inexpensive piece of fitness equipment.

"It's called yoga practice, not yoga perfection"

I must give credit to for this saying to Lois, a dear fellow yogini, "It's called yoga practice, not yoga perfection." Release yourself from all judgment when you come to class, no one is looking at your poses in a critical way. The purpose of your practice is to gain confidence, strength, flexibility, and especially, to unite your body and mind with your breath.

TeachStreet offers these tips for getting the most from your practice, every single time:

We are all beginners at something, sometime. I know many yogis who have been practicing for years who still feel like beginners, myself included! Yoga is a process of constant growth, and the 'level' at which someone performs a yoga pose does not always correlate with their internal knowledge and growth along the yogic path. Therefore, don't let your experience as a first-timer feel isolating.

Nuts-and-bolts note: It helps to know what to expect from class. Wear comfortable clothing that affords you a range of motion. Watch others when you arrive: generally, you'll take your shoes off, place your personal items in an out of the way place, and set your mat up. Sit quietly until class begins or find the teacher and introduce yourself. Make sure your cell phone is turned OFF.

You are not being judged in a yoga class. Yoga teachers are there to help you work within each pose in a way that is safe and appropriate to your body. They aren't walking around thinking about how inflexible, weak, or awkward you are, so you shouldn't be preoccupied with those things either! Turn your focus away from the people around you in the class and try to approach the movements with an attitude of openness, playfulness, and self-acceptance.

Nuts-and-bolts note: Expect the teacher to swing by during poses and offer modified versions or to show you how to use props to support your body in the poses. Feel free to ask questions of the teacher when s/he comes to your mat to assist you, or after class.

Perfection isn't the point. Yoga is not just for those who are flexible, strong, thin, enlightened, etc. There is no such thing as a perfect yoga pose, or a yoga teacher or student who has a perfect grasp on the poses and what lies beyond them. Yoga is an opportunity to come to your mat just as you are, and work with whatever that is. At the end of the day, yoga is a process, and every single person in any yoga class is in a different place with respect to that process, even that guy in the corner who's twisted into the most advanced pose. A "perfect" practice is one in which you are completely present, observing your thoughts, feelings, movements, and relationship to the practice that day. That kind of presence takes a lifetime to master.