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Personal-size mats are sold in all kinds of stores including bookstores, retail warehouses and department stores. They come in an assortment of colors and sizes. Pay close attention to what you are buying. Mats come in different thicknesses and materials. Dense foam and rubber are commonly used. Some are purposely thin, while others are thicker and more cushioned.
Most mats either fold up or roll up for easy storage and portability. Carrying cases with backpack-style straps are readily available and make transporting the mat to class or the gym convenient. - In the practice of yoga, there are a lot of standing poses. For this reason, you want to be able to feel the floor through the mat. You also do not want the mat too be too slippery or smooth. A yoga mat is thin and somewhat sticky. The traction between your feet and the mat provides the foundation for better balance, prevents slippage and enhances performance. Select a mat that is the appropriate size for your body. In a yoga class, the mat becomes the designation for your personal space.
- Pilates requires practitioners to get down on the floor, often on their backs, while reaching and sometimes rolling. In other words, your spine will be in contact with the floor during a Pilates workout, so you want to have the proper padding beneath you. A bit heftier than a yoga mat, those designed for Pilates are about 1/2 inch thick. Unlike yoga, Pilates does not involve a lot of standing exercises and therefore you do not need to root yourself to the floor. The mat must, however, be firm and not spongy.
- An exercise mat used with a stability ensures a clean area upon which to use the ball---without worry of a paperclip or tack finding its way into the ball's surface---and plenty of traction so the ball does not slide around while you exercise. The stability ball is a wonderful addition to a home gym, expanding your exercise arsenal tenfold.
