French Yoga Community

How to choose your yoga equipment for beginners? Discover the wise advice of Margaux Pierre-Bloch. From yoga mats to bricks and straps, Margaux informs beginner yogis and helps them better choose their equipment.

When traveling or going to yoga class, bring a foldable, comfortable and non-slip yoga mat with you.

Yogis know that it is definitely better to have your own yoga mat, not only for hygiene reasons, but also because it is a space all to yourself. However, it can be heavy and bulky. It is not easy to transport it to the studio or to the yoga retreat! The solution? The travel yoga mat . Why this one rather than another? Simply because this soul mat is thinner (about 1.5 mm thick) and therefore lighter (often less than 1 kg). Even better, it is foldable! It is a joy to take it everywhere with you, because it fits in a bag or suitcase. Moreover, it is a perfect accessory for nomadic yogis! Know that it loses none of its non-slip side. Jade, Manduka, Yoga design lab, Yuj… let yourself be guided in order to choose an ecological travel yoga mat made for you.

A foldable yoga mat, yes, but not just any material!

Yoga is one of the spiritual practices that connects the body and mind. In this process, it is best to choose an eco-friendly travel yoga mat made of Oeko-Tex certified PVC or natural rubber. In addition, these eco-friendly materials are durable and recyclable.

The natural rubber travel yoga mat is the must-have material. Why? It offers great grip and is therefore perfect for dynamic types of yoga. The only drawbacks are its high price and the fact that it is not suitable for yogis allergic to latex. The Oeko-Tex certified PVC travel yoga mat is often less expensive. However, it remains non-slip and resistant. However, prefer it for occasional practice.

A featherweight that makes it easy to transport the eco-friendly travel yoga mat

As its name suggests, a travel mat is used for traveling. So, it must be light. The transportable yoga mat generally weighs less than 1 kg, making it easier to travel, especially to the studio. Be careful, a natural rubber accessory can be heavier. Our advice, if you often carry your mat, opt for a very light soul mat, i.e. less than 1 kg.

Ultra-light yoga mat: Its thin size

The travel yoga mat is lighter, it is also thinner: between 1 and 2 mm. The lower the thickness, the easier the mat folds to the size of a yoga brick or a piece of clothing. Thus, your yoga equipment, more compact, fits into a bag or suitcase. However, there is a big drawback, the cushioning is limited. This soul mat is therefore not recommended if you have a fragile back and/or joints or for gentle types of yoga. Do you still want to buy this type of travel yoga mat? Then, prefer a higher thickness.

What dimensions should you choose for your transportable yoga mat?

In the jungle of yoga mats, there are standard sizes (approximately 180 x 60 cm) and large sizes (length between 185 and 220 cm and width between 60 and 72 cm). Why so many dimensions? You can't see yourself wearing clothes that are too small? Then, just like the different sizes of clothing, your ultra-light yoga mat must adapt to your body shape (height and build) so as not to injure yourself when performing asanas. Are you over 1.80 m tall and/or do you have broad shoulders? Nothing could be simpler, choose a larger mat (size L or even XL).

A travel yoga mat design that will make your mat neighbor jealous

Red, orange, green, purple... the foldable yoga mat comes in several colors and sometimes even with a more inspiring design like the Yoga design lab travel mats with geometric shapes or mandalas. Choose your soul mat according to your tastes or the color of the chakra you need to work on the most.

• Red for the root chakra,
• Orange for the sacred chakra,
• Green for the heart chakra,
• Blue for the throat chakra,
• Purple for the 3rd eye or crown chakra.

THE yoga mat is totally adapted to the practice: grip, comfort, ecology, inspiration to spirituality.

Do you want to start yoga and have a gym or Pilates mat? Are you wondering if it is suitable for practicing asanas? 

The yoga mat is to the yogi what the racket is to the tennis player or the swimsuit to the swimmer: an indispensable object! It accompanies us in all our sessions, supports us in our efforts, helps us find our breath, and welcomes our moments of relaxation. Having your own mat has one major advantage: that of only accommodating our feet (and all the other parts of our body, including our face). Our yoga mat is quite simply THE basis for a pleasant practice.

How to choose the right carpet? Based on technical criteria such as composition, thickness, weight, dimensions, but also on aesthetic and ethical considerations.

Six essential criteria

1) Adhesion and resistance

The material of your yoga mat determines its texture, grip, "softness", resistance and longevity. The "non-slip" characteristic of a mat is an important criterion, especially if you practice dynamic or physically demanding yoga (and most yogas are!). Some mats, covered with a microfiber coating, are particularly suitable for dynamic Yoga and hot Yoga because the more you sweat, the more they "stick". PVC and TPE mats have good grip in all circumstances. Those made of natural rubber are suitable for yogis who want maximum grip while ensuring the protection of the environment. Natural or recycled rubber mats are well suited to a Hatha Yoga practice while jute, organic or natural cotton mats are rather reserved for gentler Yoga practices such as Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra.

2) Thickness

The thickness is chosen according to the type of yoga practiced. For dynamic yogas such as Ashtanga or Vinyasa, prefer a mat with a thickness between 4.5 and 6 mm to properly cushion jumps. Fans of Hatha, Iyengar, Viniyoga, etc., you can choose a thinner mat, unless you have sensitive knees (in this case, again choose a thick mat). Travel mats, which are thinner, are extremely practical when you are a nomadic yogi!

3) Weight

The thickness of the mat also determines its weight. If you are more of a traveler (you want to practice at home, in a studio, and in Lyon as well as in Bali), the weight of the latter can be a decisive factor. Travel mats are very light, as are TPE mats. If you plan to always leave your mat in the same place, its weight is less important: instead, base your choice on the previous characteristics, grip and thickness.

4) Size

Tall people should opt for models with a length of 220 cm (such as https://bit.ly/2OYCnrk ) on which they can lie down at full length without being in direct contact with the ground. For most people, 180 cm mats are perfect! Also pay attention to the width of your mat if you have a wide build: you risk feeling cramped on standard width accessories (60 cm). Instead, choose an "XL" mat with a width of 80 cm.

5) Color

Of course, it is best to choose a mat whose design appeals to you: you will want to unroll it as often as possible! Beyond that, the choice of color is also decisive. Indeed, each color corresponds to a particular energy and some practitioners are very sensitive to it (sometimes without really realizing it). Yogis have a For those who have too much energy can choose an indigo or purple mat, those who feel they lack anchoring, stability, can opt for a red mat. A practitioner who lacks a little energy will rather choose a yellow, saffron or orange mat.

6) Ecological awareness

Last but not least: respect for the environment. Be aware that whatever the materials that make up your mat, the major brands (Liform, Jade, Manduka, Tayrona, etc.) are increasingly eco-conscious and pay particular attention to the origin of the materials that make up yoga mats. To learn more about this issue, don't hesitate to consult our article "How to choose your eco-responsible mat" https://www.tayronalife.com/pages/choisir-son-tapis-de-yoga-2