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Does Yoga Mat Work for Yoga Only?
A yoga mat accompanies you just after you wake up in the morning. Yoga mats are proven safe and worthy for risk-free and well-space-management systems adapted last longer yoga workouts.
Most of the yoga teachers suggest having a yoga mat in their classes. But it’s also quite helpful out of classes. While practising yoga on your bedroom floor, corridor, rooftop, garden, office, or other places, a yoga mat will keep you trouble-free to ensure a non-skid surface beneath your feet.
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Are Yoga Mats Multifunctional?
Now, it has also been a concern whether a yoga mat is multifunctional. As you become consistent in yoga, you will get more time and mindset to join similar exercises by experimenting one by one. Here comes the diverse usability of your yoga mat.
Let’s go for some mostly practised exercises that are amply considerable to do with a yoga mat.
Pilates
Pilates is an exclusively popular form of exercise that can be practised with a stability ball = or even body weight. But at the preliminary stage, a yoga mat, because of its thickness and non-slip manner, can be a good choice as a handy for Pilates. Well-scheduled Pilates training will grow your strength and flexibility and help you obtain a better posture and stronger joints.
Push-Ups
Pro exercisers may not need any support for pushups, but while starting to adapt with pushups regularly, you will need soft and steady support beneath your feet and hands. So, your yoga mat that remains free after your yoga session can be used this way.
Mountain Climbers
Those who have practised mountain climbers for a few days have been a fan of it. It lets you taste the steadiness of your body, and you can also assess your resistance. Sometimes people ignore it, considering it as a complicated one where a week-long practice makes it simpler.
Starting in a raised push up position, bring a leg forward near your chest, and then return it, then go for the next leg. So, it’s never so hard as its name appears.
Planks
Planks are pretty famous for the strength-building aspects it possesses. Being stable for one or two minutes in planks is not so easy for beginners. In that case, a dependable non-slip surface has no alternative to start. So, your yoga mat plays a very vital role here to welcome this exercise.
You need to support your weight with your forearms and toes. Then pull your belly button toward the spine.
Bodyweight Squats
Bodyweight Squats are broadly recommended for enhancing stability. Keep your hands behind your head, and then lower yourself into a squat position as slow as you can, keeping your back straight. It’s not a must to use a mat in that exercise, but you can feel an exercise-friendly environment comfortably.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
You need to keep your upper back on the mat, extend a leg up into the air, and keep the other foot stable on the ground. Don’t forget to raise your butt and lower back off the floor as you continue to keep your leg in the air. Otherwise, your effort will come up with no result.
Unlike other hard, slippery, or thin surfaces, a yoga mat can help you practice this exercise uninterruptedly.
Opposite Arm and Leg Lift
It sounds and is hard to maintain balance when you are a newbie in this exercise. But as you are already going through yoga, it will seem normal to you. So, you will face no trouble adapting that exercise with your yoga mat.
Your yoga mat will keep you stable on the surface while practising a bit faster after a few days.
Fun of Recycling – The Last Option
The most fantastic part of a yoga mat is that it can get used for purposes even you have never thought of. If your yoga mat gets old or you bring a new one, the previous one will not be wasted. You can make knee pads, vase bottom, table-cover, pet bed sheet and many more with the yoga mat you have used for years.
So, costing a bit more for a yoga mat does not sound to be unnecessary anymore. We all are fond of things that prevail multitasking.
Dear yoga mate, please don’t ignore the standard of your yoga mat.
Confusion: Do Yoga Mat and Exercise Mat Act Same?
Probably not, and yes also! Basically, a yoga mat mostly come up with the privileges an exercise mat can offer you. Sometimes we prefer long mats for group workouts. That’s different. But when you practise individually, a yoga mat is more than enough.
But when you choose particularly yoga, you need only yoga mats. There are multiple reasons for this. The mat you choose for everyday yoga, should possess the freshness which can elaborate the brilliance of the environment. You go for silence to seek the ultimate implementation of this meditative exercise. Thus you need equipment which never breaks your attention.
As yogis are generally more concerned about health and environment, they may not welcome any mats that are made from toxic materials. That is how most of them prefer eco-friendly yoga mat which will not make any harm to human body or the environment.
Why Yoga Matters in Building Fitness?
So, chances are you switch to other exercises as your equipment provides the scope of practising various workouts. But your focus should be on yoga more than the other ones, if you consider the matter of peace at least once.
It’s not about gaining balance or resistance. It strengthens your will power and detects the problems you face in developing attention. Yoga is equally a workout and a lifestyle. You see yourself in present, and it makes your vision cleaner. There are hundreds of benefits the real yoga expertise that this particular exercise can bring to your life. It’s about life after all.
So, no matter how much exercise options a yoga mat can give you, try yoga for once even if you are busy with other exercises.