"Stuff" for Yoga

Tank top, shorts, water bottle, towel... or maybe a little more clothing if the room doesn't feel like a tropical rain forest (aka hot yoga). There's also the whole yoga mat issue. While a lot of places will allow you to rent a mat for the session, it might be worthwhile getting your own if you plan to make yoga a regular habit (which I highly recommend for increasing flexibility, core strength, and general injury prevention). And, until I started this blog post, I didn't realize how many different types of mats there were, and that color wasn't the only selection criteria. When choosing a mat, it's important to know the type of yoga you want to practice, as thicker mats are generally recommended for more strenuous forms of yoga. It's also important to check the dimensions of the mat to make sure it's not too small or narrow. Some other things to consider are sturdiness, personal preference, and how easy it is to clean. This article provides a good summary of everything... I also found a review of a bunch of different yoga mats.

So, in the spirit of "selecting the best mat for your practice", I think I got mine at K-Mart (and it hasn't torn yet). Having said that, I can barely touch my toes on a good day, and chose it because it was yellow and bright and cheerful... probably not the most soothing of colors though... but I don't think even a gray mat would put me in a calm state! #20