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Lois McEwan is a freelance writer and editor who works for The Sunday Times and The Times, among others. She has practised yoga for more than a decade. Here she picks the top five aids for one of the world's oldest exercise systems Click to view Top 5 Yoga Equipment.
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Best Mat for Beginners (EcoTex Sticky Mat) |
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 Yoga belts, blocks and pillows may be so much window dressing, but everybody needs a mat. Most people start off on a “sticky” mat, and Yogashop's EcoTex is reasonably priced, bio-degradable and guaranteed free of harmful substances. What more could you want?
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A rubber mat lets you really dig your toes in and grip hard, to keep you in position - it gives you a bit of purchase, like the tread on road-holding tyres. A rubber mat is particularly good for beginners who have not yet developed their bandhas, the internal muscle controls.
Many advanced students still use a sticky mat for the standing postures, or asanas, to stop their hands slipping in, say, downward dog or a full backbend, or when first attempting a neck balance such as Setu Bandhasana - known to westerners as Charlie Chaplin feet - where only the sides of the feet and the crown of the head are on the floor.
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Less Slippery When Wet |
These EcoTex mats are made of 80% PVC, 14% cotton and 6% PES (polyester), and have a porous “spongy” quality to absorb sweat - there will be a lot of this - thus improving the grip. Otherwise in hot weather or hot yoga studios - 105F for Bikram, for instance - “sticky” mats can become very slippery, leaving students sliding around like Bambi on ice but with rubbery, skidding sound effects. Embarrassing.
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 They are manufactured in Germany and have been tested to Oeko-Tex 100, a Europe-wide standard of testing for harmful substances, and are guaranteed free of allergens and toxins. They even meet German government standards for food wrapping materials: this may sound like overkill, but you have a very close relationship with your mat.
EcoTex mats come in various thicknesses. The basic Asana range is 185cm x 66cm x 3mm thick, for ease of transport. It is recommended for light to medium use, 2 to 3 classes a week. The “mat for life” premium range, such as the Maui at 220cm x 72cm x 7mm, is more durable, as the name suggests, and better for those practising intensively, say three to six times a week. They are also recommended for those with joint problems, who need more protection, big people and those who just want the space. Some people find bigger mats more comfortable in relaxation, to keep all their extremities off the floor.
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The McDaddy of Mats |
 It comes highly recommended by David Willams, who has been practising since 1971 and has trained famous Ashtangi such as David Swenson and Danny Paradise, as "the the only mat you'll ever need - the Rolls Royce, the McDaddy of mats", and it was henceforth named “Maui” after the island where he lives.
EcoTex mats come in an ever-widening array of colours, but they are all green, environmentally speaking. The material biodegrades and emissions from the manufacturing process are burnt almost 100% so virtually nothing goes into the atmosphere. The company even guarantees a well-ventilated factory for a healthy workforce.
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Click here for a glossary of yoga terms
TYPICAL PRICES - Asana £15.95 to Maui £55.00
For currency converter click here |
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