About Yoga: The Mat

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Yoga Yoga Yoga Styles Beginners Poses & Workouts From Ann Pizer, your Guide to Yoga How important is your yoga mat? The mat as we know it is a pretty recent invention, and while some advocate dispensing with it altogether, the majority of yoga students remain attached to that little rectangle that defines our space while offering more traction and cushioning than the bare floor. I thought I had tried just about every type of mat out there, so when I heard about a new offering from yoga behemoth Lululemon, I assumed it would be a branded version of a pre-existing product. Read on to see how wrong I was! Lululemon - The Mat -The Review The Mat, as it's called, offers a completely different surface than anything else I've tried. After a few practices, I was hooked on its combination of smoothness, softness, and grippiness. Yoga Mat Comparison Chart I added The Mat to my comparison chart. See how it stacks up to the competition (Manduka, Jade, Gaiam, Kulae) in terms of weight, thickness, cost, and seven other criteria. See More About:  yoga equipment  props  yoga gifts To Mat or Not to Mat? Are yoga mats falling of of favor, as the New York Times suggested last year? I can't say that this trend has really caught on in my area. Are you willing to go matless? Vote in our poll. Pose of the Week - Marichyasana I Marichyasana is a funny combination of poses: paschimottanasa (seated forward bend) on one leg and malasana (deep squat) on the other. Put it all together with a bind and you've got a lot going on. Practicing the two previously mentioned poses is good preparation. See More About:  forward bends  bound poses  ashtanga Yoga Ads Yoga Mats Gaiam Yoga Bag Yoga Pilates Yoga Meditation Yoga Props Featured Articles Beginning Yoga Practice An Index of Yoga Poses Yoga Styles Yoga Audio, Books, and Videos Yoga Equipment and Clothing Yoga and Your Health   More from About.com 2011's Cutest Winter Boots Snuggly snow boots are essential for women who live in cold climates, but still want to put their best foot forward. More> 10 Budget Work Essentials Figuring out how to pay for a fabulous work wardrobe can be a challenge. These 10 mix-and-max essentials are all under $50. More> This newsletter is written by: Ann Pizer Yoga Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Yoga newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Must Reads What is Yoga? Yoga for Beginners - How to Start Yoga for Weight Loss Find Yoga Poses Yoga Pants Advertisement