Natural Exercise Mats: All You Need To Know

More and more yoga enthusiasts are dumping their old mats in favor of a natural yoga mat. These mats promise lots of benefits, but before you make an uninformed decision, first learn about the pros and cons of natural yoga mats. What you don't know might not hurt you, but it will certainly disappoint you.

If you're like most people who enjoy fitness and exercise, you probably spend a considerable amount of time lying down on your old-style rubber mat. Of all the pieces of exercise equipment you own, it's probably the only piece that you regularly rub up against and smell. When you think about it, you're inordinately familiar with that worn-out old mat.

Getting a new workout mat is always a questionable proposition. You shudder to ask yourself:

Will it stink like an explosion at a chemical plant?
Will it roll up like a window shade every time I try to lay it out flat?
Will I slip and slide like a drunken penguin on its slick new surface?

With a natural yoga mat, those concerns are baseless. Be design, they do away with some of the limitations of an old fashioned rubber mat:

They're made of jute or hemp so they don't outgas scary and obnoxious chemical smells.
Their natural fibers don't curl up like rubber.
They're not slippery, even when you are sweating.

However, natural yoga mats can take some getting used to:

The comforting "cushion" effect that you have grown accustomed to is gone. These mats are firm, with little to no "give".
They can be hard on your knees, spinal processes, and the points of your hips.
When you use them on rough or undeven surfaces, the underlying protuberances will through, making for an uncomfortable session.

How to learn more about yoga mats:

Click through to exercise mats and find out what your choices are!

Eco-friendly exercise mats:

If natural yoga mats are not your cup of tea, you have another choice. Eco-friendly yoga mats are very simililar to older, rubber exercise mats, but manufactured from newer, safer materials that don't have a harsh, chemical smell. In addition, they are easier to recycle.

One of the most important advantages of these items is the lack of harsh chemicals. You won't find lead, pthalates, or PVC in any of these workout mats.