7 Signs You Need a Personalized Yoga Mat
If your current yoga mat isn't helping you meet your health goals, it may be time for customization. Here are signs you need a personalized yoga mat.
As of this year, the yoga industry's set to hit a $12.8 billion valuation. The 5,000-year-old practice is an obvious success, given its 37 million US yogis and 300 million practitioners worldwide.
Whether you're new to yoga or practice daily, two things make a successful yogi. The first is showing up and the second's being prepared.
It's true that yoga can happen anywhere—on the sidewalk, in the grass, or on a mountain—but most yoga happens on a yoga mat.
Yoga's a personal practice, so it makes sense to have a personalized yoga mat. Read on to see if it's your time to personalize.
The Personalized Yoga Mat Impact
Yoga's special. It shows how individual practice impacts the collective. Since it's a community practice, some yoga studios may offer mats and props for rent.
It's nice to share, but circulating mats can make for a scattered practice. The work happens on the mat, so there's no need to spend time worrying about whose mat to borrow that day.
Having a personalized mat personalizes your practice. Bringing your own mat to class keeps you prepared and self-focused. It's a touchstone to come back to each day.
Sharing's caring, but not if it's at the expense of your practice. Personalized yoga mats help you create your own sweat space.
If there's any time to be with your process, it's on your yoga mat.
Time to Personalize
Go within. Be with your breath.
Whether it's conscious or not, some disconnect happens when you don't have your own yoga mat. It's hard to drop into face-down resting poses when you're left wondering about mat hygiene.
Here's how to know it's time to personalize.
1. The Material's Falling Apart
If your mat has bald spots, peels, or crumbles easily, it's on its last days. If you have to use another pad or towel on top of it, that's enough reason to replace it.
Depending on how often yoga mats are used, basic vinyl mats don't last more than a year. Not having a personalized yoga mat makes it hard to know about your rented mat's life.
Quality material for mats should include organic and natural fabrics, as well as non-slip micro-fibers. Personalized yoga mats keep you in control of your mat's lifespan.
2. You're Slipping
Your mat should be able to withstand hot yoga sweat levels. If you're not in hot yoga and you're still slipping, you're compromising your practice. Slipping comes from thinned and worn material, which makes holding balance poses even harder.
Yoga's supposed to help your alignment, but uneven mats can cause new structural issues.
3. You're Frustrated
To refine your practice, it's important to get rid of other deterrents. Since yoga's a dominant mind practice, having other distractions is a huge disservice. There's nothing worse than holding a down-dog only to question how long you'll last before you slip.
For a practice backed on stillness, there's no reason for your mat to prompt more movement.
4. It's Smelly
Yoga mats are extensions of you during your practice. They're your foundation to practice postures. If your mat smells, two things can happen.
- You won't embrace the mat and your postures will suffer
- You'll become self-conscious sharing space with other people
Yoga classes can be hard enough. There's no reason to fight with yourself—or your mat—in this way.
5. You're Inspired by Colors for Mats
There's a unique energy to personalized yoga mats. They foster deeper self-connection for many reasons. If you've noticed eclectic yoga mat colors in class, your intuition's guiding you.
Yoga's the place to notice energy. Having a customized yoga mat color can impact your whole practice.
If you want a calming color, soft blues are your go-to. Green is good to ground. If you want to stimulate energy, reds and oranges are the move.
Choosing colors for mats can help you focus on specific chakra centers and infuse deeper intention into your practice.
6. You Have Ideas for Designs
You may also see yoga mats that have symbols, images, photos, or sacred geometry designs. They may lead you to wonder:
- What makes me feel calm and centered?
- What symbol or design may help my yoga practice?
- What would help me feel more aligned in my mind, body, and spirit?
Having ideas for designs is the initial step into a deeper practice. Personalized yoga mats can set the tone for your classes.
Do you want something funny, to bring levity into the room? Do you need something simplistic? A silly quote may do the trick or even your favorite landscape photo!
7. Cost of Mats Are Adding Up
While the impact of yoga's priceless, rented yoga supply costs can be an added stressor. Paying for recurring classes, memberships, and mats can interfere with your desire to practice.
A personalized yoga mat makes coming into class fun and cost-effective. It gives you one less thing to worry about and one more thing to look forward to.
Personal Yoga Mat Makes for Personal Practice
As the old saying goes, 80% of life is showing up. Among life's chaos, getting to the yoga mat can feel like a monumental effort.
Having a personalized yoga mat makes it easier to show up. They increase safety, functionality, and result in a stronger practice. Don't let renting props or prop scarcity deter you from getting to class.
Your practice can only be so strong without the right foundation. Gifting yourself with a personalized yoga mat shows greater commitment.
What does your ideal sweat space look like? Shop our collection today to see which custom mat fuels your inner yogi.