(A guest blog by yoga teacher Sila Atikol)
As a yoga teacher, "Which yoga mat do you recommend?" is one of the most common questions I get from my students. There are plenty of different yoga mats out there and knowing what you need can sometimes be tricky. So instead of simply recommending them what I use, which is Yalo cork mat, I try to tell them why I chose it. Here are the things I always look for in a yoga mat and why I landed on a Yalo cork mat:
1- Grip
When you are practicing any type of yang yoga (such as Vinyasa, Hatha or Ashtanga), you need your mat to provide you with good grip. Without grip, you might be suddenly sliding on your mat while you are in a pose and seriously injure your body. Cork products have sweat (or moist) activated grip, so unlike most other products out there, the more you sweat better the grip!
2- Support
No matter what type of yoga you practice, there will be poses where you will put your elbows or your knees on your mat. This can be painful if your yoga mat doesn't provide you good cushioning or support. Cork is a soft product that feels good on the skin, layered with rubber underneath, it provides you with a heavenly cushioning that protects your elbows and knees.
3- Hygiene
During a practice we put our hand, our faces, our head on the mat, as well as our feet. It soaks up all our sweat. When a yoga mat is not cleaned all the dust and dirt from our feet that has been carried to our mat, all the sweat that has been collected there will accumulate and create really bad hygiene. Some yoga mats are made from products that are pretty tricky to clean and some start to smell really bad over time. That's not the case for cork. Cork is naturally anti bacterial and it is also very easy to clean it. I just put it under the shower and it is clean as new.
4- Values
When I am purchasing a product I'd like the company to align with my values. Cork is a natural, sustainable, plant base product. When I am practicing on my Yalo mat, I feel like I am fulfilling "ahimsa", one of the 8 limbs of yoga, by not harming the planet. Yalo is also an eco-conscious brand, supporting organizations that aim to reduce plastic in the oceans, which is a sensitive topic for an islander like myself.
These are the simple reasons why I chose Yalo Yoga to include in my yoga practice. I have been enjoying my mat for over a year and couldn't be happier.
Love & Kindness
Sila Atikol