This entry was posted on Aug 13, 2025 by Charlotte Bell.
Considered one of yoga observe’s nice presents is its emphasis on balancing. Poses reminiscent of Vrksasana (Tree Pose) are an integral a part of nearly each type of observe. The power to steadiness is an important a part of wholesome ageing, and it may be useful to develop balancing expertise as early as doable. Typical knowledge has it {that a} thinner Yoga Mat (⅛ inch or much less, or 1.5mm to three.5mm) is most conducive to staying on our toes throughout one-legged balancing poses. The thinner the mat, the much less your standing foot goes to wish to make changes. However is that optimum? After nearly 40 years of yoga instructing, my unequivocal reply is: it relies upon. So what’s the greatest yoga mat for balancing?
The Finest Yoga Mat for Balancing Is dependent upon Your Intention
Counterintuitive as it might sound, the mat I often use for instructing yoga—even in lessons the place we observe a number of standing balancing poses—is the Final Cushion Yoga Mat. At ⅜ inch, it’s the thickest mat Hugger Mugger affords. (I alternate between this mat and the Para Rubber Yoga Mat (3/16″)).
Why would I wish to make it more durable on myself? I observe balancing poses to domesticate and preserve my balancing expertise. Positive, I can extra simply carry out balancing poses on a thinner mat, however I wish to problem my steadiness. That’s the way in which we construct balancing expertise—by balancing in difficult conditions. So, to perform my goal in training balancing poses, the very best yoga mats for balancing are the thicker, more difficult ones.
As a result of I’ve a longstanding relationship with Hugger Mugger Yoga Merchandise, I’ve purchased many mats from them through the years. I discover that balancing on several types of surfaces—and mats of various thicknesses—is necessary for constructing balancing expertise. So generally I observe on thick mats, and generally I observe on skinny mats. I additionally place my mats on varied surfaces. Whereas wooden and surfaces reminiscent of concrete are essentially the most dependable, I feel it’s useful to observe balancing on gentle, squishy surfaces, reminiscent of carpeting, as nicely.
It’s necessary to respect the place you might be. In case your steadiness is mostly unstable, training on a thinner Yoga Mat is an efficient place to begin. As soon as you’re feeling steady in balancing poses on a skinny mat, then you may start difficult your steadiness on a thicker mat.
Balancing On and Off the Yoga Mat
Training yoga on varied mat varieties and ground varieties is just not the one option to hone your steadiness. Listed here are some solutions for taking your balancing observe off the mat:
- Observe balancing in several types of footwear—thick soles, soft soles, skinny soles, and so forth. Except you usually put on heels, I wouldn’t suggest training yoga in them. (For that matter I might suggest avoiding or minimizing carrying heels normally, due to the havoc they wreak on the integrity of your musculoskeletal system.)
- Observe open air. Mountaineering trails are hardly ever utterly degree. Strolling, and training balancing poses, on uneven surfaces problem your toes to steadiness otherwise. Subsequent time you are taking a hike, cease for a minute or so and observe a one-legged balancing pose—Tree Pose appears acceptable if you’re within the woods—on an uneven floor.
For those who’d prefer to study extra in regards to the components of growing steady steadiness, right here’s a latest weblog.
About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and started instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Purple Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.
