Saturday 9 July 2011

The holy trinity of yoga mats

I decided an ordinary yoga mat was no longer for me. I needed to go forth, investigate and purchase a new mat. I needed to grow up and leave behind my lime green Wii mat and buy something more yoga, more serious, more 'I do yoga three times a week, I'm a serious yogini kinda mat'. You get the idea. Trawling the internet on yoga mat forums and the like (as you do if you have an obsessive persona like myself), it quickly became obvious that there is only one choice of yoga mat if you are truly devoted to yoga. The Manduka Black Mat Pro. I instantly ordered one. Who says I'm an impulse buyer?

Reading the reviews, it states something I find hard to understand. Many reviewers say this is the best yoga mat you will ever buy, however you must allow two weeks for you and your new mat to 'break in together'. What does this mean to 'break in' a yoga mat? It's a piece of rubber (100% natural non-Amazon tree rubber to be precise) for gods sake, what does it need me to do in this two week period?

Well, apparently in the first two weeks I have to use it on a daily basis. Every second day in the first two weeks is unacceptable. Is this mat like a needy girlfriend who needs reassurance in the beginning of a new relationship? Do I have to reassure the mat that yes indeed I do really like you and I promise to see you once the honeymoon period ends? That's not all. In the initial two weeks I also have to massage my beloved mat using a sponge and coarse sea salt  (preferably organic) before leaving the mat out to enjoy some sunshine. I'm not kidding.

After all this, I can then be guaranteed a surface which grips my hands like no other, providing better stability which in turn will improve my poses and jump-backs. I am not sure if it is actually possibly for a piece of rubber to make me a better yogini but I'm willing to find out. This mat is supposedly so good it has a life time guarantee and I will never want to use another mat. My yoga practice will improve with this mat. My life will be more profound with this mat. I will be at one with my mat. This mat is so special I also purchased its own special yoga bag for it to snugly sleep in.

I better go now. My husband is reading our credit card statement and trying to understand what a Manduka Black Pro is and why does it cost $120?