| More and more yoga enthusiasts are dumping their | | | | concerns are moot. Be design, they do away with |
| old mats in favor of a natural yoga mat. But before | | | | some of the limitations of an old-style rubber mat: |
| you jump on the bandwagon, first learn about the | | | | - They're made of jute or hemp so they don't |
| pros and cons of natural yoga mats. | | | | outgas scary and obnoxious chemical smells. |
| You probably spend a considerable amount of time in | | | | - Their natural fibers don't curl up like rubber. |
| close proximity to your old-style rubber mat. Of all | | | | - They're not slippery, even when you are perspiring |
| the exercise equipment you own, it's probably the | | | | However, natural yoga mats can take some getting |
| only piece that you regularly rub up against and smell. | | | | used to: |
| When you think about it, you're inordinately intimate | | | | - The comforting "cushion" effect that you have |
| with that old mat. | | | | grown accustomed to is gone. These mats are firm, |
| Getting a new yoga mat is always an iffy proposition. | | | | with little to no "give". |
| You shudder to ask yourself: | | | | - They can be hard on your knees, spinal processes, |
| - Will it smell like an explosion at a chemical plant? | | | | and the points of your hips. |
| - Will it roll up like a window shade every time I try | | | | - When used on uneven or rough surfaces, the |
| to lay it out flat? | | | | underlying protuberances will poke through, making |
| - Will I slip and slide like a drunken penguin on its slick | | | | for an uncomfortable session. |
| new surface? With a natural yoga mat, those | | | | |