Pilates Mats

Pilates is made up out of many different exercise routines, but for Pilates Matwork the most essential piece of equipment is the Pilates Mat.

The exercises we do on the Pilates mats help us to tone and strengthen certain parts of our bodies, essentially focussing on the trunk and the hips. The mat is mainly used to protect the back during these exercises. The great news about Pilates mats is that they are fairly cheap, probably the cheapest of all Pilates equipment.

No, do not use your Yoga mat for Pilates or your Pilates Mat for Yoga. Remember that, even though these two mats look very similar, a Pilates mat needs to be thicker than a Yoga mat.

The reason for the thickness of a Pilates mat is that many of exercises are performed when lying on your back. The mat needs to support and provide padding to your spine as to avoid injury and offers less friction to allow comfortable body movement.

Yoga mats are thinner because for many of the Yoga standing poses you must feel the floor through the mat. The Yoga Mat also has a slightly sticky surface to prevent you from slipping when doing certain Yoga movements.

Pilates Mats comes in a wide range of sizes, styles and colors. When shopping for a suitable mat, it's important to consider the following:

• The size

A Pilates mat should be at least 1 inch thick to provide your back with enough support and padding when exercising on a hard surface.

• Softness

The mat should be slightly firm and not too soft, because this can hinder your body's balance and alignment.

• Width & Length

You must make sure that the mat you choose will be wide and long enough for you. You can choose between two different types of mats, being the roll-up or the folding mat, the folding mat being a lot larger. Folding mats are about 4' by 8' average and roll-up mats are significantly smaller around 72" by 21" or 86" by 39". Their prices tend to differ as well.

• Roll-up or Folding Mats

Folding mats are larger but also have other advantages like being made of dense foam or rubber, being portable and easy to store. When choosing a foam mat, keep in mind that closed foam mats are made thicker and firmer than ordinary foam mats. Some roll-up mats come with straps for easy storage and are available from $40.

You should keep all the above mentioned information in mind when shopping for your Pilates Mat. Remember that the mat you choose plays a huge role in making your daily Pilates exercise experience a more comfortable and enjoyable one.

Yogadirect sells pilates mats as well as other yoga and pilates equipment. Have a look at: YogaDirect.com

I did my best to make sure the information in this lens pertaining to Pilates Mats is correct and accurate at the time of publication. I accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and can not be held liable for any loss or damaged caused due to the reliance of the information in my lens. Treatment and advice of medical professionals is still advised.