The Pros and Cons • Yoga Basics

Have you ever been hit by your yoga mat? Perhaps you transitioned from a high lunge to a standing forward fold during class and your foot position wasn't accurate, causing your sticky mat to clump under it. Or, worse, your mat smells funky from the hot class you attended a few days ago, and you get a smell every time you inhale in kid pose. A small but passionate group of yogis has exactly the solution. They say: "Not anymore!" to yoga mats and throw them aside.

Can you do yoga without a mat?

Yes, you definitely can! But before you try it, you should understand the pros and cons of not using any. Your choice also depends on the type of yoga you practice and Your needs for upholstery, space, hygiene and environmental friendliness.

"The ecstasy of yoga cannot be contained in a mat," said Dana Flynn, director of Laughing Lotus, a studio in New York and San Francisco. Many yoga teachers in their studios encourage yoga students to practice without a mat, especially on a wooden floor. But there is more to it than that. It seems that there is a feeling behind it The mat is seen as a status symbol and a way to Mark your territory to these special yoga practitioners. It is also viewed as unsanitary and harmful to the environment.

Who can argue with that? Most mats are made from a synthetic plastic product and as more “green” mats become available, the cost of making and shipping the mats has some environmental impact. And using studio mats after others have used them always seems a little germinated, though every reputable yoga studio will let you know that the mats are cleaned between classes.

Practice without a yoga mat

But have you ever practiced without a mat? It's a little strange. What if you show up without a mat and the floor is dirty? Yuck.

There is a certain level of comfort in being on your mat in your personal space. It is a rectangular space that is entirely yours. This is convenient in an environment with minimal space and high class attendance. The mat is a boundary, a kind of marker for your neighbor that can be crossed, but there is an unspoken understanding that it is only by invitation or sometimes accidentally when space is tight. So there is a bit of a territorial feel to it, but I'm not sure if that's a bad thing. I don't know about you, but sometimes that little piece of mat pillow is welcome, like when I'm in certain yoga poses like Downward Dog or when I'm aiming for forearm balance.

I can get involved with the "idea" without practicing a mat, especially when I hear Alex Schatzberg of Yoga Vida, a studio in Greenwich Village, put it. "The idea of practicing without a mat is idyllic in that the nature of yoga practice does not require anything but your body."

Yes, I agree … totally … at home, on my clean floor, alone, in my own practice.

However, I must admit that by teaching at outdoor yoga events and in classes in a park, I have found that this is often the case It's easier to swap the mat for a large blanket or toss it aside entirely than it is to try to use it. There is a sense of freedom when doing yoga outside, and a synthetic mat with a little stickiness just won't fit. If the floor is even a little uneven, the mat tends to curl up and stick out in weird places.

No mat advantages

More flexibility to practice anywhere
Don't limit your movements to a rectangle
More environmentally conscious
Save money when you buy yoga mats
Connects you to nature when you practice on grass or sand
Frees up storage space
Less worry

No dull disadvantages

You'll need to adjust or change the practice when you find yourself on a hard or slippery floor
May increase the risk of injury or pain
Less protection against germs
Lack of guidelines for foot and hand placement
Lack of defined personal space

Yoga styles that do not require mats

There are several special styles that do not use mats. If you're curious about a mat-free exercise, this is a great place to experiment and explore. Bed yoga, paddleboard yoga, acro yoga, and aerial yoga are all taught without a mat.