Why You Need an Exercise Mat

We live in a time that gives a lot of importance on living fit and staying healthy. Exercise and fitness have become the new mantra. But something that is also gaining popularity right along with the art of fitness is the use of exercise mats! An exercise mat is rapidly becoming a must-have piece of fitness equipment. An exercise mat can be used in so many different ways, for different exercises and postures to make your body comfortable during the routine. Too be truly fit you need your workout to be effective. But, if you do not use a good exercise mat and are not comfortable during your workout – then your workout is doomed to suffer. Since floor exercises are an essential part of any fitness program, if you do not use the proper exercise mat, you’ll be short-changing yourself during abdominal, core, and flexibility training, and during many of your isometric workouts. There are many benefits to using an exercises mat. Benefits of an exercise mat

• The padding protects your knees, elbows, and tailbone during floor work
• Gives you the necessary balance in Yoga and protects hips and tailbones in Pilates.
• An exercise mat is long and will accommodate full-length prone exercises
• Keeps the floor and carpets clean by keeping sweat away from it
• Can be doubled over or rolled up to provide additional padding
• More portable and storable as compared to thicker puzzle-board floor mats
• Closed-cell foam is tough, durable, easy to clean, and doesn’t “dent” like other materials

Exercise mats come in different shapes and sizes to suit different types of workouts. Here are some of the different types of exercise mats and the fitness programs that require them. Pilates Mats Pilates mats are similar to yoga mats, though they're often longer and thicker. Pilates mats are made with closed-cell construction, usually from TPE (Thermal Plastic Elastomer). Pilates mats are firm and should offer at least half an inch of padding. Unlike yoga mats, Pilates mats aren't very sticky, and you should be able to wipe them clean easily after use. Yoga Mats Yoga mats are thinner than Pilates mats, since they're intended for lower impact exercises. Yoga mats can be manufactured from a variety of different materials, including:

• closed cell PVC
• cotton
• mesh
• rubber

Yoga mats are sticky and capable of clinging firmly to a hard floor surface. They're designed to provide cushioning for yoga exercises and to keep the yoga practitioner from slipping and sustaining injury. Yoga mats are easy to clean with soap and water. Fitness Mats Fitness mats are thick and large. They're generally at least half an inch thick and about five feet long. They're used for crunches and stretching exercises, or any other general exercise you prefer; they can absorb some amount of impact shock and provide cushioning between you and the floor during general exercise. They're made from closed cell PVC and usually also have an easy to clean vinyl cover. Professional Fitness Mats Professional fitness exercise mats may be one or two inches thick, and are used in gymnastics and other professional sports scenarios, since they're thick enough to absorb almost any shock that might damage the knees, ankles, neck or spine. These mats are large and bulky and even folding professional mats are difficult to store. They're usually present in gyms and fitness classes. They can be made either from standard or extra dense foam, and are usually protected by an easy to clean vinyl cover. Foam Mats Foam mats are usually two feet square, with interlocking edges, and they're about five inches thick. These mats are used to provide cushioning in martial arts classes. They're also a good choice for those who perform high intensity training exercises. The thickness of these foam mats absorbs impact shock and makes high intensity training easier and less harmful to the joints. Floor Protectors Floor protector exercise mats are about a quarter of an inch thick and can be over eight feet long and three feet wide. You don't get down on these mats to perform exercises; instead, you put them under your fitness equipment to protect the floor from damage. They should be nonslip to keep your fitness equipment steady and stable while you're using it. They're a great idea for protecting your floor if you use an exercise bike, a rowing machine or a treadmill, and they can also protect your floor while you're using free weights or any other type of weight lifting equipment. Sources: http://skinnybulkup.com and http://www.fitday.com