Finding the perfect Pilates mat is very important when you are on your journey of pilates on daily basis. As regular workout including pilates not only helps to improve your health, but also make you feel more energized, but lack of better workout mat and support, may leaves you with sore knees and spine.
During yoga you can use a thin mat for better body balance and avoiding injury due to its light body pressure types, but Pilates includes heavy floow work, hence it needs a more thick density mat mendatorily.
In this artcle we will help you to know on choosing the right mat to ease your Pilates session, best mat brands availabke with more features which provides comfortable Pilates workout.
Why You Need a Dedicated Pilates Mat:
Many for pilates beginners do mistake of using a standard 3mm yoga mat for Pilates workout. However, Pilates includes more body rolling exercises which put more preressure on the vertebrae. Therefore for Pilates experts suggests to use a specialised Pilates mat only.
Cushioning: A proper Pilates mat should be between 8mm and 15mm thick which can help to protect your spine, hips, and knees.
Density: It needs to be stredy and firm enough that you don’t feel the hard floor and crate any injury or soreness during and after the pilates workout.
Surface Texture: Regular Yoga mats are more sticky to prevent slipping in downward position, Pilates mats often have a smoother, closed surface which allow a flowless movement and also easy cleaning.
Best Pilates Mat Brands for a Comfortable Pilates Workout
- Stakt: The Knee Savior (Best for variety of use)
The Stakt Mat is very popular today among the fitness folowers due to its unique easy foldable design. As traditional mats can be roll up but the the Stakt mats can also be folded which helps in easy to carry in a Gymbag and fits in a cupboard and lockers.
Why it’s comfortable: With its 12mm thickness, it provides better cushioning than regular workout mats.
You can also fold it and use it to get an extra-thick cushioning for kneeling exercises and even to support your neck.
- Manduka: The PRO Series (Best for Durability)
This is geenrally marketed as a yoga, but the Manduka PRO (6mm) mat is also best for Pilates instructors due to its more thick but flexible material.
Why it’s comfortable: It doesn’t compress while workout body pressures, Even though it is thinner than regular foam mats, its high density offers more support than a regular 10mm squishy mat. Plus, it comes with a lifetime guarantee by the manufacturers which is very beneficial to regular using customers.
- Gaiam: Premium 6mm (Best Value)
If you’re looking for an affordable mat which also supports your joint health, Gaiam mats are best in its class.
Why it’s comfortable: Their 6mm Premium thickness as well as lightweight but better grip helps to keeps you stable during intense body work including pilates.
- Merrithew: Eco-Mat (The Professional’s Choice)
Merrithew is a brand synonymous with professional Pilates equipment such as reformers. Their mats are designed specifically for pilates workout.
Why it’s comfortable: They offer specialized 10mm to 15mm mats made with non-toxic TPE. These are thicker and wider than standard mats, giving you more real benefits to leg circles and side-lying body pressure workouts.
- Decathlon (Domyos): The Ultra-Thick Option (one of the Best Budget Mat)
For those who don’t want to spend more money and although wants a best cushioning pilates mat, then they should go with the Domyos 20mm mat from Decathlon, which is best for pilates and regular yoga workout.
Why it’s comfortable: At 20mm thickness it is one of the thickest mat available in the market, which makes it the best choice for anyone with chronic back pain or experiencing a very hard floors sensitivity during working.
Brand Comparison of Popular Pilates Mat
Brand: Stakt, Thickness: 12mm, Best For: Knee Support / multiple use, Material: EVA Foam
Brand: Manduka PRO, Thickness: 6mm, Best For: Longevity / Stability, Material: High-Density PVC
Brand: Gaiam, Thickness: 6mm, Best For: Beginners / Budget users, Material: PVC
Brand: Merrithew, Thickness: 10mm+, Best For: Professional Feel, Material: TPE / Eco-friendly
Brand: Decathlon, Thickness: 20mm, Best For: Maximum Cushioning, Material: NBR Foam
How to Choose best Pilates Mat for yourself:
When you are planning to buy a multiple use Pilates mat, then always give first priority to better thickness mat’s, So, this will help to ease your sensitive joints and provide better body support. High density mat also helps to its durability and it last for many years. Best Pilates mat brands is what you feel comfortable during your routine Pilates workout, you can’t go with Stakt for comfort, Manduka for quality, or Gaiam for value and Decathlon for multiple use.
Finding the perfect Pilates mat, is very important to safeguard yourself from pilates and other HIIT Workout injuries, and make you more energize instead of bruised knees and a sore spine. Yoga requires a thin mat, but pilates specifically required a more thick and dense mats for its routine high body pressure based workouts. We hope above article will help you to find out the best Pilates mat brands for your most comfortable Pilates workout.
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