Do I Need A Mat For Pilates

Slightly thicker than the yoga mat pilates mats are built to cushion the body as well as provide excellent grip.

Do i need a mat for pilates. Using a mat for a pilates session is a must. However you may have more options as your practice advances on a slightly wider mat. If space is not a limiting factor search for an old school gymnasium mat where you can stretch out and use the full surface available. However you may find that some pilates mats have a grippy surface on the bottom and a sliding top to allow for smoother transitions between pilates moves.

However if you do need to carry your mat with you then you ll want to make sure the mat is lightweight enough to carry without discomfort and if it s got a carry strap with it even better such as our core fitness mat. If you want to do pilates from home you will need at least one pilates dvd. Choose one or more for your skill level and be sure to complete the entire routine without skipping any parts. If you are not comfortable when performing in your pilates sessions it can affect your enthusiasm regarding the activity and your overall comfort and experience might be ruined.

In most cases individuals that are looking to perform their pilates routine through the use of the pilates machines will either need to visit a pilates studio or purchase the equipment for home use. Pilates mats because of their thickness can be very bulky so you definitely don t want to add to that with extra weight. Pilates mats need to provide more padding from the floor than yoga mats provide for rolling exercises. Exactly how much thickness do you need.

When it comes to mat thickness it really comes down to how comfortable you need your bony body parts to feel while on the ground such as your knees spine and hip bones says gosia calderon owner and instructor at ridgewood pilates in new york city. A full pilates mat routine can certainly be accomplished on a yoga mat of this size. In addition to being adaptable to any fitness level pilates mat exercises let you focus on learning the basics correctly without having to master new exercise equipment at the same time. However pilates is a flexible exercise type in that it can be successfully practiced with or without the use of the larger pieces of equipment.

Mat exercises will help you gain strength and confidence in the pilates method.