Yoga is a Slippery Slope

Good Morning!

Well, it’s back the grind, after a lovely long weekend, filled with NYC adventures!

First things first:

Just Flourishing was mentioned in The Winnipeg Free Press (my hometown’s paper) today! How exciting is that!

Moving along…I want to draw attention to the fact that my training for my half-marathon has definitely suffered in the past week and you will see that reflected in my personal training plan. I am still getting used to balancing all the different aspects of my life now that I am in school again. It’s tough!

Upon finalizing my school schedule, I felt that morning workouts, as much as I was starting to love them, would not be in the cards for me. However, I soon found that when got home from class I only really had time to STUDY (#1 priority) and make dinner …not workout. So, I think I’m going to gather up my courage and jump on the morning workout train again, as early as I may have to wake-up!
I guess it’s just trial and error, finding out what works for you.

In accordance with my schedule, I did yoga yesterday, a 75 minute Powerflow class. I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to test out the new yoga mat I just received from Gaiam.

Here it is airing out on my couch:
 
So pretty!

I also got a spiffy hemp mat sling to carry it with!

I took it to class and was really looking forward to seeing how it performed.
Unfortunately, to my dismay, I was slippin’ and slidin’ all over the place   But, I don’t think it was necessarily the yoga mat’s fault. I did some research and found that sometimes a new yoga mat can have an oily coating from the manufacturing process which can make it slippery.

Through my research (here and here) I also found out a couple ways you can make your yoga mat sticky rather than slippery:

• Wash your yoga mat in a washing machine - Apparently, high-quality detergent, the hot water setting and the constant spinning of your washing machine will stretch your mat, making it thinner and less slippery. (Use about 1/4 cup of detergent and make sure to air-dry and NOT put it in the dryer)
• Hand-wash your mat – Use a damp cloth to wipe down your mat with about a tablespoon of dishwashing soap in a circular motion. Rinse out the cloth really well with water and continue wiping down the mat until no soapy residue remains. Air dry before using.
• Spray your mat with rubbing alcohol - Spray mat liberally with the rubbing alcohol and let it dry for an hour before using it. The alcohol hardens the tiny ridges on the mat which gives you a better grip.
• Don’t ever use lotion before using your yoga mat!
• Also, for a sticky AND germ free yoga mat – Roll up your yoga mat and soak it with water and a cup of apple cider vinegar for one hour. The acidity of the vinegar with make the yoga mat less slippery and will also kill the germs on the surface! 2 in one!

So, those are the tips I came across, I will definitely be trying a couple of them out! If you know of any other ones, please feel free to share!

What color is your yoga mat? Or if you could pick a color/design for a yoga mat, what would it be?