Exercise Mat Ananda 1" Extra Thick Exercise Mat with Strap - Non Slip Workout Mat for Yoga, Pilates, Stretching, Meditation, Floor & Fitness Exercises

I bought this item to use to do stretching with my resistance bands etc. Anyway, this mat is super nice and thick and I wouldn't even know i'm working on top of our laminate in the living room. Doing sit-ups on this mat is way better than any yoga mat. If you are looking for something thicker than a yoga mat for that extra comfort, this is the mat to buy! I also like how easy it is to put the elastic on it after rolling it to put in the closet. It takes up more space of course than a yoga mat, but it does roll up nicely. Well made and very happy with my purchase.

First let me say that I am late-bloomer regarding yoga & most days these (59) year old parts are not happy when they first hit the floor. The classes I am presently taking are adult classes at night & part of the issue is they keep moving us around to different rooms, most of which the floors are not yoga-friendly on the body. So first I bought a knee cushion but that was a pain in the butt constantly taking it on & off the mat. Then I was thinking of doubling up, but I don’t even think that would be a help on some of the surfaces we’ve been on, & when looking to see what alternatives there might be, I came across this! It really is a good inch thick & the extra-cushioning, that also provided an even surface from one end to the other, made a huge difference! My knees, my back & even my wrists - this mat made such a difference. Definitely worth the extra $$! The only downside, at first, was that it is too big for either of my bags, but the strap it comes is really easy to use & makes it easy to carry!

This mat is so delightfully soft and squishy--I can do a headstand on it and it doesn't hurt my head at all. I also feel more confident trying to do crows, forearm stands and other balancing exercises where the fear of falling on my head keeps me from really going for it. But this mat is so well padded I feel better about trying these things.It comes with a removeable strap that you can use to keep your mat rolled up. You can try using it to stretch, as it has two loops, one on each end.I don't know if my cats are more obnoxious than most people's cats (probably) but they seem to like it, too. I would recommend you roll it up and tuck it out of the way after each session if you have cats, as mine seemed to think this was a fancy new scratching post that I had laid out on the floor for them. So there are a few little claw marks at the top, but it doesn't compromise the integrity of the mat at all.I have another yoga mat, but if you do yoga in your basement, like I do, you will appreciate this mat's softness and thickness. Love it.

For some yoga poses, my knees were hurt by the hard ground, and my feet and hands were slipping ruining my balance. So I purchased this mat, the night blue color. This is an extremely comfortable mat with a beautiful color. I do not worry about slipping anymore, and my knees or elbows do not hurt! The mat is not stretching while doing plank or downward facing dog, too. I saw some reviews for other thick mats telling that it is hard to keep the balance on thick mats, I think this is not the case. On the contrary, it is much easier to focus on your balance rather than your hurting body parts or slipping hands.Packaging was great, the product does not have any damages. Right after you do some moves, you can see some shallow pits on the mat, but they disappear in a few seconds. It has a soft surface, so I do not recommend using shoes on it, bare feet or yoga socks work really well. The mat has a slight plastic smell, but I think it will disappear after I allow it to ventilate. I have not used the mat for a long time, but I think it is sturdy enough for me to use a long time.This is a perfect mat for me, I definitely recommend this for the ones with the same concerns.

This is 100%, absolutely NOT A YOGA MAT! This is a fitness mat. What's the difference? A yoga mat is typically thinner & serves largely as a barrier between your skin & the floor to protect against friction burns & to provide some anti-slip resistance in some cases. Many yoga studios simply use the bare floor or use very thin, sheet-like mats. THIS IS NOT THAT! This is NOT FOR THAT! This is for fitness exercises that involve floor/ground workouts such as planks & sit ups.The material is an honest to goodness 1" thick & does wiggle if you stand on it. You won't find stability to perform your tree pose of even your downward dog as THIS IS NOT A YOGA MAT! It is incredibly stable for gripping your forearms as you hold a plank position for.... ever. You aren't going to slip with this mat. The mat isn't sticky & your sweat doesn't matter as the material appears to be porous yet it truly isn't overly absorbent so your sweat doesn't get sucked it but it also doesn't bead right off making a wet mess either. The material is perfect for cleaning & doesn't seem to hold moisture once cleaned. I sprayed a disinfectant directly onto the mat & it was dry in the amount of time it took me to put away the cleaner & cloth.I bought black & it's pretty dark, matte black with lines which serve as texture, though they are soft enough that my forearms aren't bothered by it & it doesn't leave lines in my arms. The bottom is completely flat, no texture lines at all but on carpet or tile flooring, it doesn't slip at all. There were a couple of marks from where the carrying straps have been wrapped around the mat but that doesn't make a difference in the usability of the mat. They may or may not come out over time. I am indifferent to them. The mat also came with a hole about the size of a pencil tip which doesn't really effect the mat so far but is annoying that I purchased a brand new product which arrived with damage already. That's like buying a shirt with a stain saying "those are inevitable so deal with it". I deducted a star under the durability feature because of the hole.There is a slight smell to the mat. IT'S NOT ORGANIC MATERIAL! It's made from synthetic, probably a latex blend, so it did have a slight odor to it which has dissipated over the week I've had the mat. I leave it rolled out for the duration of my workout, whether I need it for the day or not in order to help alleviate the scent. It's really not that bad & again, it's gone away quite a bit. Just roll it out the day you get it, wipe it down with a scent you like & let it air out.The edges have been cut very smooth. No jagged edges, no missing chunks. The carrying strap is convenient & elastic so the ends encase the mat really well. You don't have to roll it up exactly as you got it but do try to make it close. The 1st time you roll it up & see how easily the strap goes on. It's easy peasy. The mat weighs about 4lbs so it is heavier than most mats but as far as home use is concerned, how far are you carrying it anyway & for what duration? It's not that heavy or cumbersome.I am 5'3" so I fit entirely on the mat with room to spare both on the width & length. The length of the mat is 6' My husband is 6'3" & to have his feet off the ends was fine as you're not really going to stand directly on the mat because it's NOT A YOGA MAT! Go ahead & give this a go if you're still determined to find a thick mat to do your warrior pose but don't come back here with a review that you can't remain stable as the mat moves. No kidding. It's an INCH THICK. If you want stability, stand on the floor. When you need cushion for your corpse pose, this is your go-to. If you get the right tool for the right job, the job becomes easier. If you just need something for your booty/knees, look into mini mats. They roll up into your flatter yoga mats & provide the cushion you need for certain poses.Overall, this mat is very well suited for my purpose which is fitness, NOT YOGA! If I were to get a yoga mat, I'd definitely get something with cushion but only 1/4" thick which would provide both comfort & stability more so than this full 1" thick mat provides with regard to stability. I've walked on it with shoes but as a general rule, I tend to keep my shoes off mats as over time they add unnecessary battery to the mat that can cause it to shred not to mention all the added germs from shoes that have picked up who knows what from who knows where. I don't really want my hands & face all over the bottoms of my shoes so I stay off of it.To the makers of this mat, stop putting holes in the mats! For crying out loud! The price we pay for these deserves better overall quality output on your part. DO BETTER! I would absolutely give this product a full 5 stars had it not arrived with a hole like so many others complained of as well.