I’ve been dabbling in yoga over the past year.
I say dabble because although there are times I practice twice a week or more, there are times where I go weeks without it. Sigh.
I love it though.
The times I don’t get to practice are because life gets in the way, which isn’t a good excuse, except for me –> I like to practice my yoga in a class instead of alone at home. And getting to a class can be difficult sometimes. (Though I’m open to trying yoga at home in the future so I can take my mat on the road with me when we travel.)
As of a couple of months ago, I consider myself still a bit of a newbie at yoga, but since I knew most of the moves, I decided to try adding heated yoga into my practice. I went to Village Health Club and Spa, where we belong (and LOVE), and had my first heated class a few months ago. They have the best classes and teachers for all their other classes so I felt confident trying my hand at a heated yoga class in spite of feeling intimidated by the class.
Um.
OMG.
Awesome.
I came home exhilarated and drenched in sweat. I was flying high, face flushed, and feeling amazing. It was a GREAT workout, and I knew doing hot yoga (or at least heated yoga – there’s a slight difference in the temps and humidity) would be a part of my life forever.
For the first few weeks, I used my normal yoga mat and put a big towel on top, but I quickly realized that wasn’t ideal because it moves around and messes the flow. So I went online, read some reviews, and bought a hot yoga mat that seemed like it would grip well and work.
I liked it okay, but honestly, I didn’t love it. It was kind of heavy and clumsy – it didn’t roll too easily or go into my cool yoga bag without some shimmy shaking. That said, I wasn’t about to buy another mat. I figured I’d just deal.
Well, what do you ya know… I received an invitation to try a hot yoga mat from Yoga Design Lab. I was just about to pass on the opportunity but I was intrigued by the story of the company and the beautiful (eco-friendly) mats they had. I thought, “What the hell?! OK! I’ll take one.”
According to the email I was sent…
The innovative yoga brand has been shaking up the industry with uber colorful yoga mats described by Refinery29 and Fitness Magazine as ‘stunning works of art’. With a growing US celebrity following, the company is excited to finally be available to European consumers with next-day shipping.Designed in Bali by a Canadian surfer / yogi named Chad, who sold all his stuff and moved there to launch the idea in 2014. The young brand produces visually stunning, fashion-forward, eco-friendly yoga products designed to inspire.
“I was seated in the back of a packed yoga class while on vacation in Ubud, Bali. Looking around, all I saw was a sea of unoriginal, massed produced, solid colored mats. My thinking was, there must be a way of creating a highly functional product that was also aesthetically beautiful. So the journey began. Long story short, I sold my stuff, packed up a couple bags and moved to Bali with the goal of creating a stunning line of yoga products that inspire more people to get excited about yoga.” Chad – YDL Founder
Blending fashion-forward design elements with innovative functionality and bio-renewable consciousness is key to the Yoga Design Lab approach. From insulated stainless steel water bottles, to yoga mats comprised of biodegradable natural tree rubber, to the water based inks used in the printed designs, we can all make a difference with the products we buy.
Upon opening the box, I actually gasped at how pretty it was. Greg was even impressed with its look. (Now, I want to stare at it all day.)
Then, I stood on it and I was blown away at how soft and comfy it was. (Now, I want to lie down on it all day. Nap time anyone?)
But, I knew the real test would be if it worked. I rolled it up the first day I went to use it, and this will sound silly, but I marveled at how easy it was to roll and tuck into my awesome yoga carry bag (easier than both of my other mats). So far so good.
Next, the real test. I used the mat in a heated yoga flow class.
Um.
OMG.
AWESOME.
I get a great grip with it, I bliss out when I look at it, and it’s easy to clean and roll up. I’m so grateful Yoga Design Lab sent me this mat.
I highly(!) recommend Yoga Design Lab mats, especially if you’re a hot yogi. You will looooove it. They’re great. Importantly, they’re eco-friendly and aren’t stinky. The last thing I want to do during my child’s pose is inhale chemicals from a yoga mat, am I right?!
Oommmmmmm and Happy Holidays,
Kristen
PS. For the month of December you can get an exclusive 10% discount on their mats with the promo code: YDLROCKS (valid until Dec 2015)