design within stretch - eternefit - product review

eternefit mat marries the benefits of a thick eco-mat with the convenience of a built-in memory foam cushion, which makes it great for toting to class - especially if you have (to name just a few):

• carpal tunnel - super helpful in alleviating pressure on the wrists in down dog
• knee issues - extra protection for low lunges for this precious joint
• bony hips - so you can focus on the backbend in bow rather than how badly your hip points may be digging into the ground

the website also offers a slue of information from how to store your mat to great ways to support your practice using this cushy square.

when i gave the mat a test-run, i was pleasantly surprised to feel the soft support in crescent lunge, while it also tested my balance in headstand, really forcing me to activate my center, & it gave me the perfect extra lift while meditating in sukhasana. so, other than a little bulky in the roll-up, i am loving this mat & it is even appealing to my yoga-phobic boyfriend [read: he may actually give yoga a try if i let him borrow the mat!].

on a side note, the mat is also a great convo-starter & could be the new way to 'meet people' in class [read: yoga class is the new meat market?]. in fact, when i brought my mat out to a vinyasa class - the teacher actually gave it a shout out, along the lines of 'hey, what a cool mat, the padding is already built-in!' & then after class she gave it a try, along with a fellow student who always uses extra padding for her knees!

deal: if you are looking for a new mat & use a block or blanket in your practice, eternefit is a great way to streamline your yoga gear & minimize set-up time between poses so that you can keep your focus throughout your practice as you flow from standing to seated poses.

true, $74.95 may seem hefty, but it can actually be a savings if you were to purchase an eco-mat ($70) & some yoga blocks ($16) a la carte.

design within stretch - giving yoga props

yoga meaning 'union' is truly emerging as a viable industry offering countless schools of asana & now innovative props to help yogis everywhere make that connection with mind, body, soul - & now design. just as asana has evolved from the two original poses, tadasana (mountain) & svasana (corpse), so too have the props. after attending the yoga journal conference in nyc, i stumbled upon two of the most practical & perhaps most effective new asana helpers, where form & function have joined for their own sort of yoga, including the evolved block (aka egg) created by a 'recovering' furniture maker with a bad back & an all-in-one eco-mat which began as an f.i.t. professor's vision. stay tuned for my reviews after i give them a test-run!