Best Yoga Mats Recommended by a Yoga Teacher

Sharing the top yoga mats in different price points and for your different yoga needs.

As a yoga teacher, I have seen and practiced on quite a few yoga mats. Today I’m sharing my top picks for yoga mats based on what I use, whether you want to spend a lot or a little, and based on what your current yoga practice requires.

My favourite yoga mat:

Lululemon “The Mat” 5mm

Price: $108.00 CAN

Best for: all your yoga needs.

This yoga mat is definitely a higher price point, however, I have repurchased this mat after using my first one for about 10 years. That’s ten years of classes, both hot and regular temperature, as well as multiple mat cleanings. These mats hold up wel!! These two sided mats offer a smooth side and textured side, so you’re covered for both Hot and regular temperature yoga classes. I find the smooth rubber side provides enough grip while not allowing you to “stick”, but it would be too slippery in a hot class with all the sweat - which is where the textured side comes in. The 5mm thickness provides adequate cushioning for the joints and points of contact with the floor. I have a beautiful sage green coloured one with the marbled design and besides the functionality, it looks really pretty. The one downside is these mats are a bit heavier to cart around, so if you’re someone who bikes to classes with your mat on your back, this would likely feel cumbersome. Otherwise, for durability, use during classes, and overall appearance, I rate this a 10/10.

Image from Lululemon.com

If you’re looking for something similar with a lesser price tag, this mat from Amazon looks similar and has great reviews. (Here’s the Amazon link for US Residents!)

As an Amazon associate I earn commission on qualifying purchases.

My second favourite mat:

Giaim Premium print yoga mat (Links to Amazon Canada)

(Amazon link for US residents)

Price: $29.98 and up

Best for: all your yoga needs.

Image from Amazon.com

I bought three of these beautiful mats to offer as rentals for my students and ended up using them myself. I found the design so appealing and the texture and thickness was adequate, although compared to the Lululemon rubber mat, not as padded or structured. These mats were easy to roll, light to carry around and held up decently to multiple classes and cleans. This type of mat will defiitely start to show wear and tear sooner than the rubber mats above, but at a fraction of the cost, you can likely replace this one every year or two and not break the bank. For durability, use in class, and overall appearance, I rate this a 8/10.

Best yoga mat for “bad” knees

Amazon Basics 1/2 Inch extra thick exercise mat (Links to Amazon Canada)

(Amazon link for US Residents)

Price: $39.68 CAN

Best for: anyone with sensitive knees or knee concerns, or anyone who likes extra padding under their body when lying on the ground.

I personally haven’t used an extra thick mat, but for my multiple students who need extra padding under the knees or other pressure point areas, these mats are the way to go. The only issue can be with balance since the thickness and extra cushion can cause you to be a bit wobbly. I have recommended thick mats to many students and always receive positive feedback.

Image from Amazon.com

Finding the right mat can make all the difference in your yoga experience, so make sure you take the time to find the one that suits your needs the best.

Real Life: A week in my life

In the age of social media, it's easy to get caught up in the curated versions of people's lives that are seen on Instagram and Facebook. While I am sure there are some Yoga teachers whose lives are filled with sunrise meditations, beautiful organic, vegetarian meals, time spent journalling and making vision boards between classes, and bedtime self care rituals everyday, that is not my reality as a Yoga teacher (if this is your life - show me your ways!!). There is a lot of work, hustle, and non-instagram worthy stuff that goes on behind the scenes and since I believe in capturing real life on this blog (check out my other real life series post here) I thought I would give you a little peek into what a fairly typical week looks like for me as I try to balance work, Yoga, and life. This life may not always be filtered to perfection, but it is mine and I am loving what I am creating and living everyday. 

Monday:

7:00am - Wake up with my alarm - check my emails, and social media on my phone. Get ready for the day and pack up my breakfast, lunch and vitamins to take to my day job. 

Bagel, cream cheese and apple for breakfast, mini meatloaf and mashed potatoes for lunch

Go to the computer to publish the blog post for the week that I worked on and finished over the weekend and then get out the door and head to work by 8:30. 

I get home from work around 5:00, quickly make some dinner - often I make food on Sunday that I can easily reheat and this week it was individual meatloafs. While I eat, I review my classes that I will be teaching this week. 

6:45 - I leave to teach my class at Dakota Community Centre

Savasana

I get home around 8:30 and usually shower, relax while watching some netflix and am in bed by 10:00. 

Tuesday:

Tuesday and Wednesday Morning's are the same as Monday as I work during the day.

I leave work at 4:30 on Tuesday and head down to the rec centre in St. James where I teach. I usually get there a bit early so I spend time in my car listening to podcasts, sequencing classes, going over my budget or watching youtube videos. 

After teaching I am home around 8:00 and was greeted by home-made BBQ burgers for dinner - yum! I take some time to prep and pack things up for my classes tomorrow and spend some time with my bf before heading to bed by 10:00. 

Wednesday:

After work on Wednesday I come home by 5:00, have a quick snack, and pack up everything I need for the Your Best Yoga classes. I have more prep to do for these classes as I run this program and am not just a contracted teacher. 

All the props and mats packed up and ready to go! 

I teach a Beginner Class from 6:15-7:15 and a Flow Class from 7:30-8:30 this night and get home around 9:00 to prepare a late and easy dinner of perogies and salad. I spend some more time with Netflix before heading to bed around 10:30. 

Thursday:

Today is a day off from my day job - I recently went to part time for a term to allow myself more time for teaching. I sleep until 8:30, get ready for the day, and head to breakfast with my mom at Marion Street Eatery - their Mexican breakfast is my favourite! 

After breakfast I head home to change and then have a gym date with my bf - it was leg day :(

Killed my wide legged squats today ;) 

I get home and settle in to work mode from 1:30-4:30. My to do list included setting up for the new Your Best Yoga Session (Starts February 24th - sign up now!!), writing a blog post, submitting teaching time sheets, and setting up my February Goals.

Writing class descriptions for the website

After I conquered that To-Do list, I relaxed for a bit and made myself some dinner - Roasted Sweet Potatoes and broccoli with chicken fingers and homemade honey dill sauce.

I finish up this evening sipping my favourite Celestial Seasoning's "Sleepy Time" tea and am in bed by 11:00. 

Friday: 

Day off from my day job and day off from Yoga work. It's a real day off!!! I sleep in until 9:30, have a slow morining watching Kelly and Michael Live (I seceretly Love Kelly Ripa haha), get ready for the day and then meet up with a friend for Pedicures - because when you walk around barefoot for a living, it's always pedicure season :) 

After the pedi I stop to pick up groceries, head home and make dinner and then I leave to get to an Advanced Teacher Training workshop. This weekend the workshop ran Friday from 7:00-9:00 as well as Saturday and Sunday from 1 - 4:30 and was a practice based workshop that included a silent day on Saturday. 

After Teacher Training I went home and was in bed by 11:00 - very exciting Friday night :)

Saturday:

Up around 9:00 - make a big breakfast to set me up for the workshop ahead. Take some time to post on social media on my Yoga accounts and make some notes for this blog post. Then off to teacher training. 

This day of silence was pretty intense for me. It included three 20 minute meditations that were dispersed between active and passive Asana practice as well as pranyama. 

When I got home I was starving so I had a quick snack and got ready as we were heading to the "Great Ice Show" at the Forks! We went with another couple and then headed to dinner after. 

Chillin' with the penguins ;)

Sunday: 

Honestly, Sunday the exhaustion was setting in. I was tired, a bit sore from the gym and the practice yesterday, and still had things to get done before Monday. I was feeling overwhelmed but still headed to the Teacher Training for more Asana practice and meditation. 

After teacher training I came home and ended up giving myself a break in the "get things done" department. I had put some soup in the Slow cooker before I left for teacher training so I came home to cozy up to a big bowl of that and some homemade garlic toast, did some laundry and watched Grease Live. 

Then it was off to bed in order to rest up and do it all again next week! 

If you are a teacher, I would love to hear about your experiences trying to balance it all - leave me a comment below!! :)