Yoga blankets have evolved into a must have yoga accessory if you are looking to get maximum benefit out of your yoga practice. They are used to support the body during aasanas just like a yoga block or yoga bolster but they provide much more versatility. Choosing the best yoga blanket for your yoga asanas will definitely help you in taking your sadhna to the next level.
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Best yoga blanket- Our top picks
Here are our top picks for the best yoga blanket available in the market today.
El Paso Designs Mexican Yoga Blanket
El Paso blankets are one of the classic yoga blankets. They are handmade and can be used for providing support to your body during yoga sessions as well as during meditation.
They are available in a wide variety of colors and designs. These blankets are environment friendly as well.
YogaAccessories Traditional Mexican Blanket
The YogaAccessories blanket is made of acrylic, polyester and cotton. It offers easy maintenance since it is machine washable.
The blanket is a perfect yoga accessory for your restorative yoga sessions or for meditation.
Manduka Recycled Wool Blanket
The Maduka recycled wool blanket is made up of 100% recycled fibres. It is a high density blanket which is stretch resistant and provides good comfort and warmth.
Since it is a wool blanket, the manufacturer recommends dry cleaning and use of only mild detergent for maintenance.
Manduka Cotton Blanket
Lotuscrafts Blanket
This blanket is made of 100% organic cotton. Cotton is a highly versatile, environment friendly material. The blanket can be folded and used to provide support to different parts of your body during yogasanas or meditation.
YogaDirect Solid Color Deluxe Mexican Blanket
This handmade, machine washable blanket produced in Mexico is composed of cotton, acrylic and polyester.
RollingSandsHarmony Hand Woven Solid Color Mexican Blankets
Choosing the best yoga blanket: factors to consider
The most important factor to consider before choosing the your blanket is that it should provide you sufficient comfort during your practice. At the same time it should be light enough to carry so that you can easily take it to your yoga practice.
The major factors that you should consider while choosing the best yoga blanket are as following.
Material of the blanket
The blankets available in the market today come in various material types. They are available in material types like cotton, polyester,wool and blended fabrics.
Choosing the right material is extremely important because the texture and durability of the yoga blanket is dependent on the type of material.
Cotton is the most common material that is preferred by a lot of yoga practitioners. Not only is it available in multiple designs but it also comes in handy under different weather conditions. Cotton is an environment friendly material and is easy to maintain as well.
Blended fabrics are also used quite often because of the fact that they help in making the blankets more affordable. Usually these blended fabrics are a combination of cotton and polyester. Not only are they easy to maintain but they also offer high durability and strength which are extremely critical factors in choosing the right blanket.
Wool yoga blankets like all environmentally friendly material are non toxic. They are very durable and provide impeccable support during yoga poses. The only shortcoming is that wool is a relatively heavy material and gets heated during yoga sessions.That is why a wool yoga blanket might not be the right option if you are more interested in hot yoga sessions.
Thickness
The thickness of yoga blanket is a very critical factor because it affects both the comfort that your blanket gives you during your yoga poses and weight of the yoga blanket.
A very thick yoga blanket is difficult to carry around while providing good support to your knees.
That is why there is a balancing act which is required here between the thickness of yoga blanket and the overall weight.
You also have to keep in mind the density of the blanket because it has to be able to provide you enough support to do your poses properly.
Since its primary purpose is to take the pressure of your joints, the blanket should not be extremely soft. It should be able to hold your weight and should not been extremely hard so as to hurt your joints .
If you are someone who is just starting with their yoga practice, it is better to go with higher thickness blanket so that you have enough support.
If you are pregnant or someone who is attending restorative yoga sessions, thicker blankets might be a better choice since you would have more sensitive joints.
Length of the blanket
Using the yoga blanket with the right length is very important. Our suggestion would be to pick a blanket of the same length as your height. This will allow you to lie down on the blanket comfortably if required.
At the same time it can be transformed into multiple shapes and would be able to provide you sufficient support while practicing different yoga poses.
Design and style
There are multiple designs and styles of blankets available in the market. You can choose the one that fits your sensibilities. The usual styles which are available include:
- The Mexican style blanket which is made of blended materials
- Tight weave yoga blankets
- Felted style wool yoga blanket
Grip provided by the blanket
A lot of people use yoga blankets as an alternate for yoga mat. In addition they are also used as a supportive yoga accessory during different yoga poses. That is why the grip provided by the yoga blanket is one of the most crucial factors that you have to consider.
The grip that your blanket provides to your hand and feet is very important to maintain stability during different yoga poses so that you can avoid injuries due to slipping or due to loss of balance.
In case of more intensive yoga poses or during hot yoga sessions, the practitioners sweat even more profusely. In such scenarios yoga blanket with the right grip is even more important.
Maintenance cost
Yoga blankets are available in multiple styles and multiple materials in the market. They are usually quite affordable but one more factor that you should consider before buying the best yoga blanket is the maintenance and effort required for keeping it clean.
You should buy only those blankets which are machine washable and provide durability.
What are the advantages of using a yoga blanket?
Yoga blanket is one of the favorite accessories of yoga practitioners from beginners to advanced level because of the following advantages:
- It is highly transformative and can be folded and modified to provide support for a gamut of yoga poses
- It can be used to provide support to all parts of the body including back, legs and neck
- Some yoga practitioners also use yoga blanket as a replacement for yoga mat
- It can be used as an alternative for yoga bolsters or yoga blocks
- As a supportive yoga accessory which can be used during difficult asanas like Dhanurasana and Sirsasana, yoga blanket helps in avoiding injuries while practicing yoga
- It can serve as very important accessory for people who are a part of restorative yoga sessions or for older adults who want to practice yoga without putting undue strain on their bodies
Conclusion
Yoga blankets are one of the most versatile yoga accessories that you can invest in before kick starting your yoga practice. There are multiple options which are available but you need to you choose only the best yoga blanket since it will help you in getting the most out of your yoga practice by providing your body support and avoiding undue strain.
Frequently asked questions
What is a yoga blanket?
Yoga blanket is a versatile yoga accessory that can be transformed to perform multiple functions during your yoga practice. It can be used as a yoga pillow or a yoga bolster as well.
It allows to you adjust the height according to your body requirements. A yoga blanket can also be folded and used for meditative purposes.
There are a lot of yoga practitioners who swear by the use of this blanket because of the flexibility that it offers. They can be folded, rolled and adjusted into multiple thicknesses to provide the right support that is needed for different parts of the body during yoga poses.
How are yoga blankets used during different yoga asanas?
The usage of yoga blankets is completely dependent on the individual yoga practitioner. Since they are so convenient to transform and offer high versatility, they can be used to provide support to the body in multiple poses.
In addition they can also help you in overcoming bad posture during the yoga workout.
These blankets can be placed under the arch of your back, under you leg to provide knee support or to suppport your neck as well.
As a prop, these blankets not only give your body an extra lift but it also prevent untoward injuries by putting extra strain on your body.
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