:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/vwt-pilates-exercise-mats-apr-24-test-airex-190-jessica-christopher-09-cb26e5d1a1f84b53bfd5bb7290bed269.jpeg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "We Discovered the Greatest Pilates Mats After 4,200+ Minutes of Planks, A whole bunch, & Extra")
When attending a Pilates class at a devoted studio, you’ll typically discover specialised tools like reformers or train balls. Nevertheless, in the event you’re seeking to apply at residence or in a gymnasium, having a minimum of a primary mat is important in your exercise. Pilates may be very fluid, so the mats are thicker and extra slippery than yoga mats, permitting you to transition between workout routines and repetitions simply, says licensed Pilates teacher Julie Erickson, CPI, CPT.
To search out the most effective Pilates mats, we spoke with licensed Pilates instructors to study extra about what key options to search for when purchasing for a high-quality choice. Then, we spent over 4,200 minutes testing high choices at residence, performing standing, mendacity, and kneeling Pilates strikes and stretches. We rated every choice for grip, consolation, portability, sturdiness, and worth. We additionally had a yoga and Pilates teacher from our Overview Board assessment this text for accuracy.
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 75 inches x 23 inches x 8 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: 3.1 kilos | Our Total Ranking: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for these seeking to improve their Pilates apply with a high-quality, well-cushioned Pilates mat.
Why We Love It
With Goldilocks-perfect cushioning and a non-slip grip on a number of surfaces, Airex’s Pilates 190 Mat was a shoo-in for our greatest general spot. Due to its strong cushioning and assist, we are able to simply transfer by way of our whole apply with out taking a break on account of joint discomfort, which is frequent for us. We additionally love that this mat is giant sufficient for full-body workout routines with out us having to reposition ourselves.
Throughout testing, we beloved its regular grip as we flowed by way of Pilates workout routines, together with cardio-driven sequences and static and dynamic actions. We by no means felt this mat transfer on the carpet, hardwood, or tile flooring, and we felt snug performing each slower- and faster-paced workout routines. With a gentle, cozy ribbed texture, it gives glorious grip for our toes and arms, even once they get sweaty. Plus, it’s grippy sufficient to assist completely different sock textures with out us sliding round. We additionally love that it’s a breeze to wipe clear with soapy water.
Potential Flaws
- As a result of this mat is so lengthy, it feels considerably cumbersome and tough to hold round. It’s light-weight and might be transported if wanted, however we desire to make use of it in our residence exercise house.
Most Helpful Perception
“This mat has enhanced my Pilates apply by offering a cushty and supportive layer and safety from onerous flooring surfaces. I can transfer freely, doing full-body workout routines while not having to reposition or pause to permit my joints to relaxation. I’m fully targeted on train actions versus the tools I’m exercising with.” —Jessica Christopher, Verywell Match product tester
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 72 inches x 23 inches x 10 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: Not listed | Our Total Ranking: 5/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for individuals who need a supportive, grippy mat and/or have delicate pores and skin and wish an choice made with out latex and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Why We Love It
Comprised of naturally sourced supplies, Balanced Physique’s EcoWise Mat is our high decide for individuals who prioritize assist when trying to find the precise Pilates mat. With thick cushioning and a raised sample that provides superior grip, this mat strikes the right stability of stability and assist. After we use this mat on our hardwood flooring and carpet, it stays fully in place. Plus, it grips our socks and naked toes nicely, stopping us from slipping and sliding, even once we get sweaty throughout extra intense strikes.
We love that this mat is hypoallergenic, which makes us really feel snug touching it to our naked pores and skin with out worrying about any irritation. It’s tremendous straightforward to wash, and in contrast to another mats we’ve used prior to now, it doesn’t give off or maintain onto any odor. We wipe ours down with a disinfecting wipe after use and love that it dries extremely quick. We additionally love that it’s light-weight and simple to move and retailer.
Potential Flaws
- This Pilates mat didn’t fully flatten after unboxing, and a crease stays even after plenty of use. Nevertheless, this didn’t impression our Pilates apply; the crease simply doesn’t look the most effective aesthetically.
Most Helpful Perception
“This mat enhances my Pilates apply due to its elevated grip. I discover it extra secure and simpler to make use of than a thicker mat. I additionally love that it’s lengthy as a result of I can transfer round greater than I may with a smaller mat. I’d advocate this mat to others, particularly in the event that they’re searching for a pure choice that gained’t irritate their pores and skin.” —Danielle Auger, Verywell Match product tester
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 71 inches x 26 inches x 5 or 8 millimeters | Materials: Pure rubber | Weight: 1.2 kilos | Our Total Ranking: 4.7/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for individuals who wish to spend money on a long-lasting, well-cushioned Pilates mat for a residence gymnasium.
Why We Love It
If you happen to’re prepared to speculate in your house gymnasium and know you wish to apply Pilates long-term, Bala’s The Play Mat must be on the high of your checklist. This mat is skinny however affords unbelievable cushioning. It grips completely on our hardwood flooring and jute rug, and gives cozy assist, particularly to our hips when mendacity on our aspect and knees once we’re on all fours. Plus, we really feel secure and safe, by no means shedding our grip, even throughout sweatier exercises.
Sturdiness is the place this Pilates mat shines—we’ve used it for over a 12 months and haven’t seen any indicators of wear and tear and tear. It actually appears to be like the identical because the day we acquired it. It doesn’t maintain onto any odor, and sweat marks are straightforward to wash with cleaning soap and water. We additionally love its aesthetically pleasing modern design that curves on the high. Plus, it is out there in two thickness choices, so you’ll be able to choose the correct amount of cushioning in your wants.
Potential Flaws
- This mat is pricier than different mats on our checklist. Nevertheless, we predict its high quality exceeds its worth.
- Whereas this mat isn’t essentially heavy, it’s a bit cumbersome to hold. To treatment this, we bought a mat strap to make transport simpler.
Most Helpful Perception
“This mat is price its value, particularly due to its sturdiness. If you happen to’re keen to splurge up-front, realizing you gained’t have to interchange it, then I would definitely advocate it. It’s snug, sleek-looking, well-designed, and long-lasting.” —Abby Moore, Verywell Match product tester
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Wonderful assist, particularly for the again and elbows
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Straightforward to hold with hooked up straps
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Price range-friendly
Key Specs
Dimensions: 70 inches x 22 inches x 10 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: 1.8 kilos | Our Total Ranking: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for individuals who are excited by attempting Pilates for the primary time or who’re eager about making it an everyday a part of their health routine.
Why We Love It
The additional thickness and assist supplied by Stott’s Pilates Specific Pilates Mat make it our high decide in the event you’re easing your approach into an everyday Pilates apply. Its glorious cushioning supplied us with nice assist, which we notably observed when performing strikes whereas mendacity on our again and when holding elbow plank poses.
We love that it affords top-notch grip, letting us circulate by way of our apply with out worrying about slipping or any mat motion, regardless if we apply it to hardwood flooring, tiles, or outside on concrete. We discovered this mat straightforward to roll up and transport, because of its hooked up straps.
Potential Flaws
- After we used this mat outside, we discovered that it heated up rapidly in direct daylight. If you happen to plan on utilizing this mat outside, you could wish to keep on with a shady space.
Most Helpful Perception
“Consolation is the place this mat shines. My knees, elbows, and again really feel nice! My again, specifically, feels higher with this mat than some other mat I’ve ever used earlier than. Its thick cushioning lets my again sink in, and I really feel so supported and comfy. Its thick, mushy texture helps assist my joints and bones, permitting for longevity in poses that require stress, like elbow planks.” —Samantha Aronson, manufacturing assistant and Verywell Match product tester
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Reminiscence foam-like cushioning that holds its form
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Stable grip on varied surfaces, together with hardwood and carpet
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Offers glorious joint assist
Key Specs
Dimensions: 70 inches x 23 inches x 25 millimeters | Materials: Excessive-density foam, rubber | Weight: 3.2 kilos | Our Total Ranking: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for individuals who need a excessive stage of cushioning and luxury throughout their Pilates apply.
Why We Love It
If you wish to really feel such as you’re practising Pilates on a cloud, you’ll love HemingWeigh’s 1” Thick Yoga Mat. Its thick, reminiscence foam-like cushioning holds its form nicely and helps us really feel supported and comfy all through each transfer of our apply. And, as exercisers who are inclined to get sore hand and wrist joints, this mat helped us carry out strikes we beforehand felt discomfort doing when utilizing our thinner, much less supportive mats.
In contrast to another mats we’ve used, this one has glorious grip on all surfaces, together with carpet and hardwood flooring. We felt secure and safe, by no means slipping or sliding, even throughout intense, sweaty exercises. Its clean texture makes it straightforward to wash, and it doesn’t maintain onto any odors. Plus, it’s light-weight and straightforward to hold, because of its included strap.
Potential Flaws
- Though light-weight, on account of its cushioning, it’s fairly thick when rolled up, which can make it more difficult to retailer.
Most Helpful Perception
“This mat may be very snug. The truth that it’s one inch thick may be very noticeable. It has a reminiscence foam really feel, which feels nice on my fragile joints. I like that I’m capable of put extra stress on my joints due to this mat.” —Jacob Fox, Verywell Match product tester
Pilates Mats We Additionally Examined
We spent over 4,200 minutes testing high Pilates mats, however solely 5 impressed us sufficient to make our last checklist of suggestions. Though we favored a few of this mat’s options, it in the end didn’t meet our rigorous necessities to be chosen as a high decide.
- Gaiam’s Necessities Health Mat affords a budget-friendly worth and an excellent grip on onerous flooring. Nevertheless, it felt inflexible and uncomfortable to make use of, and our arms and toes slipped as we grew to become sweaty. Our nails scratched this mat’s floor simply, and it held indentations lengthy after our apply ended.
What We’ve Up to date
- Since publishing our preliminary research-based roundup of the most effective Pilates mats, we’ve re-evaluated our earlier picks and spent over 4,200 minutes hands-on testing high choices. That is now a absolutely examined article, solely offering our hands-on expertise with every really useful Pilates mat.
- We consulted a further skilled, a licensed private coach and Pilates teacher, to make sure that our recommendation on selecting Pilates mats is correct and updated.
What to Search for When Looking for Pilates Mats
- Thickness: One of many predominant indicators of Pilates mats versus different train mats you may discover within the gymnasium or at a yoga studio is thickness. This extra thickness gives joint assist for the backbone, knees, wrists, and extra. If you happen to are inclined to expertise joint ache, contemplate a thicker choice for extra assist.
- Cushion: Some mats supply extra cushioning than others—some are softer and extra pliable, whereas others are thick and agency. The kind of Pilates mat you select can enhance the problem or present extra assist throughout sure workout routines, says Erickson. Pilates teacher Laura Quinn, CPT, says that firmer mats present a secure, supportive floor supreme for sustaining your stability throughout varied Pilates workout routines.
- Density and Materials: Density is commonly mistaken for thickness, however these are two separate components to contemplate. A denser mat sometimes means it’s extra sturdy and can maintain as much as positions held for longer durations with out leaving indentations within the mat. Mats manufactured from closed-cell or high-density foam are denser, higher high quality, and face up to longer use.
- Floor Texture: The floor of Pilates mats tends to be clean or evenly textured. This helps you glide and carry out strikes extra fluidly. If you happen to are inclined to get sweaty, you could wish to go for a evenly textured choice for extra grip.
- Portability: If you happen to plan to take your mat on the go, you’ll need one which rolls up nicely, is light-weight, and comes with a strap for simple journey. Select a smaller, lighter mat in the event you plan on taking it with you typically. A heavier, bigger mat may fit finest in the event you plan on utilizing it in your house exercise house.
How We Examined the Pilates Mats
To search out the most effective Pilates mats, we spent over 4,200 minutes testing high choices at residence whereas performing varied workout routines and stretches. When testing Pilates mats, we consider every choice primarily based on the next key standards.
- Grip: To guage for grip, we contemplate whether or not the mat gives sufficient grip to maneuver by way of our apply comfortably. We attempt the mats on varied surfaces, together with hardwood, tile, and carpet, and spot whether or not their grip adjustments as soon as we begin to work up a sweat.
- Consolation: When contemplating consolation, we take into consideration whether or not the mat gives enough cushioning and assist throughout strikes that require sitting, mendacity down, standing, and kneeling. We additionally observe if we really feel any stress factors or discomfort when utilizing the mat.
- Portability: When assessing portability, we contemplate how gentle the mat is, how simply it rolls up, and whether or not it comes with a strap for simple journey. We additionally observe how straightforward it’s to retailer.
- Sturdiness: When taking a look at sturdiness, we ask ourselves if the mat reveals any indicators of wear and tear and tear over time. Is it straightforward to wash and preserve? Does it maintain onto any odors?
- Worth: We test every mat’s worth after we consider all different key standards to evaluate whether or not it’s price it. Do we predict it’s priced pretty? Would we solely purchase it on sale? We prioritize Pilates mats whose high quality exceeds their worth and that we’d advocate to family and friends.
Our Consultants
We consulted consultants at every stage of our analysis, testing, and reporting course of. The next consultants suggested us on what key options to search for when purchasing for a high-quality Pilates mat. Though we select merchandise independently, skilled enter helps inform our choices.
- Julie Erickson, CPI, CPT, licensed Pilates teacher and licensed private coach at Pilates for Life
- Anne Bertram, MFA, CMA, CHHC, licensed motion analyst, licensed Pilates teacher, and director of Structural Parts LAB
- Laura Quinn, CPT, licensed private coach and head Pilates Teacher at Alo Strikes
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
How thick ought to a Pilates mat be?
Most Pilates mats are a minimum of a half-inch thick (12.5 millimeters) to assist your backbone and tailbone throughout the class. Nevertheless, some extra moveable ones are as skinny as 6 millimeters (about 0.2 inches).
Can I take advantage of a yoga mat for Pilates?
Pilates mats are usually clean as a substitute of textured, and their thickness is designed to assist your backbone throughout sure workout routines. You might discover that utilizing a skinny, grippy yoga mat makes some Pilates workout routines tougher and even uncomfortable.
What dimension mat is finest for Pilates?
Pilates mats are usually round 24 inches by 72 inches. Nevertheless, there are bigger choices out there which will work higher for taller people and those that desire to not reposition their mats for full-body workout routines.
Why Belief Verywell Match
Amanda Berkey, M.Ed., is a Pennsylvania-based health teacher and health author for Verywell Match. She’s enthusiastic about discovering stability, whether or not performing tons of or attempting to nail the king pigeon pose. She believes there’s not far more motivating for an on-the-ground exercise than a beautiful, useful Pilates mat.
Extra reporting by Sarah Anzlovar
Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RD is a personal apply dietitian and author for Verywell Match. She enjoys Pilates courses and is aware of how vital the right mat is for sustaining correct kind and getting by way of essentially the most grueling exercises.
Each authors regarded over our testing insights from our lab to decide on our high picks.
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