York Exercise Mat

I purchased this exercise mat about three years ago. My exercise habits may well be quite erratic, but over that time I have managed to get in a good deal of use. I’ve found the mat to be useful, durable, functional and easy to clean, although it does have a couple of minor drawbacks.

The mat is plastic with a foam padding inside. One side is red, the other blue, and on each side there are simple pictures along with some instructions about how to do some simple exercises. They are all exercises that can easily be done within the home without much specialist equipment. This is a great idea, as when I’m feeling a bit uninspired about what exercises to do, I can get into the swing of things by taking a glance down either side and giving them a go. The pictures and information are all clear, so you can easily see what you are supposed to be doing. There are also tips about how many of each exercise are good, and what benefits they can provide to which parts of the body. Even though they’re only basic exercises, it is nice to have them there as a starting point.

I also use the mat to do yoga exercises, pilates, and floor work during aerobics routines. It’s much more comfortable than laying on the floor to do abs work, and it’s much easier on my hands than a rough carpet when doing pushups. I feel confident that it won’t slip out of place while I’m using it, and I can feel reassured that I’m doing my exercises safely and securely.

The padding has always been sufficient for me and I have never felt uncomfortable whilst using the mat. However I have generally used it on a carpeted floor, so if you’re using it on a hard wooden or tiled floor, then it might not be sufficient for you. The mat is meant to stay firmly in place and in general it does; I do notice when I’m doing quite vigorous floor exercises that it can bunch up a little beneath me. This is irritating but it only takes a second to smooth it back out again.

As I said, I’ve used this mat on and off for three years and have probably spent many hours on it. The writing, pictures and logo on the mat have remained clear and not faded away at all. Also the stitching around the edges and the plastic covering are both still in excellent condition, suggesting that this is a well made, good quality item that will last many years.

I know it’s boring to talk about the dimensions of an item, but in this case I think it’s important. The mat is 170cm long, 60cm wide and 2.5mm thick. This size is fine for me; it’s not long enough to take my full length stretched out, but I don’t really need it to, and it’s plenty wide enough for the exercises I do. If you’re significantly taller than this then you might want to look into something a bit longer, but I find it meets most of my needs.

The plastic covering of the mat has its advantages and its drawbacks. Of course the main plus is that it is easy to wipe the mat clean, which makes it feel more hygienic. Sweat can also evaporate from the surface quite easily. However the mat can also become quite sticky, so if any bare skin is exposed then sometimes the mat can stick to me slightly.

At just £9.99 from Amazon I think this is an absolute bargain. However I am docking one star because it could be padded more thickly, and it can bunch up slightly during exercise.