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Not too long ago, I read a
question posted by a student whose instructor (not me) provides students
with rental sticky mats. The student was concerned because sometimes
she detects a cheesy odor coming from the mat she selects. Yikes!
I don't think it takes an active imagination to know what she's smelling!
Call me overprotective, but I'm not one to smile upon the sharing or
renting of yoga "sticky" mats. There's just too much that can go
wrong. After all, the word "sticky" alone would suggest that it's not
just the bottoms of your feet that are likely to adhere to its surface.
While many places--our facility included--do offer the use of exercise mats,
these are generally the kind that are specifically designed to hold up with
multiple users. Indeed, our mats are used for both exercise and yoga
classes. They are durable, vinyl-covered, and easy to clean--and yes,
they are cleaned very regularly. Yoga mats, on the other hand, are
more of a concern in the sanitary department, as they are much more porous,
their texture leaves plenty of room for microorganisms to thrive, and most
yoga studios are kept at a warmer temperature than fitness-based businesses.
Given that most people using these mats are going to be barefoot, and many
of them are sweating, it's easy to see why sharing a sticky mat may not be
such a hot idea. Cleaning the mats to the point that they are
sanitized for the next user would require a vigilant cleaning schedule; I've
been in enough studios to know that such a routine is not always in place.
So what can you do to protect yourself against, ahem, unwanted body
guests? Here are steps you can take to help stave off yoga cooties:
- Pay attention to the facility at which you take classes; one of the
elemental disciplines of yoga is "saucha," or cleanliness. A studio
that appears unaware/careless about saucha is not only breaching a basic
teaching of yoga, but may be inadvertently endangering its students.
- Avoid sharing or renting a sticky mat; if you wish to use one,
purchase your own and keep it clean.
- Assuming they are cleaned on a regular basis, vinyl/plastic-coated
exercise mats are generally a safer alternative to share than yoga/sticky
mats, especially if the facility offers other fitness classes besides
yoga.
- Need I say this? Never use a mat that has a stinky odor.
- A large towel or blanket can be placed on a shared mat to help protect
you from germs; be aware, though, that this will tend to make your
practice surface more slippery.
- Some facilities will offer a mild disinfecting solution for members to
wipe down equipment before and after they use it; take advantage of this
if it is available to you.
- You can help kill off germs you encounter in class by using a
no-water-needed antibacterial lotion/cleanser on your hands and feet
immediately afterward. Many of these products now come in handy
purse-sizes. Similarly, you can bring those antibacterial "moist
towelettes," and wipe down your mat just before use. Just be sure
that whatever you're using to wipe down the mat is safe for that surface.
- Finally, there's the wise standby advice....wash your hands thoroughly
with soap and warm water after coming in contact with germs, particularly
after using the restroom.
Taking just a few steps can mean giant leaps for protecting your body.
After all, no one wants to find themselves doing the Athlete's Foot Pose, or
the....dare I say it? Underarmbacteriasana! I can just
hear the stomachs turning now.... P
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