Terre Pruitt's Blog

When I was attending yoga classes regularly I was fortunate enough to be doing so in a “no-shoe” studio. And I know that the floors were cleaned regularly because, at one point, I was the one cleaning them. But I have often questioned how I roll my yoga mat and it occurred to me that I should be doing it a different way. Not all places where yoga is practiced is shoe free and sometimes floors could use some cleaning. So why is it standard to roll a yoga mat? The part that is on the floor – in some cases where participants don’t even want to step their feet – gets rolled onto the part where we put our head and our face.

I have to remember to fold then roll. If I fold my mat in half then roll it, the “back” or part that touches the floor, doesn’t end up on the “front/top” where my face and head go. And folding then rolling will limit the amount of transfer of dirt, grime, sand, grass, or whatever onto the “front/top” of the mat.

I happen to have a mat that has two distinct sides AND that has black transfer on it that can simulate dirt, so it makes a great example. It took me a minute to figure out what that black actually is . . . it is rubber from dumbbells. This can give an idea of the fold and roll method.  The orange side that is on the ground gets rolled right up onto the patterned side where I put my face, unless I fold it first.

Most places probably have clean enough floors, but I know some do not so I am going to keep this method in mind.  Also could work for when I take my mat outside.  What do you think?