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The mat is probably one of the most versatile sports accessories. The mat can be used for a variety of exercises and sports, not just fitness or yoga. They are available in different thicknesses, materials, and you can also choose between colors and patterns.
You can also choose between different types of mats. The most popular ones are the yoga mat and the exercise mat. But what is the difference and do you really need a yoga mat for yoga and an exercise mat for fitness?
What is the difference between a yoga mat and a fitness mat?
A yoga mat and a fitness mat are not the same thing, they differ in several important ways.
Thickness
When you put both mats side by side, you immediately see a clear difference. The exercise mat is noticeably thicker. A standard yoga mat is usually between four and six millimeters thick. If you need extra support during your yoga exercises, such as when you do power yoga, it is better to choose a slightly thicker mat to maintain greater stability during the exercises. If you do yoga at home, a thicker mat will do. Do you often take your yoga mat with you, such as to yoga classes or to the park? Then choose a thinner mat. It can be easily rolled up and taken with you.
Exercise mats are usually 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick. Since the load in fitness is usually higher, a thicker mat is more comfortable.
Do you do a lot of balance exercises? They are easier to do on a thinner mat. The thicker the mat, the more you have to work to stabilize, which comes at the expense of your balance exercise.
Density
In addition to the thickness of the mat, its density is also important. A higher density provides greater stability and comfort. Do you do exercises that put a lot of stress on the mat? Then choose a mat with a higher density.
Eco-Friendly
Are you concerned about the environment and want to buy an eco-friendly yoga mat? These are also available. For example, choose a cork yoga mat.
Structure
A yoga mat has a better surface structure than a gym mat. In yoga, you often have to hold certain poses longer, which requires more grip on the mat. Therefore, the mat has a rougher structure. Since fitness activities usually involve more intense sweating, a gym mat is smoother, making it easier to clean.
Where did the stereotype about the importance of running in the morning on an empty stomach come from? It is not known where, but the essence of it is simple: you need to run in the morning for one simple reason: during the night, the level of glycogen (muscle sugar and fuel) significantly decreases, and when running on an empty stomach, the body does not have glycogen left, as a result of which it immediately uses up fat, or at least faster than when running after eating.
Reality looks different:
Burning fat cells directly during training is a rather insignificant and meager process that should not be the focus of attention. The main thing is to create an energy deficit with diet and exercise, which we discussed at the beginning of the article. Burning 100 grams of fat is 900 calories, and doing this in one training session is unrealistic, except for an Olympic athlete with a full arsenal of doping drugs.
Scientists have already tested glycogen levels after rest and after a long sleep. As it turned out, even 15 hours after eating, you still have about half of the glycogen in your liver. A day of fasting also failed to reduce its level to critical values. So if you ate at 6:00 PM and run at the stadium at 6:00 AM, you have more than enough glycogen for three full runs.
Technique
For effective fat burning, it is important to focus not on running speed and intensity, but on the correct technique. Dedicate at least 1 week to this. Do not rush to run at maximum speed from the first day, or slowly, but for 1-2 hours. Be patient. The correct running technique will allow you to burn calories more and more effectively by target muscle groups.
There is no difference between fast and slow running in terms of burning calories and fat. In fairness, we should note that regular cardio does not burden the central nervous system and muscles, so you can do it often and a lot. Interval and strength training with a large volume will lead to overtraining and corresponding negative effects.
All these thoughts about the fat burning zone and other subtleties are needed by professional athletes for specific tasks. Look at training as a tool for burning calories. Running is a great variation of free training. Changing the pace changes the types of "fuel", but the final calorie expenditure remains almost identical.
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