Circumstances beyond my control forced me to give up yoga for a little over three months. I’ve recently returned to my mat and can’t believe how much my practice has suffered for the absence.
First I noticed the weakness in my feet. Strong feet are the first to go. Balancing series that were once no problem are now fireleg starters.
The hands, another key foundation, also suffered atrophy. Blame weak hands for slippage during downward facing dog. My core is jello. Tight quads rebel. My stressed muscles have stiffened and weakened all over.
Thankfully the resilient body recovers quickly. Each day I regain a little steadiness. Now I know, the practice won’t wait. There are no breaks. Do yoga everyday and it will improve your life and your body. It may sound like some bougie Jennifer Aniston granola bullshit, but it is 100% true.
Dearest friend and DC fan Annie wrote asking an excellent question which combines two of my favorite topics: cleaning and yoga. Specifically, Annie wants to know how to clean her yoga mat.
Before we get into the how, let’s explore the why. Let me disgust, horrify, and hopefully motivate you. Warts, Athlete’s Foot, Ringworm and Staph are the most common yucky yoga mat squatters. Seriously, you put your face on that mat. Here are some recommendations for getting your saucha on.
The first cleaning choice is somewhat controversial – the washing machine. Some companies market their mats as machine washable, and this is certainly the most low maintenance option. Beware that mats of lesser quality may not stand up to the intensity of this method. Most recommend cold water, however hot water, a little detergent, and a skosh of bleach works best to disinfect and deodorize. Use the gentle cycle. Expect an extremely wet mat that may take a couple days to dry. Keep mat unrolled and in a well-ventilated place.
Rather obvious is the mat wipe down. This should be done at fairly regular intervals even if more vigorous cleaning methods are employed only occasionally. The question then becomes, which cleaning product to use? Having tried everything from Mrs. Meyers, diluted bleach, tea tree oil, Simple Green, and vinegar, rest assured that none of these concoctions are ideal for this specific task.
Recently, I randomly broke out the Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Bathroom Cleaner and tried it on my mat to surprisingly excellent results. Unlike many other products, Scrubbing Bubbles doesn’t leave a residue, wipes away easily, and the foam reaches every indentation. Saturate mat with spray, allow product to stand for a few minutes and then dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Flip mat over onto a large towel and repeat on the other side. Place near a heating vent to dry completely.
During the winter, if you live in a cold climate, keep your yoga mat in the car. The below zero temperatures kill germs in between uses. Folks generally forget about the power of a deep freeze. This underrated disinfection method works for a variety of hard to clean items.
Also consider using a towel or Yogitoes as a hygienic barrier between you and your mat during your practice. For any kind of heated yoga, many consider Yogitoes an absolute requirement. In general, stay away from the essential oil based cleaners which tend to make mats slick.
The idea of spending $100 on workout pants seemed ludicrous. Then one day it became clear why Lululemon is worth the investment. During yoga, your pants may be revealing more than you realize. Less substantial yoga pants are so transparent that the entire outline of your junk can be seen in certain poses. Straight up Penthouse Pet inner-labia bitches. 
Celeb-preferred and now ubiquitous, Lululemon, the pricey Vancouver-based company, has become the fitness apparel choice for runners, yogis, and gym bunnies. This shit ain’t cheap. Choke the price down. 
The thick, absorbent, wicking, compressing, miraculously flattering proprietary fabric won’t reveal your noni, and will flatter your body before you even work up a sweat. With common sense care, this gear last years. Serious durability means no buyer’s remorse.
Start with one pair of pants and marvel at how good they make your ass look, but please don’t become one of those dumbass bitches so intoxicated with the sight of her own ass that she uses these pants to shamelessly troll for men at the gym.
Nobody wants to smell your stank pits. If you can smell yourself, you smell. Don’t impose your funk on others.
This one’s for the yoga teachers, don’t confuse class with your American Idol audition. No matter how much you love chanting and the sound of your own voice, the whole class doesn’t want to listen to you chant for several minutes. A short chant is fine if that’s your thing, but save the anything over a minute for your personal practice.
Don’t be such a pussy. You are going to feel some discomfort; it’s just part of the process. Sharp pain is not. Take it easy, but don’t give up at the first pang of resistance. Yoga is character building because it teaches you how to cope with discomfort.