After you've finished your practice, flip your mat over so you have the underside facing up. Start the tightest roll you can get with your big Manduka.
Use your foot as another stablizing point as you continue to roll that fat spliff of a mat. (Note that I'm also multi-tasking by doing a foot drill of lifting my arch, grounding my toe mounds and lifting my toes. Very Iyengar-esque. Missed the shot with my big toe lifting too.)
Now that you've got the front edge completely tucked under your mat, you can release your foot. Continue to roll and watch the ends of the mat to make sure you stay on track.
You're past the most difficult part of the job. It's smooth sailing from here.
Before you know it, you're done! Fini!
Your mat should be able to stand upright on its own.
Close-up shot of perfection.Special thanks go to Lax for photography, the Diver for the idea and Martha for making anal compulsiveness part of everyday living.
19 comments:
That mat is sticking together of its own newness, yes? For the older Mandukas, you can stand the roll up against the wall, so it doesn't unravel. I know, it's using the wall as a prop. Not pure Ashtanga. Still, while the young ones can manage on their own, sometimes the older ones need a little help.
Hi Donutszenmom! Hm, no, it's not new at all. I've had it for so long that the label peeled off a few years ago. I'll have to ask around to see who might have an older Manduka and see what it's like. How sad and metaphoric your observation is. Sometimes we all need to prop ourselves againsy the wall sometimes. :)
funny, karen! Nice work armani. those are some foxy feet you've got.
I wonder if our mats are different here in the desert? Seriously. 'Cause of the dry air and dust. Very rare to see a mat stick to itself and stay closed like that unless it's a new one.
I figured you'd appreciate a sad post about the indignities of age, Lax. ;-)
Hi Armani
Wow, I would not have thought of using the foot for extra leverage. I'll give that a try. I roll mine now with the towel inside, but it sounds like the foot will help stabilize the roll. I have an old Manduka, but gave in and bought one of the new Eko ones. They both weight the same.
Cheers,
Arturo
Donutzenmom: This blog doesn't normally offer such deep thoughts, but thanks for setting a new precedent!
Armani: Thx Lax! We'll be featuring your body parts soon!
Arturo: Interesting that your Eko is the same weight as this tubby one. I'll check it out though, although I do like the purple one for its weight. I also fold my rug separately so that it can dry on its own.
Donutzenmom: I checked it out with Zen Rolling Ball's older Manduka this morning. It's definitely a different texture and density. But I rolled it tight and it was able to stand up except for the outer flap. So your original observation was right on.
However, we both thought it would be possible to train it over time so that it could do a super tight roll and stand completely on its own.
The metaphor continues.
You have very decent arches.
armani, I think that the problem with Zen Rolling Ball's mat is that he is not gay and therefore has not rolled up his mat in a gayly tidy manner for it's whole life. he's probably pretty slap-dash about the whole thing. We need to find a couple of gay manduka owners and compare with hetero owners with mats of similar ages. Only then will we truly know if it is age or gayness that makes the mat be well trained.
Samathiti: Wowzers, thanks!
Lax: Funny you should mention that. Zen Rolling Ball had already packed up his mat after class and when I asked to pull it out, it was all loose and messily rolled. I just about passed out.
The other thing I should tell you is that it was originally mine!
There's a whole embarrasing back story to this that I guess I'll have to detail in another post or comment.
I just wad up my Manduka and stuff it in my knapsack. I bet you people carefully line your mats up with the floorboards, don't you?
carl, you wad because you are not gayly tidy. And yes, I line up my mat and stop my practice when it moves. I hate it when it unlines up. don't know about armani, but i'm guessing that he hates it too. I mean, he does have matching balls and blocks after all.
Carl, it disturbs me greatly, too, but if I got my breath and driste going, I won't break form to move the mat. As long as I don't see it, then I'm okay.
I know it doesn't sound like me, but I never said I was consistent.
Hmmm, I know exactly where and how I'm going to plop my mis-rolled mat the next time I practce at Shala Mattel.
shala hasbro
great post & pix thank you! i've been using wet wipes (figure if i can use them on my skin i can use them on my manduka) on my mat, leaving it to air dry & then rolling it loosely--have 2 velcro straps...
but i never thought of flipping it over first! ('using' all that great manduka adhesiveness!)
or rolling so beautifully tight!!
or getting it to self-stand!!!
wow, can't wait to try!!
i'm an old gay owner of a new manduka... & i'm female--does that help or skew your mat survey even more??
Hi, Ovidia! Welcome. I love you back! Well, I think we might have to reserve a special category for you and Martha. You've kinda both unique. It's a good thing.
Hi, Ovidia: Welcome! I love you back! There will be more mat tips to come. :)
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