We’ve always featured a number of different yoga mats in our collections, and they’re very popular items,” says Physical Company sales and marketing director, James Anderson. “When it came to expanding our Physical-branded range, we knew it had to include a fantastic mat that delivered against our ‘good value, high quality’ ethos.”
The result is the Performance Yoga Mat, an affordable yet highly durable, ultra-hygienic product for in-club and at-home use, that’s designed to deliver an exceptional user experience.
“As we went through the design process, we enlisted a group of yoga instructors to give us their hands-on insight,” says Anderson. “They tested out the various materials we were considering and their feedback was instrumental in creating a product that truly ticks every box for the end user.”
The eco-friendly mat is designed to be the perfect thickness – “just enough to provide comfort, without losing any of the control you need for yoga” – with excellent grip on both sides. On the rear, this comes courtesy of a textured surface to grip the floor, while on top, a closed-cell PU performance layer provides maximum hand and foot grip in all conditions.
Additional features of the REACH-compliant mat include built-in NFC technology, which provides smart device access to an app-based exercise library. There are also positional markings – a central postural guide, plus horizontal alignment markings for the hands and feet – and eyelets for hanging storage.
New functional kit
Other new additions to the growing Physical range include Performance PU dumbbells and barbells, as well as Performance kettlebells, which will be launched in the spring.
“Our previous ranges featured a prominent green Physical logo and customer feedback indicated this didn’t always align with clubs’ own branding,” Anderson explains. “On the new products, our logo is a subtle grey and the dominant marking is the weight: large white digits ensure ease of selection. Products can also be custom-branded.”
The highly durable dumbbells and barbells feature anti-roll heads, while the kettlebell design has user comfort in mind. Consideration has been given to every element of its ‘anatomy’, including bell shape and grip, handle ergonomics (width, diameter and shape) and window size for one- and two-handed exercises.
