This is for people who find it difficult to hold poses such as downward facing dog or plank pose because of their hands slipping on yoga mats. If you have this issue, read on!

If you moisturise your hands, then make sure that you wash them before you practice. Cream and yoga mats don’t tend to mix and it will make your hands more slippery.

If you have your own mat and it’s new, wash it as I’ve found that new mats tend to slip a lot more. I was told that new mats have a layer of chemicals on them that make it much slippier. It is a good idea to buy your own yoga mat because it will encourage you to practice at home and it’s more hygienic. Plus, I have found that some yoga mats slip more than others so you could buy non-slip ones. They can be purchased online and in some high street stores.

Another alternative is to buy yoga gloves with grips. You can get these for your feet too and it is said that they are good for travelling as you can use them without a yoga mat. I’ve never tried this myself but I know that they are available from specialised yoga shops. Some of my students use tissues instead and it seems to work for them. If your hands are sweaty, it’s worth using a towel to wipe your hands as you practice. You can also buy specialist chalk that is used by climbers and I’ve been told that this really works.

Failing all this is, you could try practice these postures on the forearms instead of your hands. For example, forearm dog instead of downward dog.

I hope you find a creative way to combat slipping hands and enjoy your practice!