Today was day 46 of P90X and I did Yoga X today — the workout which has gone from one of my least favorites, to one that I really look forward to…

I was looking forward to the yoga workout even more than usual today because I just bought a new skidless yoga mat last week. The Manduka eKO Mat is an eco-friendly yoga mat that I bought because I needed a mat with a slip-free surface. I’ve had problems with my hands slipping during the downward dog pose ever since I began P90X, so I was hoping that this mat would solve that problem.

Overall, I’m happy with the eKO Mat. It definitely provides a lot more grip than the other yoga mats I’ve tried and I had an easier time staying in the downward dog position today. One word of warning about this mat however… it stinks. Bad. The rubber material that they used has a pretty strong smell to it and although I got used to it by the end of the yoga workout, I sure hope it wears off.

Progress wise, my flexibility was off the charts today. I’ve seen a dramatic improvement in my stretching and I was actually able to lay my face on my knee and wrap both hands around my foot during the seated one-legged hamstring stretches today.

Another thing that jumped out at me today was my posture. I’m starting to notice a big improvement in my posture (standing, sitting, etc.), which is something that I really hadn’t realized until today.

Also, I’ve had some irritating lower back pain for a few years now and I could never get it to completely go away. Well, it’s completely gone now and I’ve been 100% pain-free for a few weeks now. This is the first time in a long, long time that I can honestly say that… I really feel incredible.

Well, that’s it for today. Thanks again for all of the comments and stay tuned for tomorrow’s update…