How big of a yoga mat do I need?
What Is The Standard Yoga Mat Size? An average yoga mat should be 24 inches wide (60,96 cm) and 68 to 72 inches long (172,72 cm to 182,88 cm). This is the yoga mat size people feel most comfortable practicing on.
The sweet spot: 4mm yoga mats
This makes the absolute best material for grip. However, having more than 5mm thickness in natural rubber simply can't be for a yoga mat – rubber is a heavy, dense material so a thicker natural rubber mat will be way too heavy.
Yoga Mat Thickness and Weight
If you're not sure where to start, choose a mat that's about 1/8-in. thick (or 3.175 mm), a pretty standard thickness. These mats are excellent for those in a strong, flowing practice. They allow solid contact with the floor, which helps with stability during a variety of poses.
As a general rule, the best yoga mat thickness is one where you feel comfortable during your practice. Extra thick yoga mats (6mm+) are great for sensitive joints, but not for dynamic yoga practices. Thick yoga mats (6mm) are great to protect your joints. Average thickness mats (4-5mm) are the most commonly used.
4mm is by far the most popular. It gives an adequate amount of comfort and enables the most stability out of the three. This could be important if you do a lot of standing or balance poses. If you want more comfort or you practice yoga on uneven or hard surfaces then you may prefer a thicker mat like a 6 or 8mm.
A standard 3mm thick yoga mat is perfect for pretty much any practice, from a gentle Hatha class to a flowing Vinyasa class. Also, if your practice varies a lot, a standard 3 mm mat covers all your needs.
The 5mm thickness has enough give to make advanced poses easier on your joints. Aside from its impressive durability, stable surface, and capacious size, there are plenty of other things to like about the 5mm mat.
The grippy surface is just what I need to feel strong and stable in my home and community practices. With it, you will get a mat that truly feels like it fits into your routine, especially if you'll be carrying it around with you. The Mat retails for $98, and I think it's well worth the money.
A thickness ranging from half to one inch is considered ideal for yoga mats. However, if you are looking for more comfort, you can go for thicker mats but not more than 1.5 inches otherwise you will lose the essence of a yoga mat.
Ideally, a yoga mat should be between 2-6 mm (0.078 and 0.236 inches) thick to ensure that you can connect with your store and your joints are protected at the same time. For intermediate and advanced practitioners, a mat that's around 4.5 mm (0.177 inches) thick would be ideal.
Is 3.5 mm yoga mat too thin?
Thinner yoga mats (less than 3mm) often come in the form of travel yoga mats. While these mats are easy to store and cart between your home and class, they don't provide much comfort, especially if you practice on hard floors. The best yoga mat thickness falls between 3mm and 4 mm.
The tradeoff is that thick yoga mats (some as thick as 1/4 inch) can make it harder for you to feel a strong connection to the floor, making you more wobbly in Tree Pose, for example. Options: A standard yoga mat is about 1/8 inch thick, while the thickest are about 1/4 inch.
Those comfy, thicker yoga mats, starting around 1/4 inches work best for aching joints, but they are heavier and tend to be more challenging to balance on. Thinner mats can give you better balance and groundedness. Thin mats will also work better with a more active vinyasa or flow styles as they won't bunch up.
Though there are no hard-and-fast rules, a good rule of thumb is to figure on needing roughly 21 square feet for every practitioner. This estimate takes into account a two-by-six-foot mat and still allows for one to two extra feet per person.
A yoga mat should be about 15-25 cm (7-10 inches) longer than your height for optimum comfort. This extra length is advised to prevent from slipping off the mat during the practice. While that's the simple answer, there is no “one rule” to fit everyone's needs.