Find The Right Yoga Mat Size

When looking for a new yoga mat, it can be important to look for the ideal yoga mat size to fit our needs. With so many yoga mats out there it can be hard to understand the various sizes yoga mats come in and from there try to understand which one to eventually buy. Let’s first see the sizes yoga mats tend to be.

In general, yoga mat size involves three dimensions. These are length, width, and thickness. Yoga mat length ranges from 68″/173cm to 72″/185cm. Yoga mat width ranges from 24″/61cm to 26″/66cm and yoga mat thickness can range from the very thin 1.5mm travel mats all the way up to the very thick 10mm.

The size of a yoga mat is important because it depends on your height and your practice.

For more information on how to find your ideal yoga mat, here is How To Choose the BEST Yoga Mat in 8 Steps.

And so if you are wondering about standard yoga mat size, then below you will find a table of popular yoga mats.

Click on the links to each mat if you want to take a closer look.

Dimensions of the popular yoga mats

Popular yoga mats come in a variety of sizes. By calculating their average, we will see that the average length of yoga mats is 179cm, the average width is 64cm and the average thickness is 4.6mm.

As a yoga teacher and studio owner, I have quite a few of the yoga mats listed in the table above. More specifically, I have:

• Manduka Pro – L 178cm, W 66cm, T 6mm
• Jade Harmony – L 173cm, W 61cm, T 4.7mm
• Liforme – L 185cm, W 66cm, T 4.2mm
• Lululemon Reversible – L 180cm, W 66cm, T 5mm
• BYOGA Strong – L 178cm, W 66cm, T 6mm
• Manduka travel – L 178cm, W 66cm, T 1.5mm

Of all these mats the most noticeable difference is their material and their thickness.

More specifically, the thickness of all these yoga mats is great for most types of yoga, as they are all above 4mm.

Of course, the exception is the Manuka travel mat which at just 1.5mm thick is suitable only if placed on another mat or if using it on a soft floor.

Now regarding the length and width, I am 1.76m and I find all these mats to be great to practice with. The smallest of them all is the Jade harmony at just 1.73m. I have no problem with my beet being off the mat in Savasana.

As a rule of thumb, you could aim to have a yoga mat that is at least your height.

And so it is perhaps no wonder that my go-to yoga mat is my thick and durable Manduka Pro which is 1.78m, meaning it is just that bit longer than me.

What is the standard size of yoga mat?

The standard yoga mat size is a length of 68″/173cm and 71″/178cm. The most common width is 24″/61cm and 26″/66cm. When looking at the thickness, most yoga mats tend to be in the range of 4mm-6mm thick. There are also the thin 1.5mm travel mats and the extra thick 10mm foam mats.

The vast majority of yoga practitioners are fine with the standard yoga mat size.

Yoga mat size options to look out for

1. Yoga Mat Length for Different Heights

The standard length of yoga mats tends to range from 68″/173cm and 71″/178cm. This range is suitable for most practitioners of standard height.

You could aim for a yoga mat that is at least your height, however, I will point out that I am 1.76m and yet I happily practice on my Jade Harmony that is 3cm shorter at 1.73m.

And so if you’re like me and you’re anywhere up to my height, most yoga mats are absolutely fine length-wise.

The time to look out for a long yoga mat is if you are a taller yogi.

Worry not! There are long yoga mat options out there to choose from.

If you are 6’2″ and above it is worth looking out for a long yoga mat. The reason is that it is nice to practice on a yoga mat that is not too much smaller. The 5 main options are Manduka Pro, BYOGA Strong, BYOGA Everyday at 85″, Manduka ProLite at 79″ and lastly the Luxury Cork mat at 80″.

Yoga mat	Length option 1	Long yoga mat option
Manduka Pro	71“/178cm	85“/216cm
Manduka ProLite	71“/178cm	79″/200cm
BYOGA Strong	71“/178cm	85“/216cm
BYOGA Everyday	71“/178cm	85“/216cm
Luxury Cork Yoga Mat	80″/203cm

2. What is the Average Width of a Yoga Mat?

The average width of a yoga mat is 25″/64cm. This is based on data from the most popular yoga mats, where half were found to be 24″/61cm and the other half 26″/66cm. Both these dimensions are perfect for most yoga practitioners and they will be comfortable in yoga mat carriers.

I have been practicing yoga for 11 years and I haven’t noticed any particular difference when I practice on my 24″/61cm Jade Harmony and on my 26″/66cm Manduka Pro.

The only time you may notice a difference is if you tend to practice in a busy yoga studio, where yoga mats are very close to one another.

There you are most likely to desire a wider yoga mat so as to give you more space.

However, in reality, I have been practicing yoga for 11 years and I haven’t noticed any particular difference when I practice on a 24″/61cm or a 26″/66cm. And so I don’t know how much difference one makes over the other.

There are of course the extra wide yoga mats on the market.

One such example is the Gorilla Mats Premium Large Yoga Mat. This is an incredible 84″/213cm by 60″/152cm. Think of a rather large square yoga mat!

Of course, don’t expect to carry this to your local studio.

This could be a good option if you have a designated yoga/workout room in your home. But other than that, I personally don’t see the advantage of going for such a wide yoga mat. At least if you are a yoga practitioner.

3. What is the best thickness for a yoga mat?

As a general rule, the best thickness of a yoga mat is between 4mm and 6mm. Both are thick enough to offer sufficient cushioning for our joints. Anything less may not feel comfortable on hard floors and anything more may be too thick and not be suitable for dynamic yoga practices.

From the image above you can see the difference between the various thickness options of yoga mats.

The extra-thick yoga mat 10mm+

The thickest option is the very thick BalanceFrom GoYoga Mat. This is a thick foam mat which is a good option for anyone who has sensitive joints and wants that extra cushioning. However, keep in mind that such a thick yoga mat may not be ideal for more dynamic yoga practices like Ashtanga yoga or Vinyasa.

This type of yoga mat is ideal for grounding practices like Yin yoga or Restorative yoga.

The thick 6mm yoga mat

I may be slightly biased as this is my favorite thickness of yoga mat. It all started with my Manduka Pro. I realized that it offers exceptional cushioning and is great for my Ashtanga practice.

And so then when I started doing yoga mat reviews, I decided to try the which was also 6mm. I loved the feeling and the texture of this mat. And of course, the fact that it is 6mm meant that it offers great cushioning for all types of yoga practice. Check out my YouTube review here.

I also have the very beautiful 6mm Sugarmat yoga mat. The main advantage of this mat is how pretty it is, but of course, the 6mm thickness makes it a great mat. Check out my YouTube Sugarmat review here.

The average 4-5mm thick yoga mat

From the table at the beginning of the article, you may have noticed that 4.7mm is the average thickness of most popular yoga mats.

And interestingly, that is the thickness of two very popular yoga mats. The Manduka PROlite and the Jade Harmony.

And so if you do decide to go for this thickness, then know that this is the most commonly used thickness for all types of yoga.

Just keep in mind that if you have sensitive joints or bad knees, then perhaps this thickness may not be ideal for you. You are better looking out for a thicker yoga mat.

If you are looking for specific recommendations, I wrote an article on the best yoga mats for bad knees that you may find interesting.

The thin 1mm travel yoga mat

These are best for travel as they can simply be folded and placed in your backpack. And that is why they are perfect for anyone looking for ideas on how to travel with a yoga mat.

There are too thin to be used for regular practice. I have found that they are best whether placed on a communal yoga mat in a yoga studio or if you are practicing on a not-too-hard floor, like cork.

Of course, if you are traveling and can only have hand luggage, then this may be your only option of a yoga mat.

As a side note, I wrote an article titled Yoga Mat on a Plane (Helpful tips and what airlines say). Check it out if you are planning on traveling with your yoga mat!

For a more detailed explanation on yoga mat thickness, check out my article: How To Choose The PERFECT Yoga Mat Thickness

Is a 4mm or a 6mm mat better?

As a general rule, 6mm is better for a yoga mat. The reason is that the extra 2mm may greatly improve the cushioning and in turn, protect your joints. It is no surprise that the most popular yoga mat amongst Ashtanga yoga practitioners is the Makduka Pro, which is 6mm thick.

Is a 4mm yoga mat good?

A 4mm yoga mat can be a good mat. However keep in mind that if you are practicing on a hard floor such as tiles, a 4mm yoga mat may not be thick enough. On the other hand, if you are practicing on a softer floor, such as laminate or cork, then a 4mm yoga mat may be enough to protect your joints.

What is the difference between a 5mm and 3mm yoga mat?

The difference between a 3mm and a 5mm yoga mat might be just 2mm, but that may be enough to make or break a practice. A 3mm is considered to be a thin yoga mat and as such may not be the most comfortable yoga mat to practice on. On the other hand, a 5mm yoga mat will offer sufficient cushioning.

What size yoga mat do I need?

As a general rule, the yoga mat size you need will be the standard yoga mat size which is 71″/178cm long, 26″/66cm wide and 4.7mm thick. However, if you are tall (around 6’2″) aim for a long yoga mat. If you have sensitive joints or bad knees, aim for a thick yoga mat (at least 6mm).

Related questions

What is the standard yoga mat size in mm?

The standard yoga mat size is a length of 1730mm, a width of 640mm, and a thickness of 4.7mm. There are also longer yoga mats that go up to 2016mm. The thickness is something that also changes a lot and can vary from the very thin 1mm travel mats to the very thick foam mats at 15mm thick.

Related articles:

• How To Choose the BEST Yoga Mat in 8 Steps
• How To Choose The PERFECT Yoga Mat Thickness
• The BEST Yoga Mat for Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga Teacher review
• Best Ashtanga Yoga Mats (& what reviewers are saying)
• Best Power Yoga Mats 2021 (Great Grip for Sweaty Hands)