A yoga mat is a great investment for anyone interested in practicing yoga. But with so many options on the market, how thick should a yoga mat be?
Yoga is a mind and body workout that aims to unify the physical body and the spirit to attain enlightenment and a higher level of focus. It has become popular in western culture in recent years, and now, the practice is also considered an exercise to gain health benefits. Yoga is a combination of meditation, breathing techniques, and poses. These poses and movements vary and are sometimes made better by using yoga blocks, yoga wheels, exercise balls, ropes, and yoga mats.
A yoga mat during a yoga exercise protects and serves as a cushion, especially when the yoga poses are on the ground. It prevents direct contact of the body to the ground or grass when yoga is done outside of a studio. It also prevents the body from slipping during a yoga pose when the body is sweaty, and it allows the body to maintain balance and coordination by providing extra grip. The mat can also represent your sense of space and keeps the energy focused.
The most yoga studio has yoga mats available to be borrowed or rented. If you are starting or trying out yoga, you can opt to borrow or rent from the studio. Although, it will be an excellent investment to buy your yoga mat, as this will also be important, especially for hygienic purposes. There are a wide variety of yoga mats in the market, and there are also a lot of things to consider when buying one. One of these factors is how thick should yoga mat be?
Things to Consider When Finding the Right Thickness of Your Yoga Mat
Yoga mats can be as thin as 1.59 mm up to 6.35 mm thick. Regular yoga mats are 3.18 mm thick. To determine how thick the yoga mat should be, it is important to consider your weight, how much you practice, mat weight, body tolerance, and the style of yoga used for practicing. Yoga mat benefits: a guide to choosing the right yoga mat for you.
1. Your Weight
If you are an average-weight person who practices yoga regularly, you will not need a very heavy mat. However, if you are on the heavier side, you may require more support than a normal person needs. If this happens, then you must choose a thicker mat that provides enough stability.
2. How Much You Practice
The amount of time spent in each session depends upon the type of yoga practiced. For example, some types of yoga, such as Ashtanga Vinyasa, require less time while others, like Hatha, require longer sessions. In addition, different styles of yoga use different props, which makes them easier to perform. Therefore, choosing a mat based on these factors helps determine its thickness.
3. Weight of the Yoga Mat
A thicker yoga mat will be heavier compared to a thinner yoga mat. A 6.35 mm thick yoga mat can weigh up to 3.18 kilos. The lighter the yoga mat is, the easier it is to carry it or bring it during travel or when bringing it home, to the yoga studio, or generally outside. Many manufacturers sell lightweight yoga mats with slings or bags to make them easier to carry and store.
4. Body Tolerance
The thickness of the yoga mat also contributes to the comfort of the body when practicing yoga. Many yoga poses are performed with the bones of our body getting in contact with the floor or ground and sometimes require holding the pose for a couple of seconds to minutes. This will be uncomfortable for people with joint problems. But this can be avoided by using a thicker yoga mat and giving better support and extra cushioning to the knees, elbows, joints, hips, and back.
Also, some people do not like having their feet touching the floor while doing yoga. They prefer that their legs remain in the air so that there is no pressure on them. This means that the thickness of the mat must be considered carefully. For example, if someone has arthritis, then you might want to use a thicker mat because your joints would feel less pain.
5. Level and Style of Yoga
The type of yoga that will be practiced is important to identify how thick the yoga mat should be. The types of yoga mats vary depending on the yoga style.
A thicker yoga mat that provides cushion and comfort is preferred when doing the restorative yoga classes, where most of the time will be spent sitting or lying down. A thinner yoga mat is preferred for poses that require standing and balancing. And the standard yoga mats are great for any style of yoga.
The level of skill should also be considered when choosing the thickness of the yoga mat, a beginner would tend to have more accessible poses than those who have intermediate skills. The higher the level is, the more challenging the poses can be, and it is essential that the yoga mat can provide comfort as the difficulty also increases.
There are different styles of yoga practiced around the world. Each one requires its type of mat. In some cases, the style of yoga dictates which material lie natural materials are best suited for the purpose.
Thick Yoga Mat: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Provide better support and cushion to the joints, knees, heels, head, and other body parts.
- Lessen the soreness of the legs and ankles when sitting for a long period.
- Give extra padding for outdoor yoga.
- They are great to use in gentle yoga, restorative yoga, and Yin.
Disadvantages:
- Bulky and are heavier.
- It may not be a stable surface when doing poses, making standing poses or balancing poses harder.
- The connection to the earth will be less with a less direct connection to the ground.
- Drying thick yoga mats may take longer than thin yoga mats.
Thin Yoga Mat: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Provide a sturdier foundation for balancing during yoga poses.
- Tend to dry faster compared to thicker yoga mats. This is good, especially when washing the yoga mat or doing yoga poses that make the body sweat more.
- Lighter compared to thicker yoga mats.
- Easier to roll up to fit the storage or luggage.
- Provide more connection to the earth.
Disadvantages:
- Thin yoga mats are bad for people with joint problems.
- If yoga is done outside on the ground and there are pebbles or sand, it can be felt more with thin yoga mats.
Conclusion
With the advantages and disadvantages laid out, choosing the right yoga mat thickness would be easier. However, there are still a lot of things to consider. The easiest option would be choosing the standard 3.18 mm yoga mat compared to a thinner or a thicker yoga mat, especially for beginners. Choosing the other two thicknesses may be considered if other factors are also checked.
The thickness of the yoga mat is important as it will determine your comfort while doing yoga practice. The yoga mat should be able to provide help in maintaining balance poses. In whatever style of yoga or position you are currently learning, it must be done while the body and mind are relaxed to be able to get the full benefits of this practice.
If you are doing Hot Yoga, you’ll need a yoga towel topper for soaking up the sweat so you don’t slip and make cleaning easier. A yoga mat should be thick enough to provide comfort and cushioning but also thin enough to allow for a good grip. A thickness of 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch is ideal. If you are unsure of what thickness to buy, it is best to go with a thicker mat to ensure comfort. If you’re allergic to latex, avoid yoga mats made of natural rubber.