Fast Tip: The perfect yoga mat thickness depends upon your follow fashion, with thicker mats providing extra cushioning and thinner mats offering higher stability.
The huge alternative of yoga mats today is overwhelming. You’ll find a yoga mat in each shade and design and of various thicknesses and lengths. Whereas issues like colours and patterns are purely for aesthetic preferences, the thickness of a yoga mat can decide its usability.
Additional-thick yoga mats could also be nice for one yoga fashion but a hindrance to a different, and the identical is true for skinny mats. So that will help you select a yoga mat that’s best for you, we’re sharing the professionals and cons of various thicknesses, together with our favourite thick and skinny mats.
What Ought to Be The Preferrred Thickness For A Yoga Mat?
The most effective yoga mat thickness will rely in your private wants. Thicker yoga mats give extra cushioning and are finest for restorative yoga kinds the place you maintain poses for longer. Nonetheless, thinner mats present extra stability and enable you to preserve steadiness. Thus, they’re higher for dynamic yoga kinds equivalent to vinyasa, Ashtanga, or scorching yoga.
So what are the completely different thicknesses accessible? Most traditional yoga mats vary from 3 to five mm thick, whereas additional thick yoga mats can from 6 to 10 mm. Journey yoga mats are the thinnest, simply 1 to 2 mm thick.
How To Select The Proper Yoga Mat Thickness
There isn’t a one excellent yoga mat. Each thick and skinny yoga mats have benefits and downsides, which is why many skilled yogis prefer to have each thick and skinny ones. That means, they’ll interchange relying on the kind of yoga they’re doing and the surroundings they’re doing yoga in.
Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll decide for the standard yoga mat that’s round 4 or 5 mm. Common yoga mats give sufficient cushioning to guard your joint well being with out being too cumbersome or lowering steadiness or stability.
Let’s discover the professionals and cons of thick and skinny mats.
Thick Yoga Mats Execs and Cons
Skinny Yoga Mats Execs and Cons
In case you are doing outside yoga, it’s possible you’ll assume a thinner mat is finest as it’s lighter and simpler to hold round. Nonetheless, a skinny yoga mat may be uncomfortable or painful when training open air on a tough or uneven floor, equivalent to concrete or in a forest.
Finest Thick Yoga Mats
Do you’re feeling a thicker yoga mat is finest for you? If that’s the case, listed here are our three favourite thicker mats.
lululemon The Exercise Mat 6mm
lululemon The Exercise Mat 6mm
When you do a lot of dynamic yoga and, thus, require a grippy mat however don’t need to compromise your joints, the lululemon Exercise Mat is fingers down the best choice.
It’s 6mm thick, offering adequate padding, but it has wonderful grip because of its raised textural design. This lets you transition rapidly and effortlessly between standing poses with out dropping traction.
As a result of this thick yoga mat is designed for different exercises apart from yoga, it’s tremendous sturdy and can be utilized with footwear. Thus, it doubles up as an amazing health or pilates mat for yogis who love every kind of motion.
The 2kg (4.4lbs) mat is produced from 100% Recycled PVB and has a closed cell design that retains sweat and different moisture out. Furthermore, it’s stain-resistant and simple to scrub with a moist material, so it’s going to keep smelling contemporary even in probably the most strenuous scorching yoga classes.
Gaiam’s 10mm (2/5 inch) mat is among the thickest yoga mats. Due to its thickness, it may be used for different health actions apart from yoga. Plus, it’s perfect in the event you typically follow on a tough or uneven floor.
Regardless of its thickness, this mat is surprisingly light-weight, weighing simply 1.4 kg (3.1 kilos). Due to this fact, many yogis love utilizing it for outside practices. It additionally comes with a straightforward cinch strap, making it easy to safe and sling over your shoulder.
Though it’s an additional thick yoga mat, it provides respectable stability because of its dual-sided, textured ridges that assist enhance traction and cut back slippage. It’s produced from Nitrile Butadiene rubber foam and has 9 shade decisions.
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat
The famend Manduka PRO is seen in yoga studios worldwide and cherished by yogis in all places. At 6mm thick, it has the perfect yoga mat thickness for residence or studio use, defending probably the most delicate joints whereas giving superior stability.
The Manduka PRO yoga mat is high-performance and ultra-supportive. It is usually some of the sturdy, thicker yoga mats, constructed to final a lifetime. As well as, Manduka PRO mats are crafted in Germany from licensed PVC and are free from dangerous substances.
It encompasses a closed-cell design to stop moisture and micro organism from getting contained in the mat. This makes cleansing straightforward after your yoga follow as you merely wipe it with a moist material. This design additionally prevents 4 smells from occurring.
The draw back of the Manduka PRO is that it’s heavy, weighing 3.4kg (7.5 kilos). Thus, this isn’t a mat you’ll need to carry from place to put.
Finest Common Thickness Yoga Mats
Desire a versatile yoga mat that can be utilized for a number of yoga kinds and environments? Think about considered one of these customary thickness mats.
lululemon The Mat 5mm
You may’t go incorrect with the lululemon reversible 5mm “The Mat” for each cushioning and grip. Its pure rubber base provides eco-friendliness to the planet and extra cushioning in your physique. Utilizing it with the underside facet up is right for practices with a lot of kneeling or seated poses.
In the meantime, the highest layer provides wonderful grip and moisture absorption, excellent for flowing by means of solar salutations and difficult standing and balancing poses. It’s additionally straightforward to scrub with a moist material because it has antimicrobial therapies to stop mildew and mildew.
It weighs 2.38kg (5.24 lbs), so it’s mild sufficient to hold round whether or not you’re going to the native studio or outside yoga courses. Plus, with over 10 designs and colours, your subsequent mat might be high-quality and tremendous fashionable.
JadeYoga Concord(™) Yoga Mat
The Jade Concord mat is 4.7mm (3/16 inches) thick and provides the right mixture of grip and luxury. It’s produced from pure open-cell rubber, which presents higher cushioning than artificial rubber mats, making it simpler to carry poses and preserve steadiness.
The Jade Concord mat is simply pretty much as good for the planet as for you as it’s produced from 100% plant-based pure supplies and has no PVC, phthalates, or heavy metals. As Jade additionally provides again by planting a tree for each yoga mat offered, this is among the finest eco-friendly mats.
The reasonably thick mat weighs 2kg and is available in 12 shade choices. It’s extremely sturdy, and most yogis discover it lasts them a few years and withstands on a regular basis put on and tear. There are additionally three size choices; 68-inch, 71-inch, and extra-long 74-inch. All are 24 inches large.
Liforme Unique Yoga Mat
The Liforme 4.2mm rubber mat options the perfect yoga mat thickness for each kind of yoga. It provides sufficient consolation and assist for restorative yoga. But, its ground-breaking “GripForMe” materials provides unparalleled grip and stability in vinyasa or Ashtanga yoga.
One other distinctive promoting level of this widespread yoga mat is the “AlignForMe” system, which helps you discover foot placement and forestall accidents. It is usually environmentally pleasant as its produced from eco-polyurethane and rubber and is biodegradable.
As a pure rubber mat, it isn’t tremendous mild, weighing 2.5 kilos (5.5 kilos). There are six colours to select from, all of which retain vibrancy even after a number of years of use.
Finest Journey Yoga Mats
Are you on the lookout for a skinny mat that’s mild, doesn’t take up a lot house, and is simple to journey with? If that’s the case, listed here are our prime three journey mats.
lululemon The (Un) Mat
The lululemon Un Mat is tremendous light-weight and simple to journey with, permitting you to follow in all places and anyplace. At simply 1.5 mm thickness, this barely there mat can be utilized on comfortable surfaces or as a topper for a thicker mat on laborious surfaces.
As a result of it weighs simply 1.05kg (2.32 lbs), it makes a really perfect yoga mat for frequent vacationers who don’t have a lot house or weight to spare of their baggage.
One other superior factor about this mat is that it’s reversible. So the underside provides extra cushioning whereas the highest is easy and grippy.
The bottom is produced from sustainably sourced and FSC™-certified pure rubber with a textured grip perfect for low-sweat practices. In the meantime, the progressive high-grip prime layer wicks up moisture, so it’s fab for sweaty practices. It additionally options an antimicrobial additive to stop mildew and mildew buildup.
JadeYoga – Voyager(™) Yoga Mat
The Jade Voyager yoga mat is a well-liked alternative amongst yoga-loving digital nomads and touring yoga lecturers, because the mat folds as much as the dimensions of a yoga block.
It’s simply 1.6mm thick (1/16 inches) and weighs a featherlight 680 grams(1.5 kilos), making it one of many lightest yoga mats ever. Whether or not you add it to your checked baggage or carry-on, it’s going to take up virtually no house or weight.
It’s not simply the dimensions that makes this mat a fab alternative. It’s produced from eco-friendly pure rubber with an open-cell design, considerably lowering slipping. Many yogis like to make use of it as a journey mat whereas away and a topper to their thicker mat at residence.
Yoga Design Lab Journey Yoga Mat
This tremendous skinny mat by Yoga Design Lab is simply 1.5mm thick, serving as a 2-in-1 yoga mat and towel. It’s perfect for sweaty practices like Bikram yoga as its ultra-absorbent microfiber prime layer provides superior sweat administration.
Curiously, as it’s made for sweaty practices, the sweatier you might be, the higher your grip. To extend stickiness, you may moist your fingers earlier than follow. Due to the yoga mat’s thickness, you may machine wash it on a mild cycle and dangle it dry. Nonetheless, it’s best to hand-clean it with a material to protect its life.
The journey yoga mat contains a pure rubber base layer bonded to a recycled PET microfiber prime layer made utilizing 15 plastic bottles. Thus, this can be a fab alternative in the event you’re on the lookout for a sustainable and eco-friendly journey mat.
The Affect of Yoga Mat Thickness on Joint Well being
An necessary issue that’s typically disregarded when choosing a yoga mat is its impression on joint well being. Whereas now we have talked in regards to the benefits and downsides of thick and skinny mats, let’s discover additional how the thickness of your mat can affect your joints.
Thicker Mats for Joint Assist
Thicker yoga mats, usually starting from 6 to 10 mm, present extra cushioning. That is particularly useful for people with delicate or achy joints. When participating in poses that exert strain in your knees, wrists or elbows, a thicker mat can provide the required padding to stop discomfort and potential harm. For example, poses like Camel or Tabletop might really feel extra snug on a thicker mat, easing the pressure in your joints.
Thinner Mats for Stability and Equilibrium
Conversely, thinner mats, normally between 1 to five mm, supply much less cushioning however larger stability. This may be advantageous for dynamic yoga kinds that demand steadiness and accuracy, equivalent to Vinyasa or Ashtanga. A thinner mat allows you to sense the bottom beneath you, which may improve your steadiness and alignment. Nonetheless, if in case you have joint issues, it’s possible you’ll discover these mats much less snug for poses that necessitate extended strain in your joints.
Attaining the Excellent Equilibrium
When you’re coping with joint points however choose a thinner mat for its stability, you would discover utilizing additional gear like yoga knee pads or a yoga towel. These equipment can supply added assist the place mandatory whereas sustaining the general firmness of your mat. Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll think about choosing a mat of reasonable thickness, roughly 4 to five mm, hanging a harmonious steadiness between cushioning and steadiness.
The thickness of your yoga mat performs a vital function in safeguarding your joint well being. Thicker mats present enhanced safety for delicate joints, whereas thinner mats promote higher stability throughout balancing poses. Choose a mat that caters to your particular necessities to make sure a nice and safe yoga follow.
What About Yoga Towels?
A yoga towel topper is an excellent helpful merchandise, whether or not it’s to wick up your sweat, cut back slipping, or add extra thickness. They’re extremely light-weight and fold up tiny, making them a fab element in your journey yoga mat. Plus, in the event you’re utilizing a skinny mat and want additional cushioning in your knees, you may fold the towel like a blanket for additional padding.
Yoga towels are available a number of completely different sizes. Most towels particularly designed for yoga, like The Towel by lululemon, are made from microfibre cloth, so they’re quick-drying. You too can select between many fashionable patterns and a number of colours.
The Affect of Yoga Mat Thickness on Your Observe Setting
The thickness of your yoga mat can significantly impression your follow setting. When you’ve got an previous mat that isn’t thick sufficient, upgrading to a 1 inch thick yoga mat could make a world of distinction. Buyer critiques on amazon.com rave about the advantages of utilizing an additional thick deluxe yoga mat.
The 1 inch thick excessive density foam supplies a steady floor for all of your yoga poses and ensures that you’ve a cushty follow. The non-slip floor of this thick train mat will even offer you added stability throughout your follow, whether or not you might be doing yoga or pilates.
Comparability Between Indoor and Out of doors Yoga Classes
When choosing the suitable yoga mat thickness, consider the situation the place you propose to follow. The surroundings, whether or not indoors or open air, can have a notable impression in your general consolation and efficiency.
Indoor Yoga Practices
In indoor settings, a normal mat thickness starting from 4 5 mm is usually appropriate. Surfaces indoors equivalent to hardwood or carpet present a steady basis in your follow. Whereas thicker mats can supply extra cushioning, they could compromise stability on softer surfaces like carpet. When you follow on a tough ground floor, choosing a thicker mat will help defend your joints with out sacrificing steadiness.
Out of doors Yoga Practices
Out of doors yoga classes include their very own set of challenges. Uneven surfaces equivalent to grass, sand or concrete require extra cushioning for assist. A thicker mat with a thickness of round 6 10 mm can present the required consolation and assist in outside settings. Nonetheless, thicker mats are usually bulkier and heavier, which can have an effect on portability. For normal outside practices, think about using a foldable mat that strikes a steadiness between thickness for consolation and ease of carrying.
Private Insights
Having skilled each indoor and outside yoga classes myself, I discover that utilizing a 4 mm mat indoors fits me effectively on my hardwood ground. It presents adequate cushioning with out compromising my stability throughout poses. When training open air, I change to a 6 mm mat which supplies additional padding important for uneven terrain regardless of its heavier weight. This equilibrium has improved my yoga routine, enabling me to relish yoga in numerous settings with ease.
Deciding on the suitable mat thickness in line with the place you follow can improve your yoga session. Whether or not you’re indoors or open air, the right mat will enable you to keep snug and attentive.
Ultimate Ideas On How Thick Ought to A Yoga Mat Be?
As you may see, the perfect mat thickness solely depends upon your yoga follow. A thinner mat could also be finest in the event you do a lot of fast-paced, dynamic yoga that makes you sweat. Nonetheless, in the event you’re a lover of yin yoga, you’ll possible discover a thicker yoga mat extra snug.
When you’re after a brand new yoga mat, the mats featured on this information are all premium high quality and rated extremely by different yogis.
Pop quiz! 🧘🤔
Thicker yoga mats are at all times higher for all sorts of yoga.
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Journey yoga mats are usually the thinnest kind of yoga mats.
YesNo
A 6mm yoga mat is taken into account an additional thick yoga mat.
YesNo
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