Okay, so I’ve been getting into yoga lately, and I realized my old mat was, well, let’s just say it had seen better days. Time for a new one! But then I got to thinking, how long should a yoga mat even be? I mean, I’m not super tall, but I don’t want my feet hanging off the edge during downward dog, you know?
Figuring Out the Size
So, I grabbed my measuring tape – the one I usually use for random DIY projects around the house – and measured myself. I stood up straight, well, as straight as I could, and measured from the top of my head to the floor. Turns out, I’m about 5’8″, which is pretty average, I guess.
Then I started looking at yoga mats online. It was kind of overwhelming, honestly. There were so many different sizes! I saw some that were like, 68 inches long, and others that were way longer, like 80 inches or more. I was like a deer in headlights, not sure which one to choose.
Getting Some Help
I decided to go to a nearby store that sells yoga gear and tried to get some hands-on. I found some standard mats and some extra long ones, and then I rolled them out one by one and laid down on them. I stretched out, tried a few basic poses, like the mountain pose and downward dog, just to get a feel for the length.
After lying on a few different mats, I realized that the standard size, which is usually around 68 inches long, was just a tad too short for me. When I stretched out, my feet were right at the edge, and it didn’t feel super comfortable. I imagined that during a real yoga session, my feet would definitely be slipping off.
Making My Choice
So, I tried one of the longer mats, the one that was 72 inches, I think. And bam, that was the one! It felt so much better. I had plenty of room to move around, and I could see myself doing all sorts of poses without worrying about slipping off. That is how I found the perfect yoga mat for me. I hope my experience can also help you.
- Measured my height to see what I was working with.
- Checked out a bunch of yoga mats online to see what sizes were out there.
- Went to a store to try out some mats in person.
- Laid down on a few to see how they felt.
- Picked the longer one because it gave me more space.
Turns out, a little extra length makes a big difference! Now I’m all set for my yoga sessions, and I won’t be sliding off my mat.