I have a long torso and comparatively short little arms. Yes, the real life example like the alligator on the Geico ads...
I use our queen sized bed as my largest layout space (first I clear off the pillows and put down kraft paper) and then when I am smoothing out backings or tops, I use my 6x24 ruler as a large arm extension to sweep across the surface. Haven't thought of a better item or process yet!