Hardwood floors are the most common type of gym floor in the United States. Very few gyms are built with adequately soft surfaces that are built-in for floor exercises, gymnastics, or workouts.
These floors are durable mainly to provide a smooth surface that will last for decades under heavy use by students engaging in sports, running laps around the gym, and school assemblies.
For classes and group activities in regular physical education, bodybuilding, gymnastics, martial arts, and wrestling.
Floor mats should be utilized to protect students from injury when coming into contact with hardwood floors
Hardwood floors are often installed over hard concrete and have no give or flexibility essential to working out, sports, or even stretching exercises. Hardwood floors that have been used without a mat have been known to cause injuries.
There are different types of mats available that will suit any type of activity. This article concentrates on those for exercising, gymnastics, and workouts, with additional activities falling into one or more of those categories.
Some are strictly high-density foam while others are durable vinyl-covered foam pads, in which the outer cover may need patching from time to time, but is still usable. Mats come in various colors, and patching materials do, also, making any repairs almost unnoticeable.
What are the Best Exercise Mats for Hardwood Floors?
Exercise mats can also be used for stretching exercises done while warming up, yoga and meditation, and Mommy/Daddy and Me type classes. These mats are smaller and can often be purchased as a single unit for use in the home. Often discounts can be found when buying in larger numbers, reducing the cost per each mat significantly.
These mats are typically used for either single individuals or pairs of two people working together. They are dense and fairly thick, which helps ensure that exercises, such as stomach crunches and leg extensions, are carried out on adequate cushioning for the back, particularly the spinal cord, on hard surfaces.
The small size, along with the density, of the mat helps keep the mat in place, reducing the need to re-position it often.
Finding the best exercise mat for hardwood floors is very important for your comfort and your safety. You want something that will provide shock resistance while allowing you to feel the floor, but at the same time not be hindered by it. Being able to rest between repetitions is important, so the density needs to be adequate while not being overly thick.
The Sivan Health and Fitness 1/2-Inch Extra Thick 71-Inch Long NBR Comfort Foam Yoga Mat
* Read what customers say about this mat *
The Sivan Health mat comes in several different colors and is perfect for many different activities. It has a contoured texture on one side and a smooth one on the reverse side. It is 24 inches wide and provides adequate room for exercises of all types.
If you’d like a thicker mat, try checking out the SPRI Tri-Fold Exercise Mats. They come in 60 and 72-inch lengths, and are two inches thick. They are also 24 inches wide.
When used as a mat for mommy or Daddy and Me classes, many parents find that the foam mats are much better at doubling as a portable napping area for their child. The best exercise mat for hardwood floors, in addition to helping you exercise safely, can also help you solve other problems, such as nap time for your little one.
Best Gymnastics Mats
Gymnastics mats are also suited for activities such as martial arts and wrestling, mainly because of their larger size and the similar impact levels in the activities. These mats are much larger in size and sometimes are laid out on the floor in a manner where they slightly overlap each other.
For gymnastics, as well as martial arts and wrestling, larger areas of the floor must be covered with a protective mat to ensure the safety of those using the area.Having the best exercise mat for hardwood floors will help protect gymnasts and others during both competitions and practice sessions.
These mats will be less dense while still having a very thick interior. This design ensures that your movements’ momentum isn’t lost while still providing substantial shock protection. The best exercise mat for hardwood floors will last for many seasons of gymnastics and other sports, and can be used from one type of activity to another.
Best Workout Mats
Workout mats can also be great for those engaging in bodybuilding exercises while using light free weights. These mats are extremely dense and can provide protection not only for you but also for your hardwood floors.
Weights don’t have to be dropped to cause damage to floors
Simply rolling a dumbbell on the floor is enough to mar the finish, which can result in that section o the floor needing to be refinished before moisture can seep in and cause permanent damage to the now-unprotected wood.
The high density allows for correct spinal alignment during exercises while helping to ensure that your hands and feet stay positioned where they need to be. This further cuts down on the risk of accidents.
For those engaging in traditional workouts such as calisthenics, the high density and non-slippage are perfect for those activities. Knowing that your mat will stay in place helps concentration levels in reaching increased goals, as well, and the best exercise mat for hardwood floors can hep you accomplish this.
To sum it up
Finding the best exercise mat for hardwood floors and your activity is essential to getting the most out of your exercise time. Protecting yourself, and your students, from injuries related to impacting with a hardwood floor, is also essential to continuing any exercise routine.
Without proper protection, injuries can result. Having the proper equipment can also protect your facility from civil action should someone become injured, as well. Mats are an excellent way to invest in a multiple-layered type of protection without becoming too expensive.
Mats should also be cleaned on a regular basis. There are special sprays available, or a simple water solution with a few drops of soap added can be used instead.
Mats should always be allowed to dry thoroughly. They should be aired out on occasion, as well, but not for extended periods of time. With proper care, all exercise mats should last for several years.
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