One area where specialty exercise mats are a necessity is in gymnastics. Gymnastics mats are vital for safety when gymnasts are training and learning new routines. The use of gymnastics mats is so important they are typically required during both training and competition.

Types Of Gymnastics Mats

Sting Mats

Sting mats, sometimes called landing mats, are both soft and thin. They are typically red or white, which helps to differentiate them from other exercise mats and from the area where floor exercises are done. These gymnastics floor mats are used during floor exercises to help decrease the “sting,” or the impact of landings from tumbling runs. They are also used for dismounting from the beam. Sting mats are commonly used during training, but they are rarely used or allowed during competitions.

Springboard Mats

Springboard mats, used on vault, are mats in the shape of a U that surround three sides of the springboard. During a vault attempt if the gymnast’s foot happens to miss the springboard he or she will be able to use the springboard mat for momentum. This can help the gymnast avoid injury during this event or during training.

Incline Mats

Incline mats are sometimes called wedge mats or even cheese mats because of their triangular shape. These gymnastic mats are used to teach both beginning and intermediate skills like handsprings, walkovers and rolls.

Folding Mats

Folding mats are a more universal type of foam exercise mat that has a variety of uses in gymnastics. A folding exercise mat is a relatively thin but firm mat that can be used either unfolded or folded. Normally these gymnastic mats are used like tumbling mats to practice tumbling moves, but they have other uses as well. These folding mats can be attached from end to end with Velcro to create a long mat or they can be stacked and used as protection by gymnasts training on the lower balance beam. When stacked they can also be used to help gymnasts reach the rings or bars.

Crash Mats

Crash mats are very soft and thick to provide protection. As the name somewhat suggests, they are used to help gymnasts learn a new high-impact maneuver.

Beam Pads

Beam pads, or beam wraps, are used to provide protection to gymnasts learning new skills on the balance beam. These mats or pads are attached on the balance beam to provide a wider landing space.

Like cheerleading mats, gymnastic mats are specialty mats that are essential for safety during training and during competitions. Gymnastics mats are made for very specific uses so they come in a variety of sizes, shapes, levels of thickness and firmness; it is important to use the right mats for both training and performances to increase safety.

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If you are looking for a multi-functional exercise mat you may want to consider looking at folding exercise mats. Folding exercise mats can serve a variety of purposes, although they are primarily used for floor exercises you can also use them for Pilates, cheerleading or even a sleeping mat for camping.

Folding Mats Are Key to a Great Workout

Folding exercise mats are perfect for doing things like floor exercises, physical therapy exercises, Pilates, yoga or just stretching to warm up before your workout. They provide enough cushion to sensitive areas like the back or knees to make these types of exercises more comfortable which in turn makes it easier to preform them correctly. These home gym mats are especially important if you are working out on a hard surface like a hardwood floor.

Tri-fold mats offer easy storage with their compact design so you can simply fold up the mat and store it under a bed or in a closet until you need it again. One benefit of a folding exercise mat is the portability factor. If you frequently go to an exercise class, it’s nice to have the option of bringing your own workout mat with you.

If a tri-folding exercise mat isn’t quite compact enough for you though, consider a roll up mat. Roll up exercise mats are very compact and easy to take to class, but They don’t offer quite as much cushion as a fold up mat.

A Mat to Cheer For

If you plan on cheerleading, consider investing in cheerleading mats, also known as tumbling mats or sometimes gymnastic mats. This type of mat folds up like the rest, however, you need to buy a few of them so you can spread them out. Ideally, you should put them in a large place so you can practice flips, gymnastic moves, and tumbling.

They can also be used for little children to run and play on, since they have special padding in them making it less painful or damaging when falls occur. If you need to store the mat, simply fold it up and stick it in your closet, or even the trunk of your car. One advantage of a tumbling mat is that you can take these mats anywhere.

Sleeping Mats

Some folding mats can also double as sleeping mats. They help you get a better night’s sleep when camping or they can be great to have around for sleep overs.

Protection for your Floor

Folding mats can provide some protection to your floor as well, for instance if you are doing exercises with dumbbells. But their main purpose is to cushion your body.

While folding exercise mats are versatile they aren’t made to use under home fitness equipment; exercise equipment mats are more suitable if you are looking for a mat to use under your home gym equipment. Fitness equipment mats are important to use under things like elliptical machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes.

An exercise equipment mat will help protect your floors, create a stable base for your fitness equipment and help the equipment work the way it was meant to. These types of exercise mats are durable and should last a long time. If you don’t want your floor to be ruined by exercise equipment, then an exercise equipment floor mat may be the best option for you. Folding mats aren’t made for this type of use.

If you want to invest in a good exercise mat that will last consider looking at folding exercise mats as they offer most flexibility. They are flexible enough to be used for a variety of exercises and they offer a good blend of transportability and durability.

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Probably the most versatile of all exercise mats are interlocking exercise mats. They work well to cover hard floors in gyms, exercise rooms, garages or even playrooms. If you know your children are going to be roughhousing a lot, you can cover the floor with these exercise mats, and your children are less likely to get hurt if they take a tumble. Interlocking exercise mats serve several purposes and come in a variety of colors from neutral tones to black or bright colors for children to enjoy.

What Are Interlocking Mats?

Interlocking floor mats are similar to foam exercise mats only with edges that allow you to lock multiple mats together to cover a large floor space. The cushioned foam and interlocking design make these floor mats good for a variety of uses. They can be used as anti-fatigue mats in areas where you may be standing for long periods of time. They can be used to do floor exercises or stretching. They can be used as exercise equipment mats. They can also be used for children’s playrooms.

Exercise Mats For Home Gym Use

If you plan on using a home gym mat, consider the types of exercises you’ll be using it for. Home gym mats can provide a more comfortable surface for use during stretching, using exercise equipment or other home workout routines.

Finding the right exercise mat for your specific needs is important. Interlocking foam mats can be used for a wide variety of activities, but the one of the drawbacks of them is they are not very portable.

Knowing in advance the types of exercises you’d like to perform on your mat will help you make the right purchase. Also ask yourself if you plan on storing the exercise mats when not in use. While most interlocking gym mats are lightweight, they are somewhat bulky and will take up a surprising amount of space in the closet. Folding exercise mats are better if you want something you can easily store or take with you to an exercise class.

Interlocking Play Mats for Children

If you want your kids to have a little bit of fun, investing in interlocking play mats might be a good idea. They can offer a fun way to promote exercise for kids. Several retailers offer interlocking floor mats for playrooms that have the alphabet and numbers on them. They can learn about letters and numbers while playing; it’s the best of both worlds.

They are also washable and provide a cushioned surface providing a good place for the kids to get out some energy. The letters and numbers also pop out, so your child can put them together to make words or learn about math, if you want to teach them. These interlocking mats are particularly helpful for parents with hardwood floors and younger infants who are not yet walking with confidence.

If you are looking for interlocking exercise mats, carefully consider all of your options. If you want to use the mats for more than one purpose, you may be able to find a product that will help you get the most out of your workout routines while also cushioning accidental falls of your younger family members.

If you’ve been looking to increase the types of exercises that you can do at home without having to spend a ton of money, you may want to consider adding foam exercise mats to your list of home exercise equipment. We’ll take a look at some of the different types of these exercise mats, what features to look for and some current popular models for you to consider.

Types of Foam Exercise Mats

The type of exercises you want to do, and where you’ll be able to store your mat will be important things to take into consideration as you look for home gym mats that are right for you. The most common types of foam floor mats include folding exercise mats, roll up exercise mats and interlocking mats.

Roll up mats are more light weight and portable and generally used for things like Yoga and Pilates. A folding exercise mat is good when you need more cushion, since they are usually thicker. While they are a little bulkier than roll up mats, folding mats are still easy to move and store. Interlocking exercise mats are used for home gym areas or playrooms for kids where they are more of a permanent fixture. All of these exercise mats can be used for a variety of floor exercises, stretching, physical therapy exercises and for warming up before a workout.

Important Features of Exercise Mats

As you’re looking for the best foam mats for your needs, keep in mind the following:

• Portability & Weight – If you’re going to be carrying your mat to class regularly these things will be important.
• Thickness or Cushion – Think about what level of cushioning you will need from it to make sure it serves it’s purpose
• Size – Get an exercise mat that will fit you and the type of exercises for which you are planning to use it; some stretching exercises will require a longer mat than you might expect.
• Ease of cleaning – You’ll want to make sure that you can easily clean your mat.

Exercise Equipment Mats – A Different Beast

As you’re looking for your perfect foam exercise mat for your workout, be sure not to get them confused with exercise equipment mats. These mats are made for placing under a piece of exercise equipment, rather than for exercising directly on. They are very durable but they are specifically meant to protect the floor underneath while using the equipment, and to help keep the equipment from sliding or moving around while in use.

Current Well-Rated Foam Exercise Mats

Here are a couple different well reviewed home gym mats on Amazon:

Valeo Foam Exercise Mat

Features:

• Basic, affordable foam mat that is easy to take to exercise class
• One side is ribbed and one side smooth so you can choose your preferred texture for varying workouts
• Self grip straps that help keep the mat rolled
• Easy to clean

Harbinger Tri-Fold Mat

Features:

• 2 inch padding for greater comfort and support
• Tri-fold design with straps makes easy to store and carry
• No problem with folding edges that can happen with roll up exercise mats
• Easy to clean vinyl cover

Change up your exercise routine and add a great new portable piece to your workout. You will quickly see the difference foam exercise mats can make when trying to reach your fitness goals.

So you’ve eagerly unloaded your new stationary bike and you’ve begun assembling it. Nothing can keep you from obtaining your idea physical shape now with your own home fitness machine, right?

But wait! You should also look at home exercise equipment mats for your new home stationary bike… or weight bench or elliptical machine.

Why Do You Need Mats For Exercise Equipment?

One of the most important things you can own when it comes to your physical fitness is an exercise mat. And yet often people neglect fitness equipment mats even though they’re vital for protecting the floor of your home gym, the exercise equipment itself and for absorbing the impact from the fitness machine. You may already use exercise mats for protecting your joints while minimizing injury and soreness during your conditioning exercises. So why not make sure you complete your physical fitness regiment with the appropriate exercise equipment floor mat?

Just to give you a sense of why it is important, you should consider one way savvy fitness trainers evaluate prospective gyms for membership potential. A well-appointed and classy gym will feature well-maintained gym equipment mats beneath all the fitness equipment, including both the weight lifting and cardiovascular equipment.

While such exercise mats are an understood basic implement of the professional or home gym to any fitness junkie worth his or her salt, you should understand why these home gym mats are important.

Besides protecting the floor on which you place them and the equipment from becoming damaged from unnecessary wear and tear, the extra shock absorption will make your workout more comfortable and make injury less likely; these protective foam mats can also help minimize fatigue. In fact, because of the reduced fatigue provided by an appropriate exercise equipment mat, you may find yourself enjoying more efficient and productive workouts.

Without an exercise equipment mat the exercise machine can slide and move around while in use, which can cause a few different problems. Not only can this damage your floor, it can also make the machine feel unstable. This can lead to injury or a less productive, less comfortable workout. It can also help contribute to unnecessary damage of your exercise machine.

So with one simple step, you improve the longevity of your exercise equipment and make your time with it far more productive and less painful. Using an exercise equipment floor mat will make the fitness equipment feel and function like it was meant to.

Choosing Exercise Equipment Mats

You can choose to purchase smaller rectangular home gym mats for individual machines or you can assemble interlocking exercise mats to cover the entire home gym floor or a larger section around your equipment.

For these type of mats, you generally want it to be about half an inch in thickness and made from a recycled PVC rubber. With a little common sense and some reasonably responsible maintenance, these exercise equipment mats should last you forever as they’re virtually indestructible.

So before you setup that new stationary bike or elliptical machine, make sure you’ve secured they’re future and your healthy use of them with the appropriate exercise equipment mats. Your floors and your body will thank you.

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Mats for cheerleading are not a frivolous endeavor; cheerleading mats are necessary for a sport and entertainment growing more and more rigorous each year. While the most basic cultural stereotype of cheerleading may still be of pretty young girls waving pom-poms and leading cheers through megaphones, in the last a couple of decades cheerleading has evolved into an elaborate blend of dance and gymnastics.

The Increasing Athleticism of Modern Cheerleading

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If your daughter is practicing somersaults and flips with a team of athletic teens leveraging human catapults to elicit excitement from a crowd, you will definitely want her using high quality cheerleading tumbling mats ensuring her safety. Cheerleading stunts grow ever more daring and athletic each year and thus require ever more durable and serious cheerleading mats.

So it is vital that you utilize plenty of quality cheerleading exercise mats in all aspects of practice and performance. I know some people cringe at the prospect of lugging extensive cheer-leading mats on to the football field or basketball court, but let’s not be foolish here. Modern cheerleading has become rigorous sport, whether it is officially recognized as such or not.

Cheerleading Mats

Gymnastic mats and tumbling mats shouldn’t be used just for gymnastics routines. They should be the fundamental equipment of the serious cheerleader. Cheerleading stunts and cheerleading floors need not produce the injuries current statistics exhibit. We just need responsible routines and responsible cheerleading equipment.

Evidence of Increasing Cheerleading Injuries

In the 1990s, despite participation in cheer squads increasing by less than 20 percent, serious injuries occurring from cheerleading nearly tripled (a nearly 300 percent increase).

One of the fundamental problems we have here is that many schools still do not treat cheerleading as a sport. It is still too often viewed as a social support activity for other sports. Thus cheerleading squads can exist and train without any kind of certified oversight and aren’t regulated with the same safety measures established for major sports like football and basketball.

In less-than-affluent areas, schools often don’t dedicate the budget for the cheerleaders to obtain and maintain proper safety equipment. And the most important safety equipment a cheerleading squad can utilize are proper cheerleading mats.

As Brenda Shields of the Columbus Children’s Research Institute in Ohio explicitly stated in a recent pediatric study illustrating the growing necessity of safety equipment in cheerleading:

“Cheerleaders may practice in hallways and practice on hard surfaces instead of mats. So when they fall off a pyramid or from in the air and they land on hard surfaces, the chances for injury are drastically increased.”

In reaction to all the negative statistics arising from these studies, many schools have put restrictions on stunts rather than working to increase safety measures. For example, starting in 2002 the University of Nebraska imposed a “ground-bound” restriction on the routines exhibited by their cheerleaders, stopping pyramids and flips.

Cheerleading Controversy: Sexism or Practical Safety?

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As you might imagine, this move has catalyzed a bit of controversy. Some consider it sexist, with the criticized implication being that young women and girls should not be engaging in the same level of physical duress as young men and boys. Some taking a more severe perspective even argue that the shift has led to an emphasis on subtle sex appeal over athleticism, something that certainly seems inappropriate for our young daughters.

This seems at least somewhat evident in the nature of college cheerleading uniforms we see all over men’s sports magazines (see the hundreds of cheerleading pictures maintained by the Sports Illustrated website).

For two opposing views on this matter, here are two quotes from opposing perspectives:

Lynn Williamson, University of Kentucky cheer team adviser:

“In our society, it’s acceptable that every year a number of young men will die on a football field. But, my heavens, if a female breaks a fingernail, or her arm, well, then it must be time to ground them.”

University of Nebraska spokesperson Barry Swanson:

“We didn’t eliminate cheerleading or reduce the cheerleading budget in any way. All we eliminated was the danger … In football you have helmets and pads… Cheerleaders do their stunts on hardwood floors or turf. We consider that risk without reason.”

The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors has implemented and refined a safety course for cheerleading coaches and a cheerleader safety manual.

Incorporate Cheerleading Mats to Responsibly Evolve Cheerleading

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I strongly encourage cheerleaders to both learn appropriate routines while slowly working towards more advanced routines and to always use the appropriate safety equipment, namely, cheerleading mats.

Perhaps we can appease all sides by implementing the same safety and gradual training systems utilized by the gymnastics world. In gymnastics, it is vital to master gymnastics techniques in the appropriate sequence and increased difficulty. Gymnasts are not to even attempt certain difficult routines until they have mastered the lead-up techniques. Quality gymnastics features a series of skills and habits built upon previous skills and habits.

Just like gymnasts, cheerleaders should develop strength and flexibility as they build skills upon skills. And each step of the way cheerleading mats should be integrated to not only prevent moment-to-moment, individual injuries, but to reduce the overall wear and tear of such rigorous physical activity.

What to Look for In A Cheerleading Mat

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Cheerleading mats should be rugged and durable. They should be sweat resistant and capable of maintaining an appropriately grippy surface despite the presence of perspiration. Different mats should be utilized for different routines. Some routines greater support and stiffness for leverage while others require extra softness to prevent impact injury.

Cheerleading Equipment

Be wary of cheap cheerleading mats and used cheerleading mats. The safety of your daughter should trump saving a few bucks. Home cheerleading mats and home gym mats are a great idea, but keep your eye out for quality cheerleading mats for sale rather than skimp on used or lackluster equipment.

If you enjoy any kind of aerobic or condition based exercise at home, you really should consider installing some home gym mats. In particular, if you have kids entering the age when they love to start tumbling about, formally or not, then you really should help secure their safety with appropriate exercise mats.

While gym mats are a common and fun equipment around schools and professional gyms, you really should install home gym mats if you or your children are in anyway active. In fact, most gymnastics related injuries occur not at school or in the local gymnasium, but at home. For some reason, people equate gym mats to something for use in schools for physical education, recess or for formal gymnasiums like gymnastic or cheerleading mats.

Types of Home Gym Mats

There are a few common styles of home gym mats to consider, folding, roll up and interlocking. Folding exercise mats generally come as dual or tri-fold mats. Because they can fold to a compact size they are easy to move or even to take to an exercise class. For a portable mat they provide a good level of support and cushion.

Roll up exercise mats are also portable. They roll up to an even smaller size than folding mats, but they don’t provide quite as much cushion as a folding mat. They are commonly used for stretching exercises like yoga.

Home Gym Mats

Interlocking mats can be fit to size. You can lock mats together to create a large, stable floor mat, or you can use a single one for a smaller space. These mats aren’t really portable; they are meant to stay in place either under exercise equipment, as a workout mat or a playroom mat.

Most workout mats made for home gyms are filled with closed-cell foam of polyurethane or polyethylene. More options are becoming available as our culture moves to more organic and natural substances.

With children, in particular, you want exercise mats with more shock absorption and less rebound. This means the mat will be less springy and more protective.

You want the outer fabric to be tough and capable of withstanding all manner of impact and stretching. A quality home gym mat should last you years if not decades. You also want a material that won’t be too slick. Sweat can make those tumbling mats slippery, thus increasing the risk of slipping and injuring oneself.

Gym Mats Aren’t Just for the Gym

But where do you spend most of your time? And don’t most injuries occur when you least expect them? Your home features all manner of obstacles not found in schools or gyms, including sharp table corners and hard floors, as well as other seemingly innocent but potentially dangerous furnishings and appliances. So I suggest you increase your ability to workout whenever you want and decrease the likelihood of incurring injuries to yourself or your children by installing proper home gym mats.

It is respectable to want to increase flexibility and athleticism. But exercising without an appropriate home gym mat can lead to injuries for a number of reasons. Setting a gym mat in your home creates a clearly defined space for these workouts. Without one, you and your childrens’ activities can bleed into areas ill-prepared for a rigorous workout.

If you have children, begin with a softer mat, one with about a 2 inch thickness; interlocking mats are a often a good choice. Softer home gym mats provide a degree of security not afforded by tougher, firmer mats. These softer mats also slow activities down a little, helping your child tumble about at a pace they can handle. Once your child gains some skill and confidence, you can move to a slightly firmer gymnastics mat. They’re not any less safe, they just provide a little less of luxurious touch and a little more springiness. These more advanced gym mats feature greater density.

Colorful Home Gym Mats

Before you start imagining dull gray or blue home gym mats, you should know that there is an entire industry of competing manufacturers in this field, and most of them now offer all sorts of colors and visual styles. So you should find one that fits into your home without ruining the decor.

While the focus of this article has been on gymnastics-style home gym mats, don’t forget about exercise equipment mats. You should protect both your home and your new exercise equipment with appropriate exercise mats. For more about that, however, read my article on the topic: exercise equipment mats.

I hope this enlightens you on the variables you need to consider when selecting home gym mats. They can be colorful and fun and provide a great means of improving both your health and your safety at home.

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