Oct 25th,2022
Do you want to equip your gym floor with new mats? Having trouble determining the ideal thickness for your workout?
There are many components that can affect the thickness of your gym floor mat. It is important to understand that there is no one size fits all. It really will depend on what your goals are and what kind of workouts you'll be doing on your new mat!
In this article, you will find the right size thickness for many activities. Whether you're deadlifting on a squat rack, rolling with a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu buddy, or boosting your cardio with a jump rope - this article will give you some general guidelines on rubber pad thickness.
Generally, most gyms that do weight training will have rubber floors. The thickness of this material—as it is associated with weightlifting exercises—is usually between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch thick. The most common thickness for most weightlifting gyms is 5/16 inch or ⅜ inch, but gyms designed for weightlifting can be as thick as 1/2 inch.
Of course, there are thinner and thicker sizes than these. However, if weight training is your gym's primary concern, weight training in between these dimensions would be ideal. This is because you will have heavy gym equipment and/or drop heavy dumbbells, barbells, weight plates and other exercise materials onto the floor. You need padding thick enough to protect the subfloor below from heavy weights hitting the floor.
When you start adding heavier weights in the gym, it's important to consider increasing the thickness of your mat. Not only will it protect your floors, but it will also soundproof and shockproof your gym. Weight falling on an unpadded or underpadded floor isn't the most pleasant sound or vibration.
In fact, this can be annoying, and this problem can be circumvented by installing a suitable rubber floor.
Squash pass, chest pass, ribbon jump, side box shuffle; plyometrics are an athlete's dream! It's not hard to see why, jumping, moving, and sweating all combine to give you the perfect workout.
Such a regiment deserves proper space. Similar to weightlifting mats, plyometrics work best with rubber mats -- rubber provides the best grip and traction when you're jumping. However, there is a small adjustment; you don't really need the same thickness, so it may be wise to choose a thinner option for your rubber pads when doing plyometric training.
Gym floors can also be less dense, providing more cushioning for your workouts. There are rubber floors specially produced for this type of exercise. Known as reinforced rubber or soft rubber, it is usually 6mm or 8mm thick.
One of the determining factors in the thickness of a home gym mat will depend on the floor you will be covering. For example, if you happen to be covering carpet, VersaRUBBER pads are ideal because they are designed to work with low pile carpet floors. At 3/8" thick, these pads protect the subfloor from heavy objects and equipment, while still being heavy and strong enough to lay flat on a carpet. They are also ideal for softening hard surfaces like hardwood and concrete, which will certainly make your home gym more user-friendly.
When it comes to martial arts - whether you're doing karate, wrestling, judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, etc. - your best bet is to use a foam pad. However, the thickness of the foam pad will depend on the specific type of martial art you plan to perform.
For example, if it's a stand-up martial art like boxing or kickboxing, then a ¾" (20mm) thickness is fine. If it's a ground combat or combat sport like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, then you may want to use a 1" (25mm) thickness mm) to 1.5 in (40 mm) foam pads.
If it's a throwing martial art, such as judo or wrestling, try making your gym floor foam pads 1.5" (40mm) to 2" (50mm) thick.
While there are many variables that will determine the appropriate thickness of your gym mat, the main factor in your decision is what you're using the gym for. You may need to do more research to make the best choice for your specific application, or contact us to get the most out of your investment.
