The benefits of installing a rubber workout floor in your home gym are twofold. Firstly, rubber padded gym flooring will offer superior shock absorption properties that will protect your home floors from any damage. Secondly, rubber gym floor matting offers a naturally tacky surface that provides excellent traction when working out. Because gyms are filled with abrasive workout equipment and fitness equipment that can damage costly home flooring options, it is important to protect your floors. In addition, along with protecting your home floors, a rubber workout floor also works to protect you from dangerous slips and falls by offering a naturally grippy surface.

What Do You Put Under Gym Floor?

You do not need to put anything under a gym floor; however, you should put a rubber surface over gym floors to protect against impacts, vibrations, and abrasions and to promote non-slip safety. A rubber workout floor is designed to provide superior shock absorption and excellent non-slip properties to maintain safety. Gyms contain abrasive equipment, such as weights, dumbbells, and fitness machines, that are highly damaging to home floors. For instance, weights and dumbbells can dent or crack floors when dropped while fitness machines, like treadmills and ellipticals, emit strong and constant vibrations that will eventually wear the ground below it. The elasticity of rubber allows padded gym flooring to provide sufficient shock absorption capabilities. Case in point, “Rubber has a low modulus of elasticity and is capable of sustaining a deformation of as much as 1000 percent. After such deformation, it quickly and forcibly retracts to its original dimensions. It is resilient and yet exhibits internal damping” (mtec.or.th). Rubber is a bouncy material that will deform when something heavy is placed on top of it or in the face of impacts, allowing a rubber workout floor to provide a durable barrier between damaging energy and the surface of the subfloor. It will then bounce back to its original form without any damage once the pressure is removed. Additionally, a rubber workout floor retains a grippy surface thanks to rubber’s naturally grippy surface. The tacky surface of rubber gym floor matting will not be negatively affected by moisture on its surface. Traction is an important factor to have in gyms to help maintain safety while exercising. Traction will help keep feet firmly planted while exercising and will keep workout equipment and fitness machines in place while in use. Not only will its grippy surface promote non-slip safety, but a rubber workout floor will also protect floors from abrasions caused by shifting equipment.

How Do You Reinforce a Floor for Weightlifting?

You can reinforce a floor for weightlifting by adding rubber gym floor matting on top of it to add extra strength and protection. Weightlifting, along with other weight training workouts, can severely damage home floors due to the sheer weight of the equipment used for these workouts. The equipment used in weight training exercises are generally heavy and can create dents and cracks in the floor when dropped. Without a rubber workout floor, your floors can be subjected to damage that may be expensive to repair. Home floors are expensive to install and can be expensive to repair, making it highly beneficial to reinforce home gym floors with a rubber workout floor cover to prevent costly repairs. For instance, ceramic tile can cost anywhere between $257 and $740 to repair and other popular home flooring options, like hardwood, can be even more to repair, costing between $441 and $1,457 (homeadvisor.com). Rubber weightlifting floor mats will help protect costly home flooring options which, in turn, will cut the cost of repairs. A thick gym mat made of rubber will provide a durable barrier between heavy impacts and the surface of the subfloor and efficiently absorb the force of impact and will protect your home floors from dents and cracks. Depending on the type of equipment and weight training exercises, weightlifting floor mats are available in numerous thicknesses to ensure there is a thick enough barrier for efficient floor protection.

How Thick Should Workout Mats be?

Workout mats should be 3mm to 1” thick for sufficient surface protection against impacts and abrasions. Depending on the exercises you will be performing, a thick gym mat should be used to provide ample padding between heavy impacts and your home floor. For general exercises, thick gym floor matting is not required; however, more intensive workouts, such as weight training, will need a thicker rubber workout floor. For instance, weight training exercises, such as deadlifting, will severely damage any type of floor as these weights are extremely heavy and are dropped from 3 to 4 feet high directly onto the ground. Gym floor matting for workouts, such as yoga, do not need to be thick; only thick enough to provide some cushioning for comfort qualities.

Rubber is the perfect material for creating gym floor matting due to its shock absorption and traction-enhancing properties. A rubber workout floor retains excellent shock absorption capabilities thanks to its elastic nature. Its elasticity allows rubber padded gym flooring to deform upon impact and bounce back to its original form without damage. They are available in thicknesses ranging from 3mm to 1” thick allowing you to find thinner mats for less intense workouts, such as yoga, or thick weightlifting floor mats for weight training exercises. Additionally, rubber has a naturally tacky surface that provides a grippy surface; however, a rubber workout floor can be available with an added surface pattern that helps further enhance rubber’s natural grip.

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