Taking care of your body is one of the most important things a person can do for themselves. It is well known that there are many different kinds of exercise routines (weightlifting, running, swimming, the list goes on). However, no matter what type of workout style you pursue, you need to take care of your body while exercising. One of the best ways to do that is by incorporating proper exercise flooring into your workout space. By using exercise floor mats to cushion and protect your sub-surfacing, you will be providing an important safety net for securing your floor’s –and your body’s-wellbeing. It is important to recognize, however, that there this no singular kind of exercise floor mat. Ranging in everything from size to material composition, exercise floor mats can have variable pros and cons depending on their makeup. Understanding the options is a great way in ensuring that you select the right exercise flooring for you.

Rubber exercise floor mats are rightfully considered to be some of the best in the business. Durable yet comfortable, they are perfect for use in virtually any size area. Often sold in the form of tiles or rolled mats, rubber exercise flooring can typically be installed easily by the end-user, without need for “professional” assistance. Complete with a low-price point, it is easy to see why rubber is chosen by so many as their matting of choice.

Another popular type of exercise floor mats are those made from poly vinyl chloride (commonly known as PVC). PVC is a lightweight, yet resilient material than can be used in many different applications. Generally, PVC can be chemically altered to be either rigid or flexible. For obvious reasons, flexible PVC is the type used in exercise flooring. Specifically, weight-rooms are a very common application for flexible PVC. In terms of benefits, in general, any exercise floor mat made from PVC provides high levels of surface traction and comfort. Additionally, PVC is plastic and cheap, making it an affordable solution for those on a budget. Unfortunately, PVC exercise floor mats may not be for everyone and PVC allergies are not uncommon. For this reason, it’s important to keep this in mind when purchasing any type of exercise floor mat made from PVC.

When it comes to exercise flooring, some prefer to simply leave their existing flooring in place, without providing any covering. While there is no doubt this is perhaps the cheapest available exercise flooring option, it is also one that leaves the user vulnerable to sustaining flooring damage and even personal injury. By simply leaving carpeting or laminated wood flooring in place in your work out area or gym, you’re leaving it exposed to damage from heavy weight and high volumes of foot traffic. What’s more, rubber possess both the comfort of carpet and the firm toughness of wood flooring, rendering both of these flooring types practically totally obsolete when it comes to exercise flooring. Carpet and wood would easily get damaged in moist and abusive environments which is why they are rarely used.

It’s important to recognize that there do exist multiple kinds of exercise floor mats, and doubly important to consider what you are looking for or need in an exercise floor mat. Hopefully, with the information in this article in mind, you –the consumer- are better able to select the right option!