What should I look for when purchasing an exercise mat? In this article, we’ll give you a rundown of the different kinds of athletic mats available, how to use them, and what to look for when shopping for one.
How Do I Choose the Best Exercise Mat?
Particular exercise mats may be needed for certain kinds of physical activity. Gymnastics and wrestling are just two examples of the more strenuous uses for them.
On occasion, they are used to lessen the risk of injury, expand the usability, and quiet the sound output of a variety of fitness machines. You can use them as equipment mats for things like weight benches and stationary bikes.
Whether you enjoy a strenuous aerobic routine or a tough bit of weightlifting, you’ll need the appropriate exercise mat to preserve your health and maximize your results, as I will discuss on this site.
How Do I Select the Most Appropriate Exercise Mat?
In order to maximize your workouts in terms of safety, comfort, and overall results, an exercise mat is a must-have. Simply having a safe and comfortable place to work out makes it more likely that you will stick with your exercise regimen, which in turn increases your workout’s effectiveness.
This can be the case regardless of the activity, even exercise machine activity. Make sure you find out what kind of material works best with your needs, and then ask yourself these three questions:
- Does your exercise mat need to be transported? If so, make sure it is lightweight and easy to fold or roll.
- Does it match your body’s size and shape? Depending on the activity, you don’t want to rely on a generic size, which may allow for the opportunity to slip off.
- Does it support you properly? Does your chosen workout mat (or workout mat) provide the necessary support for your body weight and your exercise routine? You should consider how it will feel at your pressure points at the most rigorous point of activity. If at that point it isn’t still supportive, it isn’t the right thickness or density for you.
Do You Prefer Barefoot Comfort?
There are two major reasons why you should give careful consideration to the surface roughness of your workout mat if you intend to work out barefoot.
- One, you want the mat to be soft and visually pleasing so that you can really use it. Again, making your workout as enjoyable as possible will go a long way toward ensuring that you stick to your new healthy regimen. Yoga asanas performed on a mat designed for exercise equipment will be uncomfortable because of the mat’s rough surface.
- The second thing to think about is slippage. In other words, while shopping for home gym mats, you should prioritize those that offer adequate slip resistance and sweat absorption. Injuries and a decrease in training efficiency and effectiveness might result from a simple slip. Keep in mind that a strong and consistent exercise plan depends on both safety and effectiveness.
Understand the Available Exercise Mat Materials
Most mats that fall under the category of exercise mats are thin and easily transported. This isn’t the case with exercise equipment mats, gymnastics mats or cheerleading mats; those are more specialty mats.
This type of mat may not look like it would provide enough support, but if it is constructed from a well-known and high-quality workout mat material, it can be quite supportive..
What are Exercise Mats Made of?
When you shop for your exercise mat, you will find you have a choice of organic materials such as cotton to synthetic materials such as latex and PVC. Some of the most common exercise mats will be made from a blend of jute and rubber.
Which of these is “best” is really up to your personal preference and your particular workout routine. Match your body and workout regiment to the mat, then consider the material which you feel most comfortable touching and carrying on a regular basis.
Most other exercise mats will be made from some kind of vinyl, rubber or PVC. Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and rubber tend to be used for the heavier and thicker mats like these interlocking exercising mats on Amazon.
Most rubber used in these exercise mats will be recycled and extremely durable. Thinner mats will usually be made from PVC. You’ll find solid PVC mats for use as exercise machine mats (for under a stationary bike, for example) and you’ll find blown PVC exercise mats for personal exercise.
Blown PVC mats receive an air-blown treatment which enables them to provide more cushion and thus more support.
Can Your Workout Mat Handle Your Sweat?
The importance of choosing an exercise mat with the right absorption, drying capacity, and texture to minimize slipping during your workout was touched on before, but it merits its own section for reasons that will become clear.
Due to individual differences in sweat production and workout intensity, the answer will be different for each person. Choose an exercise mat that dries quickly and is extremely absorbent if you sweat a lot or if your planned workout routine includes strenuous cardiovascular activity.
This is significant because occasionally folks will simply buy the exercise mat that their friend uses. Think about how your sweating compares to your friend’s. Injuries are a real possibility if you use a training mat that doesn’t absorb perspiration properly.
Proper Cushioning
Selecting a workout mat with adequate cushioning to protect your joints is essential. Think on how it feels on the pressure points of your body during the most strenuous part of your workout, and not just the overall thickness and density.
It’s also not ideal if they’re excessively soft, since this can cause a pinching sensation when your pressure points sink too deeply into the mat, altering the natural angle of the surface. Therefore, your exercise mats should be dense enough to create a continuously smooth working surface while still providing enough cushion to support your pressure points.
Roll Up vs. Fold Up Exercise Mats
Roll-up exercise mats are more popular than folding ones. The combination of low cost and convenient portability is responsible for this trend. Cheap, high-quality, foldable workout mats can be found at stores. They’re often lightweight and simple to roll up, making them convenient to carry and stow away.
Foldable exercise mats could also be taken into consideration if you take your exercise more seriously. Although they can be more expensive and a little more difficult to move, they will last a lot longer and offer far stronger support for a wider variety of exercise regimens. Roll-up workout mats typically need to be replaced every few months if someone is really committed to their regimen. With folding workout mats, this isn’t the case. Even with heavy use and frequent use, these mats typically last for several years.
Cleaning and Maintaining Your Exercise Mat
Many people neglect to keep their exercise mats clean. This could reduce their effectiveness and potentially increase their risk when using those exercise mats. Exercise mats should be cleaned frequently because dirty mats, especially those that have absorbed a lot of perspiration, will lose their texture and cushioning far more quickly than workout mats that are kept clean.
It’s easy to clean your fitness mat: Simply use a clean towel, some warm water, and a small amount of soapy water. Avoid directly pouring water or soap onto the mat. Instead, soak a cloth or sponge, wring it out to make sure it isn’t too wet, and then use it to gently wipe your exercise mat. The most crucial step, arguably, is to completely dry it before storing or transporting it. It should be hung from a reliable curtain rod with a small fan pointed in its direction. You can even place it outside over a bench or chair if the weather is fine and dry where you live.
Of course, it never hurts to double-check the manufacturer’s cautions and more detailed instructions. A wet exercise mat should NEVER be used to start a workout.
It’s important to think about your health and safety not just during the workout itself, but also in the many hours of recovery that follow. Having carefully chosen and kept up the optimal exercise mats for your varied workout routines will pay you in spades at this point.