Mats for floor exercises help fitness enthusiasts be safe and comfortable when working out. Various types of exercise mats can be found in homes, gyms and fitness studios. A person's style of exercise usually dictates the kind of mat that he chooses. Yoga mats, general-fitness mats, martial-arts mats and puzzle mats are some of the types of exercise mats that are available.
Yoga Mats
Yoga practitioners typically use mats during their classes. Yoga mats are some of the thinnest types of exercise mats that are available. They are usually a quarter of an inch or less in thickness. These mats can be made of polyvinyl chloride, latex, plastic, rubber, wool, cotton, jute or hemp. Yoga mats are also easy to roll up and carry. Many yoga practitioners like their mats to be somewhat sticky on both sides. Sticky mats can prevent yoga practitioners from slipping when they are practicing poses. Yoga mats are some of the least expensive exercise mats on the market and some can be purchased for less than $10 as of May 2010.
General-Fitness Mats
General-fitness mats are the types of mats that are frequently found in department stores or sporting goods stores. General-fitness mats are usually used inside homes for exercises like push-ups, sit-ups or stretches. These foam mats are 3/8 inches to 5/8 inches in thickness. General-fitness mats are lightweight and can be easily moved around the house. These types of mats can be purchased for less than $50.
Martial-Arts Mats
Martial artists use mats to cushion their falls when performing throwing techniques. Martial-arts mats are also used extensively for practicing grappling exercises. Because of all of this abuse that martial-arts mats withstand, they need to be thick and durable. These mats usually have about 2 inches of polyethylene foam covered by vinyl. They also fold up and are more difficult to carry than some other mats. Martial-arts mats typically range in price anywhere from about $200 to $700.
Puzzle Mats
Puzzle mats are different from other kinds of mats. Puzzle mats come in different sections that connect to one another. The typical puzzle sections are about 24 inches by 24 inches. Puzzle mats are about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in thickness and they are made of a rubberized foam material. Puzzle mats are usually used to cover the entire floor of exercise rooms or fitness studios. Puzzle mats are convenient because they are not picked up and put away after each use. A case of puzzle mats, which generally includes 20 sections, can cost well over $100.
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