About Large Exercise Mats

Many forms of fitness require sufficient exercise mats before they can be performed safely. Sports such as wrestling, mixed martial arts and gymnastics require thickly padded mats that can absorb your body's impact when it comes in contact with the floor. Martial arts with less grappling and general exercising might require only thin mats to protect your feet and exercise room floor.

Significance

Adequate mats for your chosen exercise are designed to prevent injury to yourself and your exercise equipment. One study carried out by Germany's Hanover Medical School found that out of nearly 100,000 student athletes, 18 percent of reported injuries were related to gymnastics. The study concluded that proper mats would reduce the occurrence of these injuries, particularly in vault and floor exercises.

Types

Large exercise mats vary in thickness and composition depending on their intended use. Martial arts and wrestling mats are typically composed of foam cores with a polymer or polyvinyl coating. Thicker gymnastics mats utilize bonded foam designed for tumbling, while thinner mats typically are made from a hardened rubber.

Features

Wrestling and martial arts mats generally come from the manufacturer with a painted design of a fighting ring on them. Tumbling and general grappling mats have no design and can thus be put together in any pattern. Some exercise mats have Velcro or interlocking tabs so that they can be joined to cover large rooms.

Size

The size of large exercise mats varies depending on their intended use. Mats intended for professional competitions come in larger sections so that there are fewer seams when the mat is fully put together. Wrestling mats sometimes come in single pieces that are as large as 34 feet squared, while smaller tumbling mats might come in 4-by 8-foot sections. Hard rubber mats put under exercise machines to protect flooring often come in 12-inch-squared sections that can be linked together to fit any size fitness room.

Considerations

Apart from the intended use of the mat, a major concern when purchasing large exercise mats is the cost. New grappling mats can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars direct from the manufacturer. For this reason, it is normal practice for sports enthusiasts on a tight budget to purchase reconditioned mats. Reconditioned mats have been previously used but are treated to redistribute padding, repair cuts and fill indentations.