Many martial artists drill on hardwood floors, or even the bare concrete of a garage or gymnasium. However, professional schools frequently use a softer floor surface whenever they can afford it. This protects students from injury and the school from liability. The different kinds of floor mat are used by different arts and organizations.
Tatami Mats
Tatami mats are the traditional floor surface used in Japanese homes, and a traditional floor options for many Japanese martial arts. Even schools with arts that don't originate in Japan sometimes use them because of their distinctive look and feel. Tatami are inch-thick mats made from woven straw with an attractive cloth border to each unit. Traditional tatami come in a standardized size -- 90 cm by 180 cm -- but it's possible to order them custom-cut. Not very soft and relatively abrasive, they are best for standing arts such as karate and kendo.
Wrestling Mats
Wrestling mats were the flooring for many grapplers when eastern martial arts came to the west. These mats consist of a layer of high-impact foam coated with protective, non-stick vinyl. They are soft, easy to custom order and easy to clean. Wrestling mats are a good choice for grappling arts from wrestling to judo to mixed martial arts. However, they are soft enough that feet sink into them when participants stand. It's easy to catch and break a toe if you practice a kicking art on this kind of surface.
Puzzle Mats
Puzzle mats are the budget mat of the martial arts world, substantially less expensive than other flooring options. They consist of 3.33-foot by 3.33-foot squares of colored foam with borders cut like puzzle pieces. The individual squares are joined -- like the puzzle that gives them their name -- to cover an entire training area. These mats aren't thick enough to protect participants in arts that slam them to the ground, but are sufficient for standup arts where people fall down from time to time.
Judo Mats
As martial arts became a viable western industry, some judo players investigated custom-making mats more suitable for judo. Judo involves extensive standup play and percussive slams to the ground. A judo mat has a firm upper surface that won't catch toes with an underlayment of soft foam to protect thrown grapplers. It comes in strips that can roll up after use or for shipping. As of 2010, it is the most expensive martial arts mat available on the market.
References
- Tatami.com: Tatami Information
- Dave Coffman; martial arts instructor; Hillsboro, Oregon
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