Exercise & Crash Mats
Exercise safely and comfortably by choosing the right exercise & crash mats for your sporting activities. After all, there's no point treating yourself to a relaxing yoga session, for example, if you end up sore and uncomfortable afterwards. A good exercise mat will cushion your bones and joints from hard floors, letting you concentrate on stretching, balancing and bending as much as you like.
Gymnastics is another sport where the correct mats are essential. Protect gymnasts from injury during tumbles and flips by choosing high-quality crash mats to cushion any falls. A significant amount of padding is vital here, so check the thickness of your mats carefully.
Clever Features
From snazzy designs to practical extras, look out for the little features that transform a basic mat into a great mat. Carrying handles and bags make mats easily portable, while beautiful colourful patterns and graphics add a bit of interest to your workout. Velcro strips along the edges of crash mats allow you the flexibility of connecting more than one mat if you need the option of creating a larger area.
Lightweight materials are also a popular feature if you plan on moving your mats around. And a non-slip mat is a game changer when it comes to exercising on smooth surfaces like wooden floors.
Choice of Materials
Exercise mats are produced in a variety of materials. Soft foam is often chosen for yoga and Pilates mats or children's playtime mats. Ethylene-vinyl acetate (or EVA for short) is a highly durable foam-like material that is also soft, flexible and non-toxic. Polyvinyl chloride (you'll know it as PVC) comes in both flexible and rigid forms and has a fantastic non-slip quality when used for exercise mats. Rubber mats are probably the most hard-wearing option and are often used in commercial gyms and workout studios.