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Getting a good workout in at home starts from the ground up, literally. Artificial Turf System
Building a home gym has become something of a national pastime over the past few years, and one of the first things you notice is that working out on the surface you already have in your house (or apartment) pretty much sucks. Carpet is slippery, concrete is too tough on the body, hardwood is just plain uncomfortable. Besides being the host of expensive gym equipment, an actual floor that's made to withstand your workouts is really one of the greatest assets a home gym could have. So do it right.
There are a few details to keep in mind when choosing the right flooring for you. One, how much space you have. Outfitting an entire basement or garage gym requires something different than a small unused room in the house. Two, what kind of workouts you're doing the most. Low impact workouts need less shock absorption than something like a HIIT workout, and HIIT needs less than if you're olympic lifting. And three, the aesthetic you're going for. As you'll see, there are a few common looks of gym floors but you can still vary it within those big categories.
Here are 10 of the best home gym flooring options to help you get started on building a space for fitness at home that assists in your performance, rather than gets in the way of it.
These tiles are a lightweight EVA foam, which is easier to fit to a changing space than big, roll-out mats are. (Easier to move around, too.) Each of the squares is just under 2 feet and the sides interlock with each other. The design is perfect for high-sweat activities. It's non-skid, water-repellant, noise-resistant, and easy-to-clean.
If you don't have a huge space to work with but you do want something more substantial than a yoga mat, this big exercise mat is a solid option. It's 6 x 12 feet long and 7mm high, which is enough room—and enough shock absorption—to get in a workout with someone else, too. You can roll this up and put it away, should you be making your gym in a multipurpose space.
This pack of four shock-absorbing rubber floor tiles are great for sitting under a heavy barbell. They're heavy duty, making them hard to scratch up.
If you have some heavy gym pieces that need an extra layer of protection, these puzzle flor matts are easy to install and move around as you need. Keep them under your bench, treadmill, or rowing machine.
For covering big surface areas, this rubber flooring is a high-quality option. You can buy multiple rolls of it and cut the edges to fit into your room's dimensions exactly. The speckled rubber flooring gives you just enough support off the floor but doesn't slip, slide, or squish while you move.
For smaller, inexpensive flooring, go for Fitness Gear floor mat tiles. They are made of foam and interlock to create a bigger space. They come in packs of six, so you can start with a single pack for a smaller amount of space and build out as needed.
If the rubber flooring isn't quite your aesthetic—or you're using the gym space as something else, too, like your home office—there are gym flooring options that look more like regular flooring. These tiles look like wood but are made with EVA foam, which is often the same material that rubber-looking gym floors are made with.
These rubber tiles are super heavy duty at 5/8" thick. They are made to support high-impact workouts, which is great for people who incorporate jumping and running into their routines. The squares interlock similar to other square shapes but the locking system is hidden on the under side. On top, there is a faux grout look in between tiles for a simple, clean look.
Just make a note of how it's priced: $3.29/square foot is $29.61/tile. You can, however, adjust the tile size for your needs.
If you are picking up heavy stuff and putting it back down, you need a floor that can withstand the power from that drop. Rogue Fitness's olympic lifting platform was made to perform for such duties. This is great for people with barbells and need that heavy duty support.
In addition to foam and rubber flooring, turf is another favorite for gym flooring. Turf is great for agility-type workouts or anything that functions like a sport. It's going to be grippier than rubber, which helps smooth out quick twists and other fast-twitch drills.
Christine Flammia writes about style, grooming, and more; she is the former associate style editor of Esquire and is currently pursuing a PhD in communications at Columbia.
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