A gymnastics mat is an essential piece of equipment for anyone who wants to practice tumbling and other gymnastic skills at home. They are designed to be tough, durable, and easy to keep clean and sanitized. They are also able to absorb impact, which will protect you from injury if you fall while practicing your moves. Some have additional accessories, like a training beam which attaches to the mat with Velcro, and others can be folded for portability and ease of storage.
The most common mat is a folding panel mat, also known as a tumbling mat or gym mat. This type of mat consists of panels that are usually 2 feet wide and can be folded, stacked or joined together with velcro strips at the ends. They are made of dense foam and covered in vinyl for easy cleaning and sanitization. They are ideal for beginners who want to learn basic tumbling and gymnastic floor exercises like cartwheels. They may have rubber feet on the bottom to secure them on hard surfaces, or they may be encased in carpet for added stability.
Other types of mats include incline mats which are great for helping kids practice backbends and front walkovers. They are an excellent add-on for a Folding Mat or as a stand-alone product for advanced beginner/intermediate gymnasts. Octagon mats are another tried and true intermediate teaching tool used for forward and backward rolls, handstands, and backbends. They can be layered with a folding mat for progressional handspring drills.
Some gymnastic mats are designed to be extra thick, such as those that are used to practice falls and landings. These are called crash or landing mats and can be as tall as 16 inches at their highest point. They are made from thick, bouncy, and lightweight materials which can support you if you fall while learning new moves.
High-level competitive gymnasts use long, narrow tumbling strips topped with a layer of soft landing mats which are typically 12 inches thick to absorb the force of a fall. Blocks are firm trapezoid or rectangular mats that fasten around the balance beam to give gymnasts a safe surface for practice.
Whether your gymnastics mat is covered in a carpet or vinyl, it should be cleaned regularly to prevent dirt and grime from building up. You can vacuum or use a broom to sweep off the mats and then spot clean them with a damp cloth as needed. If your mat does tear, it is fairly simple to repair it with a patch kit. Simply follow the instructions on the patch kit, and your mat will be good as new in no time! Just be sure to only practice on a gymnastics mat with an experienced coach who can help you spot your own injuries. Practicing on a gymnastics mat without the supervision of a qualified instructor can lead to serious and sometimes dangerous injuries. So, be careful and enjoy your new gymnastics mat!
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