Can Deadlifts Damage My Gym Floors?
Deadlift weights tend to be pretty heavy. For example, a 200-pound man at an intermediate level is going to use over 450 lbs of weight for his deadlift. Such heavy weights have the potential of doing some serious damage to your gym floors when weights are dropped on them, whether accidentally or through purposeful exercise routines. The best way to protect your gym floors from damage is to invest in commercial fitness flooring.
Deadlifts Flooring
Dropping weights is a pretty frequent part of weight training. Some training techniques actually require the weight to be dropped on every rep. For example, in CrossFit and Olympic lifting, dropping a heavy loaded bar to the floor is a common part of the exercise regime. And the deadlift is the most usual lift that will send weight to the floor with force. Even if your exercise technique doesn’t call for dropping the bar, it’s likely that you might drop it accidentally every now and then. This means that you need to have a gym flooring that will withstand this type and frequency of impact.
The first thing to consider is what your floor is made of. A garage or basement with a cement floor is more durable and will withstand the rigors of deadlifting better than a wooden subfloor, tile, or laminate. Knowing and understanding your floor type will help you determine how extensive your precautions need to be. While a wood subfloor might require more reinforcements or a lifting platform, a cement floor will do really well with a commercial fitness flooring option. Also, you should consider if you’re on the second (or higher) floor since this will require floor reinforcements as opposed to a ground floor.
The best flooring for deadlifts is rubber flooring. Rubber deadlifts flooring comes in various options, including tiles that fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle and rolls, which create a beautifully seamless look for your floor. Either way, an important thing to consider is the thickness of the rubber. A ¾” heavy-duty rubber deadlifts flooring will give your floors and your equipment maximum protection. These mats are often found in horse stalls where they hold up against steel horseshoes with 1000 lbs bearing down on them. This commercial fitness flooring is available in multiple colors and provides excellent shock absorption, protecting not just your floor but the athlete as well. The SFR Power Tile, for example, is a great option that sustains the repeated abuse of extreme weights without dimpling, tearing, or fading.
Get the Best Deadlifts Flooring
If deadlifting is a typical part of your exercise regimen, you need to take action to protect your floor. Without the proper deadlifts flooring, you risk injury to yourself, the equipment, your gym floor, or even your subfloor. However, with the correct deadlifts flooring, the odds of damage while deadlifting are minimized. Specialized Fitness Resources is the industry leader in sports surfacing, specialty rubber products, and equipment. Our knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you in selecting the best flooring option for deadlifts. Contact us today at 305-676-8923.