What Type of Flooring is Best for CrossFit?
Unlike a traditional gym setting, CrossFit flooring requires a combination of different things. You need a floor that can handle plyometrics, mobility, and even dropping the occasional 100-pound weight. While concrete floors may be great for sprinting back and forth, if you drop a kettlebell on it, you may have a problem.
On the other hand, the typical soft floor made of foam will do fine with some weights falling on it, but trying to sprint on it would be cumbersome and might even end up hurting you. While there are different options out there for Commercial gym flooring, from CrossFit Turf to wood, the best recommendation would be to go with rubber flooring. There are many choices, but overall, rubber will yield the best protection for your floor without impeding you from having a great workout.
How Thick Should You Make Your Rubber Floor?
The first decision to make is the thickness of your CrossFit flooring. Rubber floors start as thin as one-fourth of an inch, but this is probably a bit too thin if you plan on using it a lot. Keep in mind that many CrossFit exercises are done in place and you repeatedly drop weights in the same spot. The thicker your floor, the safer your subfloor will be. With that in mind, the 3/4 is probably your best bet.
Exercise Flooring Options
Now that you have thickness figured out, what are your options? You can go with tiles, horse stall mats, or rolls. They are all made of rubber, and if you know the thickness you want, you are almost there.
Tiles
Tiles are easy to install and come in two varieties: interlocking tiles (like puzzle pieces that fit together) or straight-edged tiles.
Horse Stall Mats
Stall mats are the cheaper alternative, plus they are water-resistant, shock-absorbing and generally work rather well. They are made for horses so you know they can carry the weight of your dumbbells, but they have some drawbacks. The first thing you will notice is that they have a rather strong smell. They are made from recycled tires and are rather popular because they tend to be cheaper than the alternatives. While horse stall mats are a good first step, as you spend more time in your gym, you may probably want to move towards something more commercial.
Rubber Rolls
Rubber commercial gym flooring rolls are great; they cover large spaces and are made to keep your body safe during high impact exercises. They cost more than horse stall mats, but they are specifically made for high impact exercises, don’t smell the way horse stall mats do, and generally are of higher quality. Another advantage is that seams do not separate with heavy movement. Keep in mind, though, that these are heavy and you will need a hand moving them around and installing them.
Call Specialized Fitness Resources for Your Exercise Flooring Options
Ready for your new floor? Give Specialized Fitness Resources a call. We can help you decide which exercise flooring option will fit your needs. We provide a wide range of sports surfacing and specialty rubber products for the fitness industry. To request a quote, contact us today at 305-752-0451.